Garda Trafficwatch

vicwatson

What happens when you call this number to make a report of another driver?

Do you get a Garda or a desk person?

What happens after the report is made after you’ve given your contact details?

Maybe it’s put on the pulse system and forgotten about ....?

Walter Bishop

I've rang them twice, both times was told it would be checked out and the driver involved would be contacted if the Guards thought it appropriate (or words to that effect) - never heard anything again, but wasn't expecting to either.

DaveyDave

You speak to someone in the traffic watch office, give them details and they sent it on to the station closest to where it happened. They call you in to make a statement and take it from there.

I was told by 2 of the 3 Garda my statement wouldn't count because I was the passenger of the car, which is absurd.

The third time, I was cycling and submitted clear GoPro footage of a taxi nearly knocking me over when passing me and heard nothing at all.

I'd only report if it was something serious otherwise it's a waste of time. The first one was a taxi serving into the middle lane on the M50 to brake test us, which is dangerous intent and a mandatory court appearance. Didn't go any further because I wasn't the driver.

vicwatson

Is the office manned by Gardai? Or

DaveyDave

vicwatson wrote: »

Is the office manned by Gardai? Or

Not to my knowledge, seems to be normal office staff working 9-5 Monday to Friday logging it. They're friendly, and to be fair Garda seem grateful if you make the effort to give a statement.

Stephen Strange

vicwatson wrote: »

Is the office manned by Gardai? Or

If you call 999, it's not Gardaí most of the time, it doesn't matter either way.

vicwatson

Stephen Strange wrote: »

If you call 999, it's not Gardaost of the time, it doesn't matter either way.

Well it does to me, that's why I asked the question. I wasn't talking about 999, I was talking about Garda Trafficwatch phoneline

Stephen Strange

vicwatson wrote: »

Well it does to me, that's why I asked the question. I wasn't talking about 999, I was talking about Garda Trafficwatch phoneline

Fair enough, if it matters to you, but as far as I know it's civilian staffed (as it should be imo).

Sexual Chocolate

Pretty sure its civilian staffed out of the traffic watch office in Mayo, or out that end of the country anyway. If your keen on speaking to a guard themself then you should contact the station closest to where the incident happened. If the alleged offence is serious enough and your willing to give a statement then they'll more then likely entertain you.

BillyBobBS

You are completely wasting your time unless you have dash cam footage of actual bad driving that leads to an accident.

Stark

I did it before. They asked me to come in and make a statement, which I did. They called me back a few weeks later to say they had called to the guy's house and naturally the guy denied the whole thing (it was a taxi driver acting the bollocks, ploughing through a red light nearly hitting a few pedestrians and a car coming the other direction through the junction). They asked me did I want to pursue it further in court and I said no thanks, didn't want to waste my own time appearing in court and figured having Gardaí knocking on your front door would give enough of a shock to make someone think a bit more carefully in future anyway.

So overall, pretty happy with the experience and follow up.

Mc Love

Have called them before and I've said as much on here before. They contacted the local station and had a car out waiting for the motorist up ahead.

jimbis

My Sister and her husband were behind a car driving erratically on the m50 one Sunday, suspected the driver was drunk so rang traffic watch and passed on all the info. A few junctions down the road a traffic Corp car was waiting at an on ramp, followed the car and pulled them in.

I couldn't believe everything could work that quick, although I'm sure they had other callers aswell.

Alun

Sexual Chocolate wrote: »

Pretty sure its civilian staffed out of the traffic watch office in Mayo, or out that end of the country anyway.

It's all on their webpage ...

Traffic Watch is a partnership approach to reducing the number of road collisions and fatalities. It brings road users, An Garda Síochána, the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority together in a united and sustained effort to improve safety on our roads.

Members of the public can report traffic-related incidents using the Traffic Watch lo-call number 1890 205 805. These calls are answered and logged by civilian personnel at the Garda Information Services Centre, Castlebar, Mayo F23 D303. The incident is then forwarded to the relevant District Officer (Superintendent) for investigation.

The District Officer will appoint a member of An Garda Síochána to investigate a Traffic Watch complaint. The investigating member makes contact with the complainant to:-

• Establish the complainant's version of events
• Establish if there are other witnesses to the alleged incident
• Discuss the possible actions available, including if the complainant wishes the matter to go court or have the incident dealt with by way of caution, advice or guidance

If the complainant wishes to go to Court, a written statement is taken, and if not and an offence has been disclosed, arrangements are made to have the matter dealt with by way of caution, advice or guidance.
Where an offence is believed to have been disclosed and the complainant wishes to go to Court, a file is submitted to the District Officer who will decide what action, if any, is to be taken. In all instances the complainant should be notified of the outcome of his or her complaint.

Bazzy

In my last job based in South Dublin I had Ashbourne Garda station onto me once to be fair to the female Garda involved she pursued the issue greatly

The van was registered to a company she had a chat with the driver and he gave his side of events and that was that but she wasnt stopping until she found out who was driving

SSr0

I'm in two minds about this. I had a Garda ring me a few years ago claiming I had overtaken dangerously past 7 cars, he then proceeded to caution me until I stopped him and told him that I was in Belgium at the time of the alleged offence while my car was in the long term car park in Dublin airport.

I said I'd happily go to court and prove this, but under no circumstances would I accept a caution over the phone. He told me I was fine and that this happens sometimes, when someone has a "grudge" against a neighbour or something.

DaveyDave

I think that's where making a statement would go into it, moaning over the phone probably doesn't mean much I'm sure they've had plenty of busy bodies calling in their neighbours. Going in and making a statement is a different story. I'm sure they had kind words with whoever reported you, isn't a fasle statement a huge problem?

Interesting that a previous poster mentioned a taxi driver, all 3 of my reports were taxi drivers.

ironingbored

I have dashcam footage of dangerous driving on the M1 southbound this morning; tailgating and then undertaking in the emergency lane. Should I provide the footage to Garda Traffic and how do I go about doing this?

Stark

ironingbored wrote: »

I have dashcam footage of dangerous driving on the M1 southbound this morning; tailgating and then undertaking in the emergency lane. Should I provide the footage to Garda Traffic and how do I go about doing this?

Better check that it wasn't an unmarked Garda car first I had someone like that last weekend and a while later up the road saw the guy pulling in to join the rest of the Garda setting up that "look at us, we're doing our jobs!" breathalyzer checkpoint on the M1.

ED E

ironingbored wrote: »

I have dashcam footage of dangerous driving on the M1 southbound this morning; tailgating and then undertaking in the emergency lane. Should I provide the footage to Garda Traffic and how do I go about doing this?

Get the reg, make, time from the footage.
Call them
Wait a couple weeks for the call back
Bring the footage on a USB when you go to the station to give your statement