When to call Traffic Watch

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Folks,

Have you ever called traffic watch to report someone's driving? I've driven home a few times on the M50/M1 and have considered whether I should call them (hands free of course). The issue is I don't know if what I'd report warrants a call. Part of the issue is I tend to be fairly tolerant of a lot of stuff so don't know if I'm over reacting. Some driving I've seen:

Heading home on the M50 last night and the car in front couldn't keep in a straight line. It strayed once or twice across the line into the next lane but largely it was moving across its lane an awful lot. I'm not sure if that warrants reporting or not?

A few times now heading home on the M1 I've been behind cars that either didn't have their rear or headlights on. Last night I was behind an import of some sort that had it's rears on but only had parking lights on at the front. This was around 6:30 when it was dark.

Owryan

Rang them last year. Exited the motorway at Kilkenny and a car came up behind, undertook me on the hard shoulder at speed, he ended up driving on the grass. Then proceeded to pull out in front of me and slammed on the brakes.

He did the same to an articulated truck at the roundabout where McDonalds is because the truck hadnt pulled in to let him pass. Only time i was ever left shaken by another driver. He was weaving in and out of traffic.

A few days later the gardai rang me back and i made a formal statement.

9935452

A few years back i was heading from newcastle west to limerick. Two english reg jeeps came up behind me at a substantial speed .
IMO they were racing each other . They were forcing their way by cars , overtaking with cars coming against them forcing both sides of the road to pull in and let them by, overtaking at blind curves where numerous accidents have happened in the past.
At 80mph they left me for dead, i recking they were pushing 120mph.
About 10 miles later i caught up to them and couldnt figure out why, til a saw a traffic core car doing 45mph.
I over took the 2 boys and came up behind the traffic core car which pulled in and left me pass.
The two boys saw this,gingerally overtook the traffic core car and started the same dangerous crack again.

They were going to kill someone, It was the first time i have ever rang 999 and explained the situation to henry street.
The guard told me they had a car out that direction which would stop them. I explained to the guard what had happened with their car.
Her response was' dont worry we will get them'.

The first one was stopped just before the motorway . The second one was stopped after the Dooradoyle turnoff on the flyover.
Unmarked car , 2 guards didnt look happy , the driver looked more unhappy , red faced shouting at the guards , waving hands hysterically.
I have to assume the unmarked car witnessed the dangerous driving themselves.
I didnt hear anything more about it

uck51js9zml2yt

Called them a few years ago when a coach let a load of kids out to stretch their legs on the M50 while it was stuck in traffic.

ironclaw

Rhys Rhythmic Racketeer wrote: »

Called them a few years ago when a coach let a load of kids out to stretch their legs on the M50 while it was stuck in traffic.

This is a fairly common occurrence when there is a concert on in Marlay Park except its a little more than leg stretching :rolleyes: Most of the coaches are from down the country and to be fair, there was a Traffic Corp biking doleing out the tickets the day I passed.

Del2005

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Hey Folks,

Have you ever called traffic watch to report someone's driving? I've driven home a few times on the M50/M1 and have considered whether I should call them (hands free of course). The issue is I don't know if what I'd report warrants a call. Part of the issue is I tend to be fairly tolerant of a lot of stuff so don't know if I'm over reacting. Some driving I've seen:

Heading home on the M50 last night and the car in front couldn't keep in a straight line. It strayed once or twice across the line into the next lane but largely it was moving across its lane an awful lot. I'm not sure if that warrants reporting or not?

A few times now heading home on the M1 I've been behind cars that either didn't have their rear or headlights on. Last night I was behind an import of some sort that had it's rears on but only had parking lights on at the front. This was around 6:30 when it was dark.

I'd consider reporting the weaving driver as they are either DUI or tired so should be stopped and checked by the Gardaí.

For lights. I'd never be off the phone so wouldn't bother calling. As somebody posted here years ago try counting 10 cars in a row with correct lighting and that's only approaching traffic!

Alkers

I have called it once before when I got to work after witnessing a supermini which was drifting between lanes on the m1. As I overtook, I noticed that the driver had a notepad up against the steering wheel and seemed to be learning notes or something to that effect. I was so surprised that I let them by me again in order to memorise their reg. I got a call back from a garda within an hour who asked me what I would like to do. I said I would be willing to make a formal statement but would leave it at the discretion of the Garda who spoke to the lady and then I heard nothing further.

Muckie

Rang them a few years back.

Was coming to a small roundabout (like one trucks can drive straight over)

I was turning left, two lads in a big black Merc shot straight infront of me, crossing from their right, missed me by inches, weirdest thing!

Scared the life out of me, took there reg, then pulled over a bit later.

Explained to the Gardai what happened, called to the local Station a week later.
Garda wanted to know would i appear in court, if required.

No worries. never got that far.
Got another phone call a few weeks later, chap was issued with a fine for this as well as string of other offences

razorblunt

Rang them once, driving back from Galway to Cork. Traffic was steady, moving but a long line of traffic going about 50mph. The car in front was weaving really close to the verge and then across to the white line. Clearly either tired or drunk.
One of the lads in the back rang, there were road works in the next town, can't remember where exactly, but they were there waiting and pulled him aside.

Another time I had to call into a Garda Station after being a passenger in car that was almost run off the road on the South Link in Cork (going from Wilton to B'town). A lorry pulled into the overtaking lane where we were already going past him and lost the wing mirror. The driver knew it too I reckon, we caught up to him, flashed him and he indicated like he was going to pull off into the Dunnes there, when it came to get through the next roundabout he went straight through to the Bandon Road.

Gardaí handled it well, less than 2 hours later the owner of the company was on the phone all apologies, "best driver this, best driver that", I left it to the driver to see what they wanted to do. In the end she said she'd let it go if they sort out the damage and all associated costs, which in fairness the owner did without issue. She also asked for an apology from the driver, she was waiting 10 days for it by all accounts.

Mc Love

Called them (it's great when you get through or they answer their phone) a few years ago outside of Roscrea on the old N7. Car in front had no rear lights on despite having front lights on. They transferred me to a local Garda station and they said they'd send a car out. Sure enough they had one waiting up ahead and pulled out after the car passed to pull them in. Never heard anything after it.

I've experienced the English reg cars racing on the N21 before, called Trafficwatch but no answer and i'd say the cars were well gone by the time I hung up. They were weaving in and around traffic, bullying cars off the road into the hard shoulder and undertaking in the hard shoulder just to get past. If the AGS did catch them, they should have their cars seized on the spot, but they probably wouldnt.

blackwhite

Rang them 3 times.

First was two loose horses on the M9. There was some lad in a jeep with a horse-box following them slowly (as not much more than walking pace) - I assume trying to catch them and take them off the road!
Rang to get a car sent out as much to manage the traffic coming upon them as anything else.

Other two times were on M50. Cyclist on the M50 at Sandyford, heading northbound in the hard shoulder.

Other one was two pedestrians on the M50, just after the M1 junction here https://www.google.ie/maps/@53.4104208,-6.2315797,3a,75y,276.43h,87.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOorp5aMHZ5uo443yNF5rXw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
It was around 7pm or so, still quite busy.
First guy was standing on the gravel in the median between the two carriageways. Second guy came spinting across the five (!!!) lanes of traffic to join him. Didn't know was I looking at the beginnings of a suicide attempt or what, so rang traffic watch to get a car out there asap.