Garda Car In Unusual Place

MuddyDog

I was driving from Arklow town to Dublin this morning at half 10. As I drove down the ramp to the M11 a garda car was parked on the right hand side of the lane (the opposite side to the hard shoulder) using his speed gun whilst inside the car obviously trying to get cars going in the same direction as he was pointing. Firstly, can the gun get cars driving away from it and secondly, surely parking on the right hand side and taking up about a quarter of the only driving lane is rather dangerous.

pippip

Yes, the gun can read going away from it, think it gives a minus reading.

You should have called the local garda station lodging a complaint of a "vehicle" causing a dangerous obstruction.

bbability

They have to apply the same letter of the law as is applied to any memeber of the driving community. Pity you didn't take their number and report them.

Atlantic Dawn

I thought with the gun they had to stop and show the motorist the speed they were doing? Surely it would be dangerous trying to catch up with the motorist if they were on the wrong side of the road to start with?

sjb25

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I thought with the gun they had to stop and show the motorist the speed they were doing? Surely it would be dangerous trying to catch up with the motorist if they were on the wrong side of the road to start with?

They are reading the cars going past them on the motorway by time you see them in the mirror it's to late they come down the ramp and catch up to you and pull you in common enough for them to be at that on motorways see it a lot

sjb25

Used to always be at the rathnew ramps was coming from dublin one day me doing a nice speed with chap right behind me hole way from m50 both doing about the same sped hole way (not hogging right lane by the way ) anyway coming up to the on ramp at rathnew from seeing them before I pulled over to left hand lane and slowed down other lad kept going next thing blue lights coming down the ramp hard look on yer man

challengemaster

MuddyDog wrote: »

I was driving from Arklow town to Dublin this morning at half 10. As I drove down the ramp to the M11 a garda car was parked on the right hand side of the lane (the opposite side to the hard shoulder) using his speed gun whilst inside the car obviously trying to get cars going in the same direction as he was pointing. Firstly, can the gun get cars driving away from it and secondly, surely parking on the right hand side and taking up about a quarter of the only driving lane is rather dangerous.

That's USUAL, not unusual! You probably just never saw them before, but thats where they're always hiding. At one stage or another I've seen them on just about every slip road on the M4/M6.

bbability wrote: »

They have to apply the same letter of the law as is applied to any memeber of the driving community. Pity you didn't take their number and report them.

Ah, but you forget - Gardaí are exempt from road traffic law during the course of their duties. And while that is definitely part of their duties, seeing as they're always "on duty", it means they can do whatever the fup they want at any time anyway.

bbability

challengemaster wrote: »

Ah, but you forget - Gardaí are exempt from road traffic law during the course of their duties. And while that is definitely part of their duties, seeing as they're always "on duty", it means they can do whatever the fup they want at any time anyway.

To be fair most of them obey the law like most of us most of the time. Its the small minority who give them a bad name like parking on the half way down a ramp leading onto a motorway to make €80. The risk factor/assessment doesn't weigh up.
Humans are not allowed to park there so neither is anyone else.

_Kaiser_

Common enough occurrence - see it a fair bit on the M8 between exits 6 and 12. Camped out halfway up the on-ramp waiting to catch people below.

Once you're aware of it though it's easy enough to deal with.

ironclaw

sjb25 wrote: »

They are reading the cars going past them on the motorway by time you see them in the mirror it's to late they come down the ramp and catch up to you and pull you in common enough for them to be at that on motorways see it a lot

Thats when you floor it and take the second next exit :pac: One of my fav moments from the Rallys

(Tongue in cheek btw, I don't applaud this type of driving)