Tuned cars gathering in Blanch, next to TGIF, some with Police lights and sirens?

JackHeuston

Hi all,
I moved earlier this year in front of the Blanchardstown shopping centre and I was wondering what's up with all the cars meeting next to TGI Friday's every Wednesday until midnight, 1am.

Most of the times they looked fine, just a bunch of kids with terribly old cars with Christmas lights on them and noisy exhaust systems.

But, evey once in a while some of them look aggressive, litter the whole parking lot, trigger people's parked cars alarms, etc...

Yesterday one of the cars turned on flashing blue and red lights (concealed inside the car) and a Police siren at full blast at 1am.

Honestly, knowing now that these people can go around impersonating Garda is a bit more worrying than thinking they are just kids joking around and making some noise on a Wednesday night.

Is having that stuff in your car legal here? I've never expected to see that in whatever car, how can that be allowed?

In months, I've seen Garda only once in these gatherings (yesterday), but they just talked to a guy there and left without doing anything, everyone stayed there for hours.

I recently moved there so I thought of asking the community if anyone knows more, but it's hard to believe Garda doesn't know about it since this stuff happens every Wednesday.

oblivious

Contact the community Garda


If they are littering there is a witness statement from final to get the car owners fined. Probably most effective if a number of residents do it to as often when then litter or you can.


http://www.fingalcoco.ie/media/WITNESS%20STATEMENT%20FORM%202015%20B.pdf

Larbre34

An email to the Centre management might help, i would guess that car park area is their responsibility, they have a duty to secure it and deter anti-social behaviour. Copy in your local Councillors on the correspondence, they might be inclined to take it up in election season!

spooky donkey

I did see the garda car leave there last night as I was leaving the cinema, must have been close to 11pm, I did not hear much noise at that point but that may have been down to the guards just visiting.

Just wondering if there was no litter would there be any other issue with this gathering. There is a chance one of their number will see this thread and try to get them to stop with the littering. These meets are usually organised on line on FB and sites like that and if the organisers got the littering sorted is there any other harm in their gatherings?

JackHeuston

Usually nothing too bad as said, but are cars with blue lights and sirens like the police or any other emergency vehicle ones legal?

oblivious

JackHeuston wrote: »

Usually nothing too bad as said, but are cars with blue lights and sirens like the police or any other emergency vehicle ones legal?

Noise pollution

Pat Dunne

Larbre34 wrote: »

Copy in your local Councillors on the correspondence, they might be inclined to take it up in election season!

Local Authority / Council, elections won't be held for another 4 years. The General Election is the next election.

JackHeuston wrote: »

Usually nothing too bad as said, but are cars with blue lights and sirens like the police or any other emergency vehicle ones legal?

It is an offence to impersonate a member of the Gardai and or to be in pocession of Garda equiptment that cannot be satisfactorily accounted for.

Ant695

JackHeuston wrote: »

Usually nothing too bad as said, but are cars with blue lights and sirens like the police or any other emergency vehicle ones legal?

I'm not 100% sure but most of the stuff like that ie. lights that aren't normal colours for a car or on an off the road basis. meaning you can use them on private property which the car park would be but you can't use them driving around.

Although I don't know if there would be different stricter laws relating to emergency services style lights etc...

Larbre34

Pat Dunne wrote: »

Local Authority / Council, elections won't be held for another 4 years. The General Election is the next election.

I know that. My point is, 3 or 4 sitting Councillors from Castleknock and Mulhuddart wards are running in it.

Pat Dunne

Larbre34 wrote: »

I know that. My point is, 3 or 4 sitting Councillors from Castleknock and Mulhuddart wards are running in it.

Why not also contact the 4 sitting TD's , 3 of whom will be contesting as well

AlanG

Blue flashing lights on a standard car are illegal. Not sure if it is just flashing inside however.