Dummy opening post
i guess it comes down to how far you'd push the 'as long as it doesn't endanger road users' clause.
e.g. is parking on a footpath endangering other road users?
If you take the case of a garda on the beat. He/ She are just strolling down the road, but are fully on duty and carrying out the duties of a garda.
Similarly, if a garda is in Spar getting a sandwich for their lunch, they are equally on duty. If there was a robbery while they were in the shop, they wouldn't just say "I'm on my lunch. I'll deal with it in 45 minutes".
Same applies while they are driving to the Spar, and away from it.
that's such a vague and unqualified statement it probably is unenforceable anyway.
You are right about the first part, but wrong about the second.
Getting lunch is considered part of their duties.
They don’t “clock off” for breaks.
They are always on duty.
Gardaí are exempt from road traffic rules. I’m not saying I agree with it but they’re doing nothing illegal by blocking your driveway, the cycle lane or the bus lane.
Drivers just see you as being in the way. They often don't understand that they are just racing to the next tailback, while you just filter past it.
Had a close pass today. I normally take the lane in town because there's so much traffic and more chances of drivers passing close by, so anything I can do to hold them back and prevent close passes, I'll do it. City traffic is normally slow anyways, so I don't see why I can't take the lane. Am I right in my thinking? Or am I wrong?
But taking the lane today didn't matter today and I had a driver driving past me very very close, giving me very little space. As he was driving past, he pointed to the cycle lane that was very badly done as it looked like a wide footpath and it didn't have separate colours. Who knows if there was a cycle lane, he just wanted me of the road and tried to push me onto the path with his driving.
They try, because their job is to get the best outcome for their member, but it's very hard to defend gross negligence. They might try negotiate an exit package to save everyone the hassle of a drawn out investigative and disciplinary process, but if DB are willing to put in the effort and dot the i's and cross the t's, they can absolutely fire dangerous drivers. I've heard of drivers dismissed for dangerous driving and breaking rules such as using their phone while driving, even with their Union reps present.
Waterford Whispers are in rare form...😁
Dublin Bus Unveil First Monster Bus – Waterford Whispers News
Do unions protect drivers from dismissal? Because driving a bus on a footpath can't be anything other then gross misconduct which usually results in immediate dismissal. Not only is it illegal in general, it would likely go against the policies of the bus company as they should be keeping the public's safety very high on their list of priorities...
Had a friend that worked with Dublin Bus in the 90s who would tell use stories of various disciplinary meetings he or his colleagues had, basically it's nigh on impossible to get fired.
What happens is that the driver turns up with their union rep, they have a well used and rehearsed story that the driver was under pressure to make schedules etc which is why they felt they had to do whatever idiotic thing they're in front of HR for. And that's usually it. From what I see nothing much has changed in the couple of decades since then.
Or the one that drove clean through a pedestrian crossing as I pushed a buggie across it about 3 hours ago?
Did a half assed kinda wave apology that you get off dopes on the school run
That is a fact, but they also don't care. Their own official and private cars are frequently parked on pavements and on cycle lanes. It is just not acceptable that they wilfully turn a blind eye, and occasionally tweet about the great work they are doing on Kilakee Rd, or elsewhere. It's needs to be 24/7 to change perceptions and behaviours.
Sad thing is that bus driver will be sent for some special training or whatever and keep their job
It was on the news there and I'd my dad here with us and he said exactly the same 😅
Cyclist was getting a good draft there
Gardai have said they don't have the resources, and the NTA would have to cover overtime costs to police traffic laws.
They complain that there's no bus drivers, as no one is applying for the job, then complain when they manage to hire drivers and some of them weren't born in Ireland. 😂
yeah I was wondering was it a medical emergency or something, as it's just so ridiculous it's hard to believe.
It was only 11, 11.30am.
Even if that was the case, it is still no reason to endanger other people for purely selfish reasons. I would love to see how they drive a private vehicle outside of work.
This sort of driving is like a sickness or addiction. They don't see the harm of it to others.
Society as a whole should call for more traffic enforcement, and make it a garda priority to have zero tolerance towards it.
Yesterday was particularly bad for some reason with several stupid/dangerous passes on my commute all to join the back of a queue in a few 100ms, not sure what this driver was thinking, then hesitated and straddled the lane alongside me before pushing in https://streamable.com/u0k557 I passed her again 15 seconds later.
Ah OK I know that area for sure, we used to live up the road in Rathfarnham near the castle. I'd have called that Brookvale Downs not Rd. Theres a lovely old old house in there on the left I can't recall the name of.
It's such a huge infringement that I have to wonder whether it's something other than the driver being a lunatic. The driver could hardly be unaware that doing something like this would almost certainly be captured on video, and that doing something so egregious without a very good reason would be a career-limiting move.
The Times peace mentions a junction with Brookvale Rd? Pretty sure thats in Donnybrook near the DB depot and not Terenure where the video was filmed? Could be wrong as I haven't be around those parts of Dublin in 12 years or so.
Anyway I was glad to read the Green Party councillors comments in relation to Hi Vis in that same article.
Its one of those weird ones though. An Irish Rail driver would never speed up or try to make up time if a safety issue impeded there journey a bit. They just take it as it is, safety first. You would think DB as a semi state would have similar attitudes but it is only the ones on frequent routes that seem to behave well. This said, in the last few months the entire DB network seems to be falling apart in regards timekeeping, at least in my experience.
Bus driver illegally mounting footpath because cyclists 🤯
"an inner city bike trail"
that's a good one, I like that.
I saw that alright. It's just such a huge infringement, captured perfectly, that it had to get big traction. Haven't noticed any "but cyclists break red lights" comments yet 😂
Would "Caireann" work for you here in Ireland?
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