Garda checkpoint pages on Facebook

Henry Ford III

What does everyone think of these? Do they serve any useful purpose or are they a way for bogies to minimise their chances of detection?

GustavoFring

Seem a bit pointless to be honest. But there's always a gang who think that any imposition of a rule on them needs to be avoided at all costs.

You don't really set off somewhere and think I'll just check Facebook for speed traps, most of the posts by the time they're seen will be out of date.

Henry Ford III

Yep. My thought was that a dq'd or uninsured or L plater driving solo might use these pages to try and avoid getting pulled.

Pinch Flat

Not drink driving, having my car insured and taxed and driving within the law means I don’t have to bother with them. Can never understand sites that encourage illegal behaviour.

beauf

Its target audience are exactly the people too feckless to check the site.

Henry Ford III

Drunk/drugged drivers wouldn't have the inclination to use them.

Atlantic Dawn

Lately I have noticed if there's any small build up of traffic at all lots of drivers turning around, some are L plates, some are probably uninsured, untaxed, intoxicated etc.

Dravokivich

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Lately I have noticed if there's any small build up of traffic at all lots of drivers turning around, some are L plates, some are probably uninsured, untaxed, intoxicated etc.

Entering Whitehall, I saw people regularly turn around on the n1. They seem to thinking driving an extra 20 minutes, over sitting in traffic for 10, is more effective. Once some idiot does it, more always follow.

antodeco

Dravokivich wrote: »

Entering Whitehall, I saw people regularly turn around on the n1. They seem to thinking driving an extra 20 minutes, over sitting in traffic for 10, is more effective. Once some idiot does it, more always follow.

In fairness, I'd rather drive for 20 minutes than sit in traffic for 10! At least I feel someway mentally challenged!

Vic_08

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Lately I have noticed if there's any small build up of traffic at all lots of drivers turning around, some are L plates, some are probably uninsured, untaxed, intoxicated etc.

And others don't want to have their time wasted and are alert enough to dodge the holdup.

I've done it a few times, once was so close to them I expected someone to come after me.

I have no problem in principal with checkpoints and am road legal but have no intention of sitting in a queue or talking to one of them if I can avoid it.

Individual Gardai range from reasonable to ridiculously unprofessional, avoiding having any interaction with them is always the best option.

Vic_08

Dravokivich wrote: »

Entering Whitehall, I saw people regularly turn around on the n1. They seem to thinking driving an extra 20 minutes, over sitting in traffic for 10, is more effective. Once some idiot does it, more always follow.

I hate sitting in ques or crawling congestion, I often take a longer quiet route rather than one where I will have to sit in queues or a procession behind whichever flatcap wearing twat is out that day enforcing his personal speed limit on the busy N road.

Dravokivich

antodeco wrote: »

In fairness, I'd rather drive for 20 minutes than sit in traffic for 10! At least I feel someway mentally challenged!

They do it over hatch markings and a solid white line. It's that section right over the port tunnel enteance. Swinging into people preparing to enter a motorway. (I know it isn't one until further up, but other people still act like its one there)

antodeco

Dravokivich wrote: »

They do it over hatch markings and a solid white line. It's that section right over the port tunnel enteance. Swinging into people preparing to enter a motorway. (I know it isn't one until further up, but other people still act like its one there)

Ah that's different! I meant, for myself, if I know, for example, the M50 is extremely slow, I'll drive over the mountains. It's much longer, but at least I'm moving.

V8 Interceptor

Dravokivich wrote: »

Entering Whitehall, I saw people regularly turn around on the n1. They seem to thinking driving an extra 20 minutes, over sitting in traffic for 10, is more effective. Once some idiot does it, more always follow.

Depends where you're headed. I've often come upon a big build up there well after evening rush hour (concert on, Gah match etc) and have done a U-ey, down by Clonshaugh onto the M'hide Rd and over into Clontarf fairly swiftly. Definitely can be quicker than sitting waiting to get up to W'hall.

corks finest

Henry Ford III wrote: »

What does everyone think of these? Do they serve any useful purpose or are they a way for bogies to minimise their chances of detection?

You think that's bad- in Romania local radio stations broadcast warnings whenever there a checkpoint/ radar set up

Henry Ford III

I tag Go Safe van locations on Wase. Very dicey.

tphase

Henry Ford III wrote: »

What does everyone think of these? Do they serve any useful purpose or are they a way for bogies to minimise their chances of detection?

I follow 3 of these pages that cover the area I drive and find they're largely pointless. I reckon Whatsapp groups have taken over from them.

Timing information is usually absent (or is something meaningless like "just now"), location information can be inaccurate or ambiguous and irrelevant posts clutter up the pages (eg alerts from the other side of the country, missing dogs, rants about water charges).
I've passed through checkpoints that were not reported and through locations where there was supposedly a checkpoint but nary a blue light to be seen so they're too hit and miss to be of any use if your windscreen paperwork is not in order.


That said, they have some use in terms of reporting road conditions, accidents and incidents plus sharing reports of missing persons and suspicious activity.

I follow them on twitter and get push notifications on the iPhone/watch anytime they post a trap. Possibly out of date but still you never know and if they save me points/a fine even once it’s worth it.

endacl

Rosie Millions Plane wrote: »

I follow them on twitter and get push notifications on the iPhone/watch anytime they post a trap. Possibly out of date but still you never know and if they save me points/a fine even once it’s worth it.

You know there’s a handier way of avoiding points and a fine...?

OldMrBrennan83

I post them fake ones sometimes but never an actual one.