Dangerous articulated lorry driving

boardz

This happened at a crossroads in Dublin this morning at 11 am. I was the first car stopped at the red light, I got a green and moved on while watching left and right. As I approached the middle of the junction I see this huge articulated lorry trundling towards the junction from my left and not slowing down. In a second or so I stopped, double checked I had a green light, sounded the horn and looked at the artic driver. He had his head looking down at his steering wheel and appeared to be texting (his driving position was to high for me to see what his hands) he pops his head up looks at my green light (he had already gone through his red light) and waves apologetically. Just to be clear he was driving this articulated lorry while texting and had driven straight through a red light without realising! If I hadn't been on the ball and I had not had the leeway of a traffic lane (he came from my left) you can imagine what could have happened.
I have been driving for over 30 years and have seen some really poor driving but I did something that I have never done before and I called the Gardai to report this. I called the local station and was told that if I wanted to pursue it I would have to make a statement at the station and I agreed to do that. I went to the station explained what happened and was offered two choices

- we can see if one of the lads can flag him down and have a word
- you can make a statement and he may be prosecuted

I said I would prefer to make a statement and prosecution. The Garda went into the back office and then came back and said they would have a word with the driver and see how that went. She took the details on a post-it and bid me good day!

Am I missing something? Is this how seriously road safety is still being taken by the Gardaí? Am I over reacting?

Rabbo

The problem is that it's your word against his. I'd imagine the Gardai are inundated with complaints like this but without proof there is little chance of conviction. The best they can do in most circumstances is have a stiff word with the driver and hopefully give him a bit of a fright

slimjimmc

Any chance of CCTV overlooking the junction?

Truckermal

slimjimmc wrote: »

Any chance of CCTV overlooking the junction?

I would be thinking so although I would be willing to bet the truck is a WX reg..:)

H3llR4iser

Rabbo wrote: »

The problem is that it's your word against his. I'd imagine the Gardai are inundated with complaints like this but without proof there is little chance of conviction. The best they can do in most circumstances is have a stiff word with the driver and hopefully give him a bit of a fright

And luckily so, or it would be an incessant stream of people reporting others over minor incidents or even grudges; Don't like how your neighbour parks his car? Report him for speeding and so on.

Boardz, it's great you posted this, because there is one enormous lesson/bit of information everybody should take from the experience: your attention to the surroundings and other drivers defused a dangerous situation with no consequences.

But I know most will ignore that and keep banging on about the truck driver...

BigEejit

Not all truck drivers are angels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp5J74C1D3k

The driver was sacked and police are looking into it:
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/12927055.Video__Driver_sacked_and_police_investigating_over_overtaking_maneuver_on_mini_roundabout/

porsche boy

If only you had a dash cam... you could have sent the video to his employers.

Rabbo

Dash cams would weed out alot of the careless drivers. I can see a day where they become mandatory in new cars

boardz

No cctv and I haven't gotten around to install a dashcam although I will soon now. Was a D reg.
For me I wanted to report a quite serious offence and it should have been properly investigated. I don't think many people would make malicious complaints as you have to give your own details which will be supplied to the accused.

allthedoyles

Truckermal wrote: »

I would be thinking so although I would be willing to bet the truck is a WX reg..:)

Why wx ? , just wondering -

Some companies now have hidden camera on trucks .

One is located at the side beside passenger door , and it sends live stream back to office .

I know hauliers that have them installed

uck51js9zml2yt

Was driving down lesson st earlier in the week and a coach csmr out from Pembroke st and crossed over into my lane and nearly wiped me out.
Both of us having green works if you stay in lane.
Gave the office a ring and spoke to the boss who was also the driver.
He lost concentration! Nearly deprived 2 young kids of their father. Imbecile. He had WX plates.

boardz

No cctv and I haven't gotten around to install a dashcam although I will soon now. Was a D reg.
For me I wanted to report a quite serious offence and it should have been properly investigated. I don't think many people would make malicious complaints as you have to give your own details which will be supplied to the accused.

Del2005

boardz wrote: »

This happened at a crossroads in Dublin this morning at 11 am. I was the first car stopped at the red light, I got a green and moved on while watching left and right. As I approached the middle of the junction I see this huge articulated lorry trundling towards the junction from my left and not slowing down. In a second or so I stopped, double checked I had a green light, sounded the horn and looked at the artic driver. He had his head looking down at his steering wheel and appeared to be texting (his driving position was to high for me to see what his hands) he pops his head up looks at my green light (he had already gone through his red light) and waves apologetically. Just to be clear he was driving this articulated lorry while texting and had driven straight through a red light without realising! If I hadn't been on the ball and I had not had the leeway of a traffic lane (he came from my left) you can imagine what could have happened.
I have been driving for over 30 years and have seen some really poor driving but I did something that I have never done before and I called the Gardai to report this. I called the local station and was told that if I wanted to pursue it I would have to make a statement at the station and I agreed to do that. I went to the station explained what happened and was offered two choices

- we can see if one of the lads can flag him down and have a word
- you can make a statement and he may be prosecuted

I said I would prefer to make a statement and prosecution. The Garda went into the back office and then came back and said they would have a word with the driver and see how that went. She took the details on a post-it and bid me good day!

Am I missing something? Is this how seriously road safety is still being taken by the Gardaí? Am I over reacting?

If you remove truck from the post it would just be a normal red light jumper that happens at nearly all junctions now, shocking how ignoring red lights is now normal in this country, with all types of vehicles and other road users.

boardz wrote: »

For me I wanted to report a quite serious offence and it should have been properly investigated. I don't think many people would make malicious complaints as you have to give your own details which will be supplied to the accused.

If you want to push it contact the super from the station you reported it to, if no joy with them go to the ombudsman. You'd be surprised what people will report even if they have to give their names, since there's zero repercussions for spurious complaints.

boardz

Del2005 wrote: »

If you remove truck from the post it would just be a normal red light jumper that happens at nearly all junctions now, shocking how ignoring red lights is now normal in this country, with all types of vehicles and other road users.

Boardz reply
I don't believe this is like the normal red light jumper who makes a decision to keep going. This guy didn't realise because he was texting that he was going through a red light which I believe is much more serious.


If you want to push it contact the super from the station you reported it to, if no joy with them go to the ombudsman. You'd be surprised what people will report even if they have to give their names, since there's zero repercussions
sions for spurious complaints.

I have contacted the traffic watch phone line so we'll see how that pans out.

ofcork

@allthedoyles a certain haulage company based in wexford have had a number of incidents and most if not all their drivers aren't irish.

Lorries don't like stopping because it takes a longer time to get back up to speed. Burns more fuel also.

It's a good idea to be prepared lorries to pull stunts like that.