Garda Traffic on Twitter

boardsuser1 · 24-02-2017 01:42PM

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835118069164933124

boardsuser1 · 24-02-2017 01:42PM

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835111640458792960

Terrontress · 24-02-2017 01:48PM

KC161 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835111640458792960

Is that one of the heavily armed Q7s? It looks like more than a traffic checkpoint,

Fred Swanson · 24-02-2017 01:51PM

This post has been deleted.

markpb · 24-02-2017 03:20PM

Terrontress wrote: »

Is that one of the heavily armed Q7s? It looks like more than a traffic checkpoint,

I've been stopped at several checkpoints which appears to be regular traffic stops but have had several ASU guards present.

bear1 · 24-02-2017 05:14PM

Would that depend on who they are looking for or just general back up?

Fred Swanson · 24-02-2017 05:20PM

This post has been deleted.

Atlantic Dawn · 24-02-2017 05:43PM

Facing the music, lol...

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835180702060642304

nice_guy80 · 24-02-2017 10:14PM

they need to do more of those motorway checkpoints
great idea

Atlantic Dawn · 24-02-2017 11:31PM

nice_guy80 wrote: »

they need to do more of those motorway checkpoints
great idea

I'm still not convinced on the safety and practicality of them, I think it would be far better if they took 5 exits off the motorway and checked every car going off them.

marno21 · 25-02-2017 12:01AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I'm still not convinced on the safety and practicality of them, I think it would be far better if they took 5 exits off the motorway and checked every car going off them.

Easily evaded as you could see the checkpoint from the mainline and continue on, due to the sightlines on the motorway.

The M7 northbound has 28 exits that could be used, and several LILOs and accesses so it's more appropriate to have it between exits. The checkpoints are signed and coned from well before the checkpoint and are no different to the works going on on the motorway where one lane is coned off for grass cutting or litter picking.

JillyQ · 25-02-2017 12:34AM

marno21 wrote:

Easily evaded as you could see the checkpoint from the mainline and continue on, due to the sightlines on the motorway.

marno21 wrote:

The M7 northbound has 28 exits that could be used, and several LILOs and accesses so it's more appropriate to have it between exits. The checkpoints are signed and coned from well before the checkpoint and are no different to the works going on on the motorway where one lane is coned off for grass cutting or litter picking.

Agree with you on this I have come across a couple on the motorways all well signed and coned off. I have also come across them on the national roads these are more dangerous and are alot more likely to have people doing u turns

Atlantic Dawn · 25-02-2017 12:48AM

marno21 wrote: »

Easily evaded as you could see the checkpoint from the mainline and continue on, due to the sightlines on the motorway.

The M7 northbound has 28 exits that could be used, and several LILOs and accesses so it's more appropriate to have it between exits. The checkpoints are signed and coned from well before the checkpoint and are no different to the works going on on the motorway where one lane is coned off for grass cutting or litter picking.

But on the likes of the M50 and M1 the traffic flow is huge, within a 5 minute stop it will be up to the nearest exit, much easier doing the exits.

25-02-2017 02:22AM

nice_guy80 wrote: »

they need to do more of those motorway checkpoints
great idea

Was just about to post the exact opposite opinion.

They should be banned from checkpoints on the motorway. Especially busy ones. Absolutely ludicrous to hold up motorway traffic to have a checkpoint.

I seen there was one on the M1 a while back (think it was the first checkpoint to appear on a motorway?) and I couldn't help but think what a feckin' disgrace it was. Traffic backed up km's up the road, and people no doubt on the way to work, or worse, the airport, being stuck like fools.

That said, I'd wonder if you were sitting in that traffic, and were gonna be late for a flight, if you belted it up the hard shoulder, and explained the craic, I wonder would they have a bit of cop on and send you on your way, or would you get a talk about driving in the hard shoulder and 'back in my day'..

punisher5112 · 25-02-2017 11:06AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Was just about to post the exact opposite opinion.

They should be banned from checkpoints on the motorway. Especially busy ones. Absolutely ludicrous to hold up motorway traffic to have a checkpoint.

I seen there was one on the M1 a while back (think it was the first checkpoint to appear on a motorway?) and I couldn't help but think what a feckin' disgrace it was. Traffic backed up km's up the road, and people no doubt on the way to work, or worse, the airport, being stuck like fools.

That said, I'd wonder if you were sitting in that traffic, and were gonna be late for a flight, if you belted it up the hard shoulder, and explained the craic, I wonder would they have a bit of cop on and send you on your way, or would you get a talk about driving in the hard shoulder and 'back in my day'..

To catch criminals travelling and those without insurance and other issues its some of the best places to check.

Motorways are used by so many doing the wrong thing as its less likely to be caught.

boardsuser1 · 25-02-2017 11:12AM

punisher5112 wrote: »

To catch criminals travelling and those without insurance and other issues its some of the best places to check.

Motorways are used by so many doing the wrong thing as its less likely to be caught.

Completely agree.

Toll booths aside, motorways don't carry cameras along them or they are few and far between.

Whereas criminals travelling through towns will be picked up on cameras left right and centre if they were already identified.

nice_guy80 · 25-02-2017 11:29AM

KC161 wrote: »

Completely agree.

Toll booths aside, motorways don't carry cameras along them or they are few and far between.

Whereas criminals travelling through towns will be picked up on cameras left right and centre if they were already identified.

its the quickest way from A to B
so obviously criminals are using them
I still think most criminals don't go near the motorways due to cameras.
Much safer to drive across rural roads

boardsuser1 · 25-02-2017 12:38PM

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835461194412670976

boardsuser1 · 25-02-2017 12:39PM

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835400534773346304

boardsuser1 · 25-02-2017 12:39PM

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835461893678579713

cython · 26-02-2017 10:41AM

Busy enough overnight, it seems, in particular around Kildare if you click the more info in the first tweet.

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835774831555653632

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835800433700536321

harr · 26-02-2017 11:00AM

Huge operation around kildare last night...
I was driving between rathangan and monasterevin and came across 3 different checkpoints...every road in and out of monasterevin had a big checkpoint and they had the chopper up, a lot cars pulled in and the car transporter was busy..
Good to see checkpoints like this..

ironclaw · 26-02-2017 11:25AM

harr wrote: »

Huge operation around kildare last night...
I was driving between rathangan and monasterevin and came across 3 different checkpoints...every road in and out of monasterevin had a big checkpoint and they had the chopper up, a lot cars pulled in and the car transporter was busy..
Good to see checkpoints like this..

Meanwhile I watched Traffic Corp cruise behind 2 cars on the M50 in the middle lane at 4:45am, and say nothing to any of them. Seriously, a 5 min chat to explain they are in the wrong lane would make such a difference. Pure laziness. I'm genuinely curious do they ever get any other directive other than tax, insurance, NCT, MAT or speed?

And before anyone says they were on the way to something, they were doing 80km/h and then moved to lane 3 to cruise to Tallaght.

Samuel T. Cogley · 26-02-2017 11:35AM

ironclaw wrote: »

Meanwhile I watched Traffic Corp cruise behind 2 cars on the M50 in the middle lane at 4:45am, and say nothing to any of them. Seriously, a 5 min chat to explain they are in the wrong lane would make such a difference. Pure laziness. I'm genuinely curious do they ever get any other directive other than tax, insurance, NCT, MAT or speed?

And before anyone says they were on the way to something, they were doing 80km/h and then moved to lane 3 to cruise to Tallaght.

Possibly observing to see if they were pissed?

J.pilkington · 26-02-2017 11:41AM

I came up behind an RSA van cruising along in the middle lane of the m50 with absolutely nothing on the inside lane. I blew my horn at him as I passed him out and then he moved in. Like the guards these should be ambassadors.

Really there is no hope that this issue will be tackled at all, it's not sexy enough for the overpaid under-utilised staff to work on.

cython · 26-02-2017 12:05PM

Missing wheels seems to be a thing these days!

https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/835807302745731073

AndrewJRenko · 26-02-2017 12:32PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Meanwhile I watched Traffic Corp cruise behind 2 cars on the M50 in the middle lane at 4:45am, and say nothing to any of them. Seriously, a 5 min chat to explain they are in the wrong lane would make such a difference. Pure laziness. I'm genuinely curious do they ever get any other directive other than tax, insurance, NCT, MAT or speed?

And before anyone says they were on the way to something, they were doing 80km/h and then moved to lane 3 to cruise to Tallaght.

I share your frustration, but I'm not sure the allegation of laziness is fair. If the Gardai were to stop every case of bad driving, let alone every specific offence, that they see on their journey, they'd never get more than a km from the station.

ironclaw · 26-02-2017 12:36PM

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Possibly observing to see if they were pissed?

Surely then they have even more of a reason to pull them over for a quick chat ? I'm not advocating points here but a stern word would serve so many purposes:

- Educate someone that the middle lane is not for driving.
- Check if someone had been drinking.
- Its am empty motorway in the middle of the night, far safer than mid-rush hour for such a chat.
- Show a visible presence to other passing drivers e.g. 'Oh look, Traffic Corp have someone pulled over at 5am, they don't sleep, best watch myself'

I don't drink myself and I've been pulled once or twice coming out of town in my college days. No objections at all but it was always on pre-tense grounds e.g. 'You went through that light a bit quick' but I knew they were just checking myself and the lads with me for drink. We'd need more proactive Gardai, I haven't had a conversation with one in years.

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I share your frustration, but I'm not sure the allegation of laziness is fair. If the Gardai were to stop every case of bad driving, let alone every specific offence, that they see on their journey, they'd never get more than a km from the station.

True, but we're talking at most 10 mins out of their shift. Given the time, they were not approaching a shift change either, so its pretty inexcusable. I have it on the DVR actually, may post it up.

punisher5112 · 26-02-2017 12:39PM

Armed units cruising around in Q7s and 530ds don't seem interested in any motoring offences from what I've seen.

AndrewJRenko · 26-02-2017 12:56PM

ironclaw wrote: »

True, but we're talking at most 10 mins out of their shift. Given the time, they were not approaching a shift change either, so its pretty inexcusable. I have it on the DVR actually, may post it up.

No, it's not just ten minutes. The one you saw would be just 10 minutes, and then there would be the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that. You could pick up an offence every 60 seconds on the M50, between speeding, phoning/texting, dodgy lights, failure to indicate. If they stop every offence, they'll never get anywhere.

Garda Traffic on Twitter

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