Points after following Garda thru changing lights

Gwynston

A "friend" recently got an on-the spot fine - and points, I presume (the letter hasn't come back yet) - when they were approaching a set of lights following other cars, and as the car in front crossed the line the lights started changing.

So they figured it would be alright to follow the preceding car through, only for it to suddenly flash the lights and pull them over. It was an unmarked squad car driven by a woman garda. :eek:

My friend pleaded with her that they were just following her through as the lights started changing. But the garda actually apologized, saying that there were cameras on the squad car showing them going through the amber light, so she couldn't let it go. :rolleyes:

Seems like a bit of a honey trap to me...

biko

Worst excuse ever..

You have to drive like there is no other car, there is only the lights and you your friend

punisher5112

Gwynston wrote: »

A "friend" recently got an on-the spot fine - and points, I presume (the letter hasn't come back yet) - when they were approaching a set of lights following other cars, and as the car in front crossed the line the lights started changing.

So they figured it would be alright to follow the preceding car through, only for it to suddenly flash the lights and pull them over. It was an unmarked squad car driven by a woman garda. :eek:

My friend pleaded with her that they were just following her through as the lights started changing. But the garda actually apologized, saying that there were cameras on the squad car showing them going through the amber light, so she couldn't let it go. :rolleyes:

Seems like a bit of a honey trap to me...

Why did they follow through they should have had a safe distance between them and Garda car and should have stopped as by what you say they followed them through when went orange for the Garda car.

heroics

biko wrote: »

Worst excuse ever..

You have to drive like there is no other car, there is only the lights and you your friend

This. +1

Foweva Awone

*Primary teacher voice* And if the person beside you jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?

No excuse I'm afraid!

Hoboo

You must stop, unless it is unsafe to do so. Now if it was your 'friend' was on the line when it changed, fair enough, but you, sorry I mean your 'friend' had plenty of time, or should have if you/they were driving correctly. Suck it up/tell your friend to suck it up, and stop driving like a d**k.

phog

Gwynston wrote: »

A "friend" recently got an on-the spot fine - and points, I presume (the letter hasn't come back yet) - when they were approaching a set of lights following other cars, and as the car in front crossed the line the lights started changing.

So they figured it would be alright to follow the preceding car through, only for it to suddenly flash the lights and pull them over. It was an unmarked squad car driven by a woman garda. :eek:

My friend pleaded with her that they were just following her through as the lights started changing. But the garda actually apologized, saying that there were cameras on the squad car showing them going through the amber light, so she couldn't let it go. :rolleyes:

Seems like a bit of a honey trap to me...

It might well have been safe for them to go through but the next car could have been breaking a red light.

Following a car though amber/red lights doesn't actually absolve the driver from being in the wrong.

Isambard

I'm surprised anyone could think it's an excuse that they were following someone else, where does that end?

Hoboo

Oh you're looking for sympathy.........Im afraid this is abuse. Sympathy is down the corridor, second door on your left. Next door to argument.

Charles Babbage

Hoboo wrote: »

Oh you're looking for sympathy.........Im afraid this is abuse. Sympathy is down the corridor, second door on your left. Next door to argument.

No sympathy, but this is not abuse either
A lot of us are glad to see that the Gardai are making an efforrt.
I often go through a light when it is changing and wonder if I should have stopped, only to look in my mirror and see that not only did the car behind me come after me but also the car after that!

Rowley Birkin QC

Gwynston wrote: »

woman garda.

honey trap

Classy.:rolleyes:

Hoboo

Charles Babbage wrote: »

No sympathy, but this is not abuse either
A lot of us are glad to see that the Gardai are making an efforrt.
I often go through a light when it is changing and wonder if I should have stopped, only to look in my mirror and see that not only did the car behind me come after me but also the car after that!

You Tube. Monty Python. Argument Clinic. Enjoy.

whoopsadoodles

She certainly could have said that the only reason she went through the lights was because she felt you were too close to her for her to stop safely.

Wheety

You know that amber means stop? Not, just try and squeeze a few more through.

The only time you don't stop on amber is if it would be unsafe to do so, i.e. you'd have to slam in the breaks.

I had a woman beep at me recently for stopping at an amber light. It does really seem like people don't know this. I don't normally suffer from road rage but I turned back to look at her through the driver and passenger seats and pointed towards the light. She wouldn't even look at me

biko

Don't surprise me though, Galway is notorious for people jumping lights.

TheQuietFella

Gwynston wrote: »

It was an unmarked squad car driven by a woman garda. :eek:

Why does it matter what sex it was in uniform? :D:D
It's all about equality now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where's my spade?

Effects

Gwynston wrote: »

My friend pleaded with her that they were just following her through as the lights started changing.
Seems like a bit of a honey trap to me...

Your friend broke the lights and got caught.

People increasingly seem to think they can break traffic laws and if they get caught it's someone else's fault.

Hitman3000

Your friend needs to learn two things A) What Amber lights mean and Do as we say not as we do.

biko

Effects wrote: »

People increasingly seem to think they can break traffic laws and if they get caught it's someone else's fault.

Millenials are now old enough to drive

whoopsadoodles

biko wrote: »

Millenials are now old enough to drive

Some Millenials have been old enough to drive for 19 years.

Gwynston

Gotta love the Motors board!
You lot get wound up so easily!

I assure you, it wasn't me. :P
I said "a friend" to hide her anonymity. And yes, she's a female, so you can cut out all the reading between the lines about the garda being female too. My friend was the one who made a point about it, because they didin't like her attitude. It's not the first time I've heard anecdotally that female gardas get a bit of a power trip from some of their actions.

My friend has admitted she got caught red-handed, and knows what she did was a driving offense. But she felt a little bit cheated that the squad car was unmarked and essentially went through itself just about on amber. But the garda still felt the need to pull over my friend.

That's what I meant by "honey pot" - she was almost tempting my friend into it.

Hitman3000

Gwynston wrote:

I assure you, it wasn't me. I said "a friend" to hide her anonymity. And yes, she's a female, so you can cut out all the reading between the lines about the garda being female too. My friend was the one who made a point about it, because they didin't like her attitude. It's not the first time I've heard anecdotally that female gardas get a bit of a power trip from some of their actions.

See that's the thing you never mentioned that your friend was female but yet the Guards sex was important as was the word honeypot in your original post. Tell your friend to cop on and obey the rules of the road.

muckwarrior

Gwynston wrote: »

But she felt a little bit cheated that the squad car was unmarked and essentially went through itself just about on amber. But the garda still felt the need to pull over my friend.

That's what I meant by "honey pot" - she was almost tempting my friend into it.

That's the thing though. That argument makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. If it were ok to go through amber/red lights because the car ahead did then traffic could just keep going through them indefinitely! The guard probably knew what she had done was borderline so anyone following was 100% in the wrong.

Effects

Gwynston wrote: »

But she felt a little bit cheated that the squad car was unmarked.

She felt cheated because she thinks she doesn't have to obey traffic laws unless being watched by a Garda?

Why do you think some cars are unmarked? Just cause they are too lazy to paint them?

Gwynston

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Tell your friend to cop on and obey the rules of the road.

I don't need to - the Guard has done that!
And she'll have the points to prove it...

Gwynston

Effects wrote: »

She felt cheated because she thinks she doesn't have to obey traffic laws unless being watched by a Garda?

Why do you think some cars are unmarked? Just cause they are too lazy to paint them?

Hey - don't shoot the messenger!
I'm not defending her, just putting her point out for discussion. She's well aware what she did was wrong, but thinks the Guard was a bit sneaky, with the lights changing as she went through herself.

punisher5112

Garda on duty in a Garda vehicle or motorcycle or pedal cycle or Segway or a horse are exempt from any traffic laws etc.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Gwynston wrote: »

Hey - don't shoot the messenger!
I'm not defending her, just putting her point out for discussion. She's well aware what she did was wrong, but thinks the Guard was a bit sneaky, with the lights changing as she went through herself.

For discussion? What's to discuss? It's a clear cut case f your friend being completely in the wrong.

The comment about it being an unmarked car is farcical .

mordeith

Gwynston wrote: »

but thinks the Guard was a bit sneaky, with the lights changing as she went through herself.

Yes, the guard obviously saw your friend behind and thought 'I have a cunning plan'.

Hitman3000

punisher5112 wrote:

Garda on duty in a Garda vehicle or motorcycle or pedal cycle or Segway or a horse are exempt from any traffic laws etc.

That's not entirely correct. 2010 road traffic act.

Gwynston

Marlowe Some Banknote wrote: »

For discussion? What's to discuss? It's a clear cut case f your friend being completely in the wrong.

The comment about it being an unmarked car is farcical .

OK, don't discuss it then!

My friend's feeling was that she was "drawn" in to it by the Guard. That's what I was hoping would be ripe for discussion. Anyone else had similar experiences?

There's no debate about the offense committed, even from my friend.
But most of us have probably done the same thing - followed another car through the changing lights. But my friend got caught in an unlucky "sting".

Hitman3000

Gwynston wrote:

I don't need to - the Guard has done that! And she'll have the points to prove it...

So basically the point of this thread was to have a pop at a female Garda on behalf of your friend, also to see how easy it is to wind up posters on the motoring forum. Gotcha.

Hitman3000

Gwynston wrote:

I don't need to - the Guard has done that! And she'll have the points to prove it...

So basically the point of this thread was to have a pop at a female Garda on behalf of your friend, also to see how easy it is to wind up posters on the motoring forum. Gotcha.

biko

There is a lesson here.
Hope your friend understands what it is and improves the driving.