Garda checkpoints

Bpmull

Is it just me or has anyone noticed how rare garda checkpoints are getting. I mean the good old fashioned sign on the road where every car is stopped. I haven't been through one in about 3 years and I do 30-35k km a year which I know isn't huge mileage but still. So is it a case that the garda are doing less checkpoints and opting for driving around and catching people that way with the reg plate scanner etc or is it just I happen to drive on roads which rarely have checkpoints ?

Jesus.

The rarer the better

beertons

They're as common to me as hen's teeth.

Now the speed van, I see them divils almost every day.

kirving

They don't need to be terribly common when ANPR systems will automatically weed out cars with no insurance or tax.

Jhcx

plenty of them on the dock rd in limerick and Condell rd, shannon checking for full windows. random pulls outside Mallow and down by Clonmel at 2am in the morning. if anything if say they were upping the campaign. I always get a laugh when they ask me why im at x side of the country and i just tell them decided to go for a drive and they look at me as if i had 4 heads. the longer the drive the better is my response

akura

I think i've gone through 2 in my 3 years of driving.

CiniO

Kevin Irving wrote: »

They don't need to be terribly common when ANPR systems will automatically weed out cars with no insurance or tax.

And that's about it.
They could weed out car without NCT as well, but possibly their system is not even capable of that.

And what about cars which are not roadworthy, which have cloned plates, drunk drivers, unlicensed driver, uninsured drivers???
Much more important stuff than insurance and tax.
While ANPR is not bad idea, but it shouldn't be replacing road checks. It should just complement them.

CiniO

Bpmull wrote: »

Is it just me or has anyone noticed how rare garda checkpoints are getting. I mean the good old fashioned sign on the road where every car is stopped. I haven't been through one in about 3 years and I do 30-35k km a year which I know isn't huge mileage but still. So is it a case that the garda are doing less checkpoints and opting for driving around and catching people that way with the reg plate scanner etc or is it just I happen to drive on roads which rarely have checkpoints ?

Over last 8 years I've been driving in Ireland, I was once pulled over and asked for licence, and once brethylised. Both were before 2010.
No other cases of contact with garda on the road. And I've done over 400,000km here in Ireland.

On by annual travel to the Continent, in space of one month and about 10,000km I'm usually pulled over for a road check 3 to 4 times.

Father Ted Crilly

Are you complaining?

corktina

seen two major roadblocks on the N20 outside The City in the past fortnight, one of them today. They had one in Kanturk last week and were lifting cars

Stheno

I come across one around here at least twice a month

guil

They have had check points a few times per day in the curragh recently. They used to be there regularly but weren't for a long time.

donvito99

Just because I never encounter them, they don't exist.

kirving

CiniO wrote: »

And that's about it.
They could weed out car without NCT as well, but possibly their system is not even capable of that.

And what about cars which are not roadworthy, which have cloned plates, drunk drivers, unlicensed driver, uninsured drivers???
Much more important stuff than insurance and tax.
While ANPR is not bad idea, but it shouldn't be replacing road checks. It should just complement them.

I absolutely agree, ANPR will never beat a roadside check, but I bet when the Gards look at the numbers, it's far more cost effective to just catch people when the computer says so.

ngcxt6

Ive go through about 6-10 a year. They're always out checking.

vienne86

Can't remember when I saw my last one.....I think there are indeed far less of them. But the speed check vans are very plentiful, particularly in Wicklow/Wexford.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Aren't they constantly hassling the felters beyond the Pale?

Stheno

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Aren't they constantly hassling the felters beyond the Pale?

well I'm in the pale and not driving a felter, so no.l

Kevin McCloud

They are more interested now in checking the windscreens at the mart and the car parks in town lately and issuing fines in the post.

68 lost souls

I know for w while they were focusing on big check points like the M1 check point they had last year.

rex-x

I see at least two a week and they are constantly going around pulling over random cars too every night, where do ye live?

Colash

I'd say I've come across 4 check points in the last 2 years, that's wwith around 15k miles of driving including regular motorway an city driving

Galwayguy35

I've seen the unmarked pull over a few people over the last few weeks, also the Traffic corps are out more ofton than usual with the hairdryer but yeah it's been a long time since I came across an actual checkpoint.

C4Kid

Late on Friday/ Saturday nights round 11/12 in Cork I've come across them on a few occasions. Other then that I never see them.

myshirt

I do just north of 20miles a year, and rare that I come across them.

When I was younger I would get pulled 3 or 4 times a month, searched for drugs and questioned the bollox out of, they'd check my tax, insurance, my tyres, ask me was I drinking, stare me down, delay me by up to 20 minutes. Variety of experiences. The only thing they didn't do was dip me for diesel.

drumswan

I have not seen a checkpoint in several years, living and driving around South Dublin.

Odyssey 2005

Bpmull wrote: »

Is it just me or has anyone noticed how rare garda checkpoints are getting. I mean the good old fashioned sign on the road where every car is stopped. I haven't been through one in about 3 years and I do 30-35k km a year which I know isn't huge mileage but still. So is it a case that the garda are doing less checkpoints and opting for driving around and catching people that way with the reg plate scanner etc or is it just I happen to drive on roads which rarely have checkpoints ?

Nah,they are like summer flowers, they only come out in the dry and when the sun is shining :mad:. Sure every little bollix in a flash Civic or Bora knows that:rolleyes:. The only traffic laws being implemented nowadays is by the speedy vans.:mad:

jimgoose

I'd have to say they are pretty scarce this last couple of years.

Jesus.

myshirt wrote: »

I do just north of 20miles a year, and rare that I come across them.

Is it any wonder?

TheDoc

Have probably gone through I'd say 3 in the last three years. Live in Swords now, spent a year in Donabate, and commuted to city centre and now out M50.

Do see more patrol cars around my estate however. There has been a rise in break ins and car theft around the area, and a car does the rounds once a night. Although its like clockwork, so as usual totally ineffective at preventing anything.

MuppetCheck

See them pretty regularly between Cork and Waterford to be honest, particularly around Dungarvan.

zurbfoundation

about 15k miles per year, meet one check point per 12-18 months I would estimate. However speed vans once or twice per week.

ANPR's are still not very prevalent - only some of the traffic corps vehicles have them as far as i know - and they don't have insurance data, just one day old tax and NCT data.

9bred4

Between Killarney and Cork they live I find.

MrDerp

I don't see checkpoints too often. In 8 years of driving I've:
1. Been breathalyzed twice. Once on St Patrick's Day in Dublin, once on the Western Rd in Cork on a Bank Holiday Saturday evening.
2. Never had my license checked
3. Been checked for tax and insurance about 5 times. Once I had nothing in the windscreen, as I'd just bought the car 10 days previously. The Garda looked at me and said "eh. Tax?". When I explained, politely, he waved me on. See 2 above, he didn't even check my license, I didn't even have registration yet. Pays to have an honest face and be driving something boring I suppose.

The hairdryers don't seem to be that bothered. I've passed them at 130+ on motorways (usually 140 on the speedo - cruise control - on seeing them and <=130 passing) on about 10 occasions without them seeing bothered.

The only enforcement I've encountered is speed vans. I've been hit twice by garda speed vans in urban areas, never been snagged rurally as when I see the sign I usually assume. I thought I was snapped recently on the old N8 when a chunk of the M8 was closed but I seem to have come out ok.

I've seen plenty of people pulled over, usually for taking the complete piss. So I'll be doing 130-140 and see someone fly past in the overtaking lane, then seem them pulled over at the side of the road 10-20km later.

All in all I think there's a common sense approach where enforcement exists, but often very little enforcement.

challengemaster

Came across 1 last year in Athenry, aside from that it's been years. Definitely under 10 checkpoints in 7-8 years. Despite living 2 minutes away from a station for the last 20 years, where the traffic corps have 6+ vehicles, I've yet to actually see them doing anything worthwhile.

edburg

Normally I generally see them is around Xmas on n20 by Topaz garage in mallow or up by two pots further up road.

I was stopped in 2012 early morning on motorway junction at mitchelstown asking what, where, when, do I know speed limits on motorway and them did a intimate inspection of car running his hand up and down car.

Sure it was his ring that scratched the plastic on rear light. For this I am a fan of camera as they tend not to give a monkey's about people's cars when there looking cars over.