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What are your personal experiences with the Gardai

12357

Comments

  • #122
    Wheety
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,498 ✭✭✭Wheety


    Captain Obvious wrote: »
    He just puts the details of the call into the computer and someone else dispatches a Garda.

    But he wasn't doing anything. Just asking these stupid questions over and over.


  • #123
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Brodie Creamy Yolk wrote: »
    It’s not wrong though. He’s acting within the law. It’s a consequence of driving without tax. She would have known that when she made that choice and decided to do it anyway. It’s a crap thing to happen, but she knew the risks when she decided to put her kids in a car that shouldn’t have been on the road. Being a mum doesn’t grant her discretion on which laws she wants to obey

    What's the point in Garda discretion then ? Maybe, just maybe she had no choice. He could of told her to tax it. The end result would of been the same. But he chose to impose an extra punishment & do wonders for local Garda relations.


  • #124
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,611 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Discodog wrote: »
    What's the point in Garda discretion then ? Maybe, just maybe she had no choice. He could of told her to tax it. The end result would of been the same. But he chose to impose an extra punishment & do wonders for local Garda relations.

    She had a choice. Tax it or leave it at home.


  • #125
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    WoollyRedHat wrote: »
    I don't have the perfect Opinion on the guards, but I think you're subjectively projecting tbf.

    We all are. The thread is about personal experiences.


  • #126
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Patww79 wrote: »
    She had a choice. Tax it or leave it at home.

    Isn't an offence for your children to not attend school ? The self righteous of Boards are out in force - yet again.

    The Guard had a choice too


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  • #127
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    Discodog wrote: »
    What's the point in Garda discretion then ? Maybe, just maybe she had no choice. He could of told her to tax it. The end result would of been the same. But he chose to impose an extra punishment & do wonders for local Garda relations.
    Does she need to be told by a Garda to tax it though? Should she not, as an adult, know that already? I mean if she had no money to tax it, a Garda telling her to tax it within this ten day period you’re talking about, isn’t going to put money in her pocket.


  • #128
    Try_harder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,681 ✭✭✭Try_harder


    Whats a Guard? A thing in front of a fireplace. Garda plural Gardai


  • #129
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Brodie Creamy Yolk wrote: »
    Does she need to be told by a Garda to tax it though? Should she not, as an adult, know that already? I mean if she had no money to tax it, a Garda telling her to tax it within this ten day period you’re talking about, isn’t going to put money in her pocket.

    Believe or not people aren't perfect & do make mistakes. Ten days could make all the difference. But you believe the law is the law - shame they couldn't flog her too.

    Does the Guard have to seize it or is it another feather in the cap or revenue ?


  • #130
    Captain Obvious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,165 ✭✭✭Captain Obvious


    Discodog wrote: »
    After living in the UK the Guards were a shock to me. I always found the UK police to be courteous & empathetic. For example I got stopped for no rear lights & the Police helped me fix them. I sometimes dealt with them when I was rescuing wildlife & they were always so helpful - even closing the M25 once.

    The Gardai are just so grumpy. There is no small talk, no empathy, or politeness. They are too militaristic - barracks instead of police station. Many seem to have a huge chip on their shoulder & forget that they are there to serve the public.

    There was a local checkpoint & a mum was stopped taking the kids to school. Her tax was a month out & the Guard insisted on seizing the car, leaving her & the children by the roadside including a baby. He could of given her a ticket to produce rather than seizing.

    Yes it can be a tough job but it's what they sign up to.


    The only people I've heard refer to a station as a barracks are travellers.

    Discodog wrote: »
    What's the point in Garda discretion then ? Maybe, just maybe she had no choice. He could of told her to tax it. The end result would of been the same. But he chose to impose an extra punishment & do wonders for local Garda relations.


    You won't find much Garda discretion any more since the fixed charge penalty stuff.


  • #131
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    Discodog wrote: »
    Believe or not people aren't perfect & do make mistakes. Ten days could make all the difference. But you believe the law is the law - shame they couldn't flog her too.

    Does the Guard have to seize it or is it another feather in the cap or revenue ?

    Sure look, I didn’t make the rules. If you feel that strongly about it petition your local TD about making mothers exempt from the laws of the land. I doubt ten days would do much if she couldn’t do it in the entire month previously. But sure, we’ll never know because the guard done his job on the day.


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  • #132
    Thegalwayman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 747 ✭✭✭Thegalwayman


    took a month and about 5 further prompts to obtain cctv of someone damaging my car. When I reported it to the gardai I was met with a shrug of the shoulders and the general feeling I was bothering them. When they eventually got the cctv they said they couldn;t make out the reg of the other vehicle. Utterly useless


  • #133
    elperello
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 19,898 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Using the Garda to seize a car for non-tax is just a waste of resources.
    It's just using a law enforcement sledge hammer to crack a revenue protection nut.
    It does no good for community relations either.
    In other countries it's all done by computer. No tax fine in post. Same result, money comes in.


  • #134
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 19,174 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Discodog wrote: »
    There was a local checkpoint & a mum was stopped taking the kids to school. Her tax was a month out & the Guard insisted on seizing the car, leaving her & the children by the roadside including a baby. He could of given her a ticket to produce rather than seizing.

    Yes it can be a tough job but it's what they sign up to.

    This is not true.
    A Garda cannot seize a car when the tax is out one month, it must be out over two months.
    They can however seize a car that does not have insurance, & I think we can all agree that's alright. Driving without insurance is dangerous for everyone, including the kids in the car.
    So, either the driver or you, have the story wrong.


  • #135
    Squatter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,839 ✭✭✭Squatter


    Captain Obvious wrote: »


    The only people I've heard refer to a station as a barracks are travellers.


    It's an age-related thing. One of my grandfathers was an RIC constable and when I was a kid, that side of the family always described a garda station as a barracks.



    Also, since 1964 all garda recruits are trained in McCann Barracks Templemore so they can sometimes be heard referring to "the barracks" when they mean the station!


  • #136
    qo2cj1dsne8y4k
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,646 ✭✭✭✭qo2cj1dsne8y4k


    bubblypop wrote: »
    This is not true.
    A Garda cannot seize a car when the tax is out one month, it must be out over two months.
    They can however seize a car that does not have insurance, & I think we can all agree that's alright. Driving without insurance is dangerous for everyone, including the kids in the car.
    So, either the driver or you, have the story wrong.
    I myself was actually rear ended by an uninsured driver with kids in the car no later than yesterday


  • #137
    Squatter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,839 ✭✭✭Squatter


    bubblypop wrote: »


    They can however seize a car that does not have insurance, & I think we can all agree that's alright. Driving without insurance is dangerous for everyone, including the kids in the car.



    Are they also able to seize a car without a valid NCT cert, because the absence of that may suggest that the car isn't roadworthy?


  • #138
    Squatter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,839 ✭✭✭Squatter


    Brodie Creamy Yolk wrote: »
    I myself was actually rear ended by an uninsured driver with kids in the car no later than yesterday


    Commiserations. I hope that the Gardai were able to catch him/her.


  • #139
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    bubblypop wrote: »
    This is not true.
    A Garda cannot seize a car when the tax is out one month, it must be out over two months.
    They can however seize a car that does not have insurance, & I think we can all agree that's alright. Driving without insurance is dangerous for everyone, including the kids in the car.
    So, either the driver or you, have the story wrong.

    I was told a month, however it doesn't change the fact that the Garda could of issued a producer rather than seizing.


  • #140
    EdgeCase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,466 ✭✭✭EdgeCase


    I had to call them twice due to burglary and they were very fast and helpful in Cork City.

    Anytime I’ve been randomly breath tested, which seems to not happen anymore very much, always found them polite and friendly.


  • #141
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 19,174 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Squatter wrote: »
    Are they also able to seize a car without a valid NCT cert, because that may suggest that the car isn't roadworthy?

    Honestly? I don't know. I would think there would have to be something else wrong as well no nct, for example the car being obviously dangerous...
    But, there may be provision in law for it. I don't know!


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  • #142
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 19,174 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Discodog wrote: »
    I was told a month, however it doesn't change the fact that the Garda could of issued a producer rather than seizing.

    It does change the facts, as the car was either out of tax longer then 2 months or it was uninsured.
    And demand for production of documents is in relation to driving licence & insurance, 10 days to produce them.


  • #143
    JPCN1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 966 ✭✭✭JPCN1


    Generally they have been fairly positive. I think the legal system makes their job virtually impossible though.


  • #144
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    elperello wrote: »
    Using the Garda to seize a car for non-tax is just a waste of resources.
    It's just using a law enforcement sledge hammer to crack a revenue protection nut.
    It does no good for community relations either.
    In other countries it's all done by computer. No tax fine in post. Same result, money comes in.

    And the government sat by & let insurance costs go through the roof. Many people didn't realise until the renewal arrived. I strongly suspect that the numbers of uninsured drivers increased as the premiums became unaffordable for many.


  • #145
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Discodog wrote: »
    After living in the UK the Guards were a shock to me. I always found the UK police to be courteous & empathetic. For example I got stopped for no rear lights & the Police helped me fix them. I sometimes dealt with them when I was rescuing wildlife & they were always so helpful - even closing the M25 once.

    The Gardai are just so grumpy. There is no small talk, no empathy, or politeness. They are too militaristic - barracks instead of police station. Many seem to have a huge chip on their shoulder & forget that they are there to serve the public.

    There was a local checkpoint & a mum was stopped taking the kids to school. Her tax was a month out & the Guard insisted on seizing the car, leaving her & the children by the roadside including a baby. He could of given her a ticket to produce rather than seizing.

    Yes it can be a tough job but it's what they sign up to.

    Where was this please?it reminds me of a customs checkpoint similar story

    How any Garda could act like that when there are young children involved is appallingly irresponsible and I hope the mother complained


  • #146
    Discodog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,134 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Where was this please?it reminds me of a customs checkpoint similar story

    How any Garda could act like that when there are young children involved is appallingly irresponsible and I hope the mother complained

    Furbo Galway. There was also the woman on Liveline who, from memory, had her car seized in Dublin & had no money & no way to get her & her children back to Sligo.

    Customs have their own rules. They can do whatever they like.


  • #147
    Itssoeasy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 42,026 ✭✭✭✭Itssoeasy


    Only ever had any interaction with guards when I've had to get a new passport.


  • #148
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Brodie Creamy Yolk wrote: »
    Does she need to be told by a Garda to tax it though? Should she not, as an adult, know that already? I mean if she had no money to tax it, a Garda telling her to tax it within this ten day period you’re talking about, isn’t going to put money in her pocket.

    Leaving small children by the road is not acceptable or responsible behaviour. Mothers often live on the edge financially . And in many other ways. What harm cutting her a little slack, letting her drop the kids off at school and taking the baby home then taking the car?

    Punitive rather than responsible community policing


  • #149
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,611 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Where was this please?it reminds me of a customs checkpoint similar story

    How any Garda could act like that when there are young children involved is appallingly irresponsible and I hope the mother complained

    I hope she taxed her car.


  • #150
    Try_harder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,681 ✭✭✭Try_harder


    elperello wrote: »
    Using the Garda to seize a car for non-tax is just a waste of resources.
    It's just using a law enforcement sledge hammer to crack a revenue protection nut.
    It does no good for community relations either.
    In other countries it's all done by computer. No tax fine in post. Same result, money comes in.


    Money comes in? Sure Jan! They wont pay the tax, what makes you think they would pay the fine


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  • #151
    johndaman66
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,113 ✭✭✭johndaman66


    Three somewhat bemusing experiences that didn't inspire much in the way of confidence.


    1. I wasn't too long driving at the time. I was driving along the national into my local town, about a mile outside. There was a crossroad into a local road and at the cross there was a Guard sitting in a squad car. Next thing a guy turning into the cross road swing right across in front of me and I had to clamp pretty hard on the brakes (I was driving well within the speed limit) - the guy should have waited until I had passed. I can only assume he spotted the cop car and panicked as there was something amiss with his car/ all his discs weren't up to date etc. Logically I would have expected that the cop would have followed him but instead he follows me on into town. At the top of town I pulled in and he pulled in after me. I got out and hopped into his car and he says to me jaysus did you see that??….No totally missed it!... what happended? Then he asked me did I get the number of the car. No I was too taken up with trying to save my life than getting the number of the car... Then he asked would I be willing to go to court as a witness if it came to that and I said yes and he took my details. I never heard from him again.


    2. My sister was in her early 20's at the time but was finding it difficult to get into pubs in town and the local tip of a niteclub as she had no ID and was being stopped for it. So she applied for her age card and into the local cop shop to get it signed/ stamped etc. The Guard asked her why she was applying for it and seemed somewhat unsure what to do. She told him the situation that she was finding it difficult to get into pubs as was being asked for ID a lot and he replies and should you be getting in?....insinuating that she was not old enough, despite here birth cert being there in the paperwork. He copped his mistake a few seconds later and said ah, you are over 18...took a few seconds though.


    3. One bad freeze the road outside my house which is steep and bendy enough was like an ice-rink. Extremely slippery, even underfoot. About 2/3 cars hit a peer of a gate into a field below my house. No injuries or that but badly enough to do serious damage to a car. I rang the Guards asking them could they call out and close the road and gave details of how bad it was, the incidents and the location etc. There would have being an alternative means of access to every house along the road. They said they would straight away but never a sign of them. Two more cars hit the peer badly after.


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