Slow down please

Muppet Man

This lad could really do with slowing down... 50 km/ph zone. he went over two sets of speed bumps and passed the entrance to Annaly estate by Ongar on the wrong side of the road coming from Manorfields. I wish I had my rear view camera switched on for this one. He was really hauling a$$.

He turned left down the ongar distributor road, in the bus lane, so he was definitely in a massive hurry. Maybe an unmarked card? Couldnt quite get the reg.... black VW Passat 09-D- 3xxxx

If you know this car, please ask the driver to have a little respect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nVzxo4QbhI

Pat Dunne

If you actually concerned about others safety, why have you not bring it to the attention of the Gardai?

TheBoyConor

Do you think the guards will give a shíte?

The Gardai couldn't give a bollox

Pat Dunne

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Do you think the guards will give a shíte?

Welcome to the D15 Forum, I’m presuming your not a local, or have ever has set foot in the area as most of you post are about Cork City and Waterford.
Your comment say more about your attitude than anything else.

Muppet Man

Pat Dunne wrote: »

If you actually concerned about others safety, why have you not bring it to the attention of the Gardai?

Twice before with other videos. Wouldn't bother my hole anymore. Im actually worse off after the fact because I'm down two usb keys.

To be fair to be the boys in blue, there's far worse crime in D15 to be worrying about ahole drivers, so in that respect, I don't blame them.

TheBoyConor

Thing is the Gardai need to catch them in the act.

A video on a usb won't be good enough evidence to convict in court because the device a) doesn't record the speed of the offending vehicle and b) even if it did, it would need to calibrated and certified as being of the required accuracy before it could be relied on in court.

All a defence lawyer would just say, judge, we cannot rely on "evidence" from a cheap device from Argos, of unknown and dubious accuracy to deprive this man of his licence and livelihood.

And needless to say, you'd have to give up a day of your work to attend court to give evidence as a witness.

The first thing a guard always asks when recieving a second hand complaint is speeding or dangerous driving is "and do you want to spend a day in court to testify against the driver?"
Often asked in a tongue in cheek manner as they know 90% of people wouldn't be prepared to do that and are just on a rant.

Polar101

That's terrible driving.. if someone had been trying to turn from Annaly Terrace, there would have been an accident. It's bad enough as it is, without some idiot speeding on the wrong side of the road.

beauf

You could post Garda at both ends of any road in D15 and catch bad, dangerous driving all day long. It's that common. Likewise have camera front and back of an unmarked police car.

Bargain_Hound

Pulling out of Allendale is tricky. The ramps have helped somewhat forcing drivers coming around that blind corner to slow down but most come around at such a speed they nearly always end up your ars3. Very bad driving example in that video considering the entrance to Annaly right as he overtook.

Pinch Flat

Those speed cushions are useless. Need proper high speed ramps. It's the only thing that's guaranteed to slow people down.

They've put in those electronic speed displays all around the area I live. I'm convinced they're a challenge to some drivers. Passing these at 70 - 75 kph around carpenterstown in a 50 kph zone is pretty regular

cython

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Thing is the Gardai need to catch them in the act.

A video on a usb won't be good enough evidence to convict in court because the device a) doesn't record the speed of the offending vehicle and b) even if it did, it would need to calibrated and certified as being of the required accuracy before it could be relied on in court.

Speed aside, that driver overtook across a solid white line and over hatching, and if the dashcam had only been able to clearly record his reg there's enough there to convict for that.

And cameras have been used already to convict drivers of traffic offences, one specific case that I can think of was dangerous overtaking of a cyclist, so there is a precedent, albeit not for speeding specifically.

daymobrew

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Thing is the Gardai need to catch them in the act.

I disagree. Some Gardai will say this to avoid the work. I brought a video in and the Garda said that she could see from the video that an offence occurred and that was enough for her to stand behind the FCPN that she'd issue. Even in court, she said, that she'd stand behind the video.

TheBoyConor wrote: »

The first thing a guard always asks when recieving a second hand complaint is speeding or dangerous driving is "and do you want to spend a day in court to testify against the driver?"
Often asked in a tongue in cheek manner as they know 90% of people wouldn't be prepared to do that and are just on a rant.

I think that some Gardai say this to avoid the paperwork. I had one literally shout down the phone at me and say that he was mimicking what a defence solicitor would be like. I still say I'll go to court and they still don't do anything.

Muppet Man

OK, out of interest, I'm going to report this one to Blanch and see what happens as clearly there is more than one law being broken. Will update thread when I know more. I actually think there is a strong chance it was an unmarked garda car.

Veloce

See what Blanch Gardai say - I know there is a dedicated traffic watch telphone line for this sort of stuff - you will be asked to make a statement and if you would be prepared to go to court etc - but sometimes even just a warning from the Gardai does the trick. But ideally you would need to reg of the car.

Absolutely no excuse for that sort of driving in a residential area like that - I know the Gardai have bigger problems to deal with but all it takes is a child or someone to be knocked down - seriously injured or killed.

I live nearby there - and we have a persistent problem with people speeding in the estate.

Let us know how you get on.

Phil.x

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Pulling out of Allendale is tricky. The ramps have helped somewhat forcing drivers coming around that blind corner to slow down but most come around at such a speed they nearly always end up your ars3. Very bad driving example in that video considering the entrance to Annaly right as he overtook.

Badly designed road by fingal. Same as station road in hansfield, it's like a ski slalom with a sprinkle of speedramps.

Phil.x

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Those speed cushions are useless. Need proper high speed ramps. It's the only thing that's guaranteed to slow people down.

I wouldn't agree with that, the people who've no choice but to drive over them every day are the ones who suffer, drivers will use other roads if they're too harsh a ride, prime example is the hartstown road and strawberry beds, I won't go next to near them as they are just dreadful, I've stopped using the petrol station and spar on the hartstown road because of them.

Muppet Man

Just to close the loop on this one.

Cut a long story short, About 2 weeks back I dropped the footage into blanch Garda station.

Had a call back yesterday from the investigating Garda, along the lines of:

1. They identified the car from the reg in the dash cam (I couldn’t)
2. If they were to prosecute the driver of the car they would also have to prosecute me Because I didn’t stop at the stop sign leaving the housing estate.
3. They felt that the footage could be viewed as if I had pulled out in front of the driver and he was simply trying to avoid hitting me. They felt that the prosecution would be too easy for the driver to defend.

In relation to 2. Sure, that’s correct. Technically I didn’t stop. Slowed to about 1kmph, but didn’t actually stop

In relation to 3. FFS

Bottom line - no prosecution.

I’m fuming because I have a rear facing camera which was switched off - that would have shown that when I pulled out of the estate the other driver wasn’t even on the road behind me.

Anyway, on the upside, they were polite and professional to deal with, and at least they looked at the footage instead of throwing in the drawer and ignoring me. And they’ll send back the USB key.

Muppet Man

LorelaiG

Bet you you'll stop at every stop sign in future...

daymobrew

2 - Bull****. Gardai have discretion. If they didn't then they would be taking action against both of you.
3 - Bull****. After you turned left two cars on the opposite side of the road passed you by. Only then did the Passat overtake you.

The Garda put more effort into avoiding the paperwork of a prosecution than doing something good for road safety.

beauf

LorelaiG wrote: »

Bet you you'll stop at every stop sign in future...

Why bother, lesson here is unlikely to be enforced.

fletch

Return with the video evidence but trim the start off with you breaking the stop sign

Muppet Man

daymobrew wrote: »

2 - Bull****. Gardai have discretion. If they didn't then they would be taking action against both of you.
3 - Bull****. After you turned left two cars on the opposite side of the road passed you by. Only then did the Passat overtake you.

The Garda put more effort into avoiding the paperwork of a prosecution than doing something good for road safety.

I wouldnt disagree with you, but the reality is there's far worse things happening in D15 that Gardai need to focus on (have you seen "inside the k".... holy jaysis). For sure, if the crime was bad enough I'm certain they would prosecute, but whats the point when a well paid solicitor will argue I pulled out in front of him and the driver will walk away free. Its a judgement call by the gardai to invest time and resources into this, or chase down under age drug dealers etc.. And to be honest I dont blame them.

beauf

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

If you ask do they need resources, they say no. But if you ask about anything they can't do it because of lack of resources.

Can't win.

The K seems to focus on the worst areas, because that makes the best TV.
The bigger issue for most people is the slow erosion of policing in normal area's.
The level of burglaries that was let grow into to a level that it required public meetings and a task force in all but name.

daymobrew

Muppet Man wrote: »

I wouldnt disagree with you, but the reality is there's far worse things happening in D15 that Gardai need to focus on (have you seen "inside the k".... holy jaysis). For sure, if the crime was bad enough I'm certain they would prosecute, but whats the point when a well paid solicitor will argue I pulled out in front of him and the driver will walk away free. Its a judgement call by the gardai to invest time and resources into this, or chase down under age drug dealers etc.. And to be honest I dont blame them.

I agree that the likelihood of a successful prosecution could be 50/50 but I still think that the Garda told you a white lie about 'having" to prosecute you. The bit about "having to overtake to avoid hitting you" is quite pathetic - I think it's reasonable to assume that Passats have brakes and that they work much better and quicker than accelerators.

Muppet Man

More shenanigans on this road... different car, maybe the same driver....

I dont know, maybe I'm just driving too slow.

Another USB key on the way to Blanch. Lets see their latest excuse for not following up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD4FYqaCQjI

MM

beauf

Be interesting won't it.

daymobrew

While the speed cannot be determined, crossing a solid white line is indisputable. A simple FCPN.

beauf

daymobrew wrote: »

While the speed cannot be determined, crossing a solid white line is indisputable. A simple FCPN.

You'd have a good idea from the time take to pass the various lamposts and road markings. But not that you'd need to do that. As you said.