The Garda Strike

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 08:47PM

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

If checkpoints were for tax insurance and nct then the number of vehicle seizures in the state would be gigantic. Checkpoints are primarily for finding drink drivers, looking for suspicious persons and disrupting routes used by criminals.

Yet apart from at a checkpoint where they had a breathalyser, or the rare ones where they ask questions, there's no sign they're looking for drink drivers beyond someone falling out of the car with intoxication. What's a suspicious person? Someone who looks a bit shifty? Or is there a profile? Are they body language experts? Do they target certain vehicles?
If they were looking for a particular person at most of the ones I've encountered then they'd look at your face as much as at your windscreen, but they rarely did.

The_A · 03-11-2016 08:48PM

Ah lads

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 08:51PM

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

If any group deserves a pay rise it's the Gardai. They do the most dangerous and thankless job of all.

That people are so willing to deny and/or ignore that says more for the general public than AGS.

I'd love to see the begrudgers try to do the job, even for one day. They'd fall at the first hurdle.

Farming and construction are the most dangerous jobs in Ireland. Even in the U.S, where they contend with armed gang members, the police aren't very high up on the list of most dangerous jobs.
It's not denial at all, you're just wrong about that one.

The_A · 03-11-2016 08:52PM

The strike will give the rest of the country a feel of what it's like to live in rural Ireland where you rarely ever see a Garda

newwan · 03-11-2016 08:54PM

Ted111 wrote: »

Anyone interested in forming a vigilante mob.

We'll need a name. And maybe a costume. Or should we be undercover?

You gotta provide your own knobs

Barry Badrinath · 03-11-2016 08:58PM

newwan wrote: »

You gotta provide your own knobs

There's plenty on this thread.

Ooooooooooh aaaaaaaaaah

tayto lover · 03-11-2016 08:58PM

Widdershins wrote: »

Farming and construction are the most dangerous jobs in Ireland. Even in the U.S, where they contend with armed gang members, the police aren't very high up on the list of most dangerous jobs.
It's not denial at all, you're just wrong about that one.

There were no farmers or construction workers shot dead in Dundalk because of what they worked at. There were two garda though.

The_A · 03-11-2016 08:59PM

Any news on how supposedly the army will cover for the Gardai? But our dear leader Mr Kenny said there will be no soldiers patrolling the streets

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:02PM

tayto lover wrote: »

There were no farmers or construction workers shot dead in Dundalk because of what they worked at. There were two garda though.

And there were no gardai falling off scaffolding or kicked in the head By a cow or operating chainsaws or..the list goes on.
If they're not confident about their safety they have the ARU to rely on. They're not usually in any actual danger.

I replied to a comment stating the gardai have the *most* dangerous job which is simply untrue.

lawlolawl · 03-11-2016 09:02PM

tayto lover wrote: »

There were no farmers or construction workers shot dead in Dundalk because of what they worked at. There were two garda though.

Also, sad as it is, those farmers and construction workers were killed by accidents which may or may not have been their own fault.

No one set out to kill them because they were doing their job.

The_A · 03-11-2016 09:03PM

Ted111 wrote: »

Anyone interested in forming a vigilante mob.

We'll need a name. And maybe a costume. Or should we be undercover?

I'll be Batman who's Robin then?

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:04PM

lawlolawl wrote: »

Also, sad as it is, those farmers and construction workers were killed by accidents which may or may not have been their own fault.

No one set out to kill them because they were doing their job.

Women are murdered by abusive husbands far more often than any gardai are murdered. Do wives have the most dangerous job? Those farmers and construction workers faced those risks every day. There's no reason to suggest it was ''their own fault''.

tayto lover · 03-11-2016 09:06PM

Widdershins wrote: »

And there were no gardai falling off scaffolding or kicked in the head By a cow or operating chainsaws or..the list goes on.
If they're not confident about their safety they have the ARU to rely on. They're not usually in any actual danger.

I replied to a comment stating the gardai have the *most* dangerous job which is simply untrue.

You do realise there is a difference between wilful murder and an accident don't you.

The_A · 03-11-2016 09:07PM

Widdershins wrote: »

Women are murdered by abusive husbands far more often than any gardai are murdered. Do wives have the most dangerous job? Those farmers and construction workers faced those risks every day. There's no reason to suggest it was ''their own fault''.

I saw on fair city a few years back it was the wife beaten the husband

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:07PM

tayto lover wrote: »

You do realise there is a difference between wilful murder and an accident don't you.

You do understand what a rare occurance is, and a daily probability mean, don't you.

Allinall · 03-11-2016 09:08PM

Widdershins wrote: »

Women are murdered by abusive husbands far more often than any gardai are murdered. Do wives have the most dangerous job? Those farmers and construction workers faced those risks every day. There's no reason to suggest it was ''their own fault''.

Who's fault would you say most of the "accidents" in farming and construction are?

The clue is in the question .

Little CuChulainn · 03-11-2016 09:08PM

Widdershins wrote: »

Yet apart from at a checkpoint where they had a breathalyser, or the rare ones where they ask questions, there's no sign they're looking for drink drivers beyond someone falling out of the car with intoxication. What's a suspicious person? Someone who looks a bit shifty? Or is there a profile? Are they body language experts? Do they target certain vehicles?
If they were looking for a particular person at most of the ones I've encountered then they'd look at your face as much as at your windscreen, but they rarely did.

You judge a driver starting with their approach. How fast they are going, how much control they have, how the stop. Some people will stop 50 meters from you, some will stop past you. If a person has proper control of their car they are unlikely to be drunk.

A suspicious person is someone who is acting oddly. Yes body language is a big part of it and after a few months dealing with people non-stop you do indeed become an expert.

It's very rare that a checkpoint would be set up to look for a particular person. The Garda will stop any person or vehicle he recognises from dealing with people on a regular basis or any vehicle which raises a flag.

Yes sometimes certain kinds of vehicles are targets. For example, a few years back there was a spate of ATM robberies. Checkpoints were set up to look for any machinery being transported or vans that could be used to haul an atm.

Disks are a good indicator of the type of owner of the car. A few months out of date tax is not going to raise many flags but no insurance disk will. It all goes toward forming your opinion on the driver/owner.

I don't know where this idea comes from that Gardaí like to generate revenue for the state. There is absolutely no benefit to it from the point of view of the Garda. Sure if you are looking to get into traffic corps it might help to have a load of traffic related prosecutions. But the drugs unit or detectives aren't going to care how many tickets for tax you gave out and you aren't going to get a pat on the head for it either. It certainly isn't worth standing on some back road looking to catch a farmer with an out of date tax disk.

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:12PM

Allinall wrote: »

Who's fault would you say most of the "accidents" in farming and construction are?

The clue is in the question .

Er..the site manager, the employer, whoever erected scaffolding, some other eejit driving machinery, all kinds of people can cause an accident for someone else. The risk is far greater when working at height, operating power tools, driving heavy machinery et. cetera. Yes anyone can make a mistake themselves and cause their own accident, through tiredness, carelessness or lapse of concentration-that doesn't mitigate the danger. In fact it intensifies it. And those two jobs are just the first two that Google spat out. I can think of many others that present daily risks. Whereas the risk of a garda coming to harm is still statistically low. Even when they have to do unpleasant work like dealing with 'scobes', the 'scobes' are more likely to run away from them than to them.

I'm really not sure why you seem to think only jobs where you can't be accidentally hurt or hurt through someone's incompetence and carelessness are dangerous jobs. That's what makes them fairly safe!

Clampdown · 03-11-2016 09:13PM

I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and make a crime.

Or is it do a crime? Anyway, whichever it is, I'm doing one. Or maybe a several. Right in a row. What do they call that? A spree? Yes, a spree sounds delightful. Probably because it rhymes with glee, my favorite show. Oh yes I think I'll do a crime spree and a glee marathon. That sounds like a class weekend. Maybe I'll steal some glee boxsets. Take that corporate America!

The_A · 03-11-2016 09:15PM

You know there has been farmers murdered over land and livestock fueds farmers also have the high risk of having tractors,jeeps,livestock,etc being stolen that's why most farmers own firearms not for 'hunting purposes' that is on their licence but to defend themselves
They have hundred of thousands worth of equipment and stock about the place they are at a high risk of being a target of crime

Herb Powell · 03-11-2016 09:16PM

National Yokes Day II, anyone?

The_A · 03-11-2016 09:21PM

Herb Powell wrote: »

National Yokes Day II, anyone?

Sorry m8 but I swapped my last bag of yokes for a horse in 1992

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:41PM

Some people have a very reverential attitude to the gardai. It seriously bothers some people that it might not be the most dangerous job. If anything it should be the fire brigade who are paid better. I've never seen anyone championing them.

cloloco · 03-11-2016 09:43PM

AllGunsBlazing wrote: »

There's definitely a couple of housing estates around my way that could be very dicey after the sun goes down tomorrow evening. Not that they're all that great even at the best of times - but knowing that there wont be any squad cars being called out will embolden quite a few.

Edit: Anyone know the exact beginning and end time for the strike?

From 7am Friday and the strike will last 24 hours

maryishere · 03-11-2016 09:54PM

EndaHonesty wrote: »

Interesting piece on Garda pay in the Indo today...

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/dan-obrien/facts-about-how-much-garda-are-really-paid-must-be-central-in-talks-35184317.html

Quote:
On an weekly basis, gardaí are the best paid public sector workers by a distance. They earned on average €1,304 per week in the second quarter of this year (or €67,808 on an annual, 52-week basis). That compares with an average of €906 across the entire public sector and €645 across the private sector. It is worth underscoring the point: average Garda weekly pay is currently almost 50pc higher than across the rest of the public sector. It is 102pc higher than the average in the private sector.

In the context of demands for restoration, the state's statisticians show that average Garda weekly pay is already above levels in 2008. In the spring of this year it was 2.6pc higher than in the spring of 2008 when the storm clouds of recession were gathering.

Gardai are well paid.

Interesting piece all right. No surprise there is a long queue of people to join.

ShadowHearth · 03-11-2016 09:55PM

Garda should be well payed. No excuses.

I came from Lithuania where police getting payed very very badly. It ended up in complete corruption. Everything is bought and you get away with everything, just depends how big your pockets are.
So what their are not getting in wages, they making it up in bribes. Traffic police will be catching you and looking for smallest thing to fine you and demand bribe, not to keep up the safety of the road.

Pau the garda ffs, I don't want to live in that nightmare again.

tayto lover · 03-11-2016 09:56PM

Widdershins wrote: »

You do understand what a rare occurance is, and a daily probability mean, don't you.

A rare occurance - me winning the lotto.
Daily probability - me not winning the lotto.

Keep trying though.

Amanda.ie · 03-11-2016 09:56PM

If the government got rid of the pension levy that only public servants are paying it would be great, this was brought in when the country was in need and wasn't meant to stay.
While everyone is paying USC not everyone is paying the pension levy.

For all the posters who are saying the guards wont be missed, we never see them etc tomorrow might just be the one time you do need them, but it's like when the power goes, it's the one time you want to boil the kettle but you can't.

Fair play to them, all the public service should go out with them to support them.

Widdershins · 03-11-2016 09:59PM

tayto lover wrote: »

A rare occurance - me winning the lotto.
Daily probability - me not winning the lotto.

Keep trying though.

A rare occurance-a garda being gunned down
A regular occurance-someone in any of the statistically more dangerous jobs coming to harm in the course of their day's work.

I'm not going to ''keep trying'' as you're besotted with the idea that gardai have the most dangerous job when it's simply not the case. Like everyone they do face risks and I don't envy them some aspects but glorifying them on a completely inaccurate assumption is pointless.

tayto lover · 03-11-2016 10:02PM

That's because they serve the people and the Govt. They are agents of the state.
As for Unions, they are necessary to keep employers in check so that they cannot exploit and abuse their workers. I was on 3 strikes in my time in the UK and because of the strikes those jobs are in a much better state for the people who are doing them now. Unions are very important.

The Garda Strike

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