Garda killed doing his job

Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx27dkkkev1o

A garda (Irish police) officer has died whilst carrying out a speed checkpoint in County Dublin.

Kevin Flatley, 49, died at the scene after he was hit by a motorcyclist in Lanestown, in the north of the county, shortly before 13:00 local time on Sunday.

So so sad this news. Awful thing to happen to a young man doing his country a service.

49 years old with two kids and I believe married? Either way, absolutely awful for his family especially his kids.

RIP

Another Guard had his leg broken by a biker today in a separate incident.

I was nearly hit by bikes doing ridiculous speeds both yesterday and again today. One fell off as he came to a stop on a pedestrian crossing I was using, the other was overtaking six cars on a short straight and barely made it back in although I stopped to prevent him coming through my windscreen.

There needs to be something done to stop these people. They obviously have no respect for their own lives, so appealing to their self-preservation impulse is no good.

Maybe regulate them off the roads or make them cost prohibitive to use... nearly all are leisure users, doing crazy unnecessary things, endangering others who are just going about their business.

Fecking sick of them now and it's only May..

When they are killing Guards it's getting a bit too much.

I just learned if this now. Very sad news. May Garda Kevin Flatley RIP, and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

While too late for his and other road traffic victims, hopefully this is a wake up call for govt and AGS that more resources, and particularly tech needs to go into monitoring roads. The number of people speeding and engaging in distracted driving is just increasing.

I remember seeing a motorcyclist going the speed limit once… its ingrained in my memory from maybe 3 years ago as it was so unusual to see on the M50

As the two-wheeler advocates are fond of reminding us, the word to use is crash, not accident.

We don't know exactly what happened or how many vehicles were involved, I passed by the area around 3pm yesterday on my way to Donabate, the whole road was closed.

The fact the Garda are looking for info on a Yamaha R1 (didn't give the colour or year) suggests to me that they might think others might have been involved.

Commissioner Harris also implied the motorcycle wreckage was "extensive", indicating there was a collision with another vehicle.

It's awful news. Condolences to his family.

Yep, I'd imagine the Garda stepped out into the road to stop the biker for a chat and there was a collision. I've seen them do it and it's incredibly dangerous IMO.

Similarly, I was coming home late one night on the M8 and rounded a bend to see a squad car parked in between the lanes at an exit facing towards me with headlights on (potentially blinding) and a Garda standing in front of it diverting me to the ramp. Thankfully I was alert and able to react quickly.

Obviously there'd been an incident ahead, but there has to be a safer way for Gardai to do this than standing in front of (fast) moving vehicles.

RIP to the AGS member. All too easy to forget the humans, family, friends,lives behind the cap and badge and high vis.

That being said, taking this at face value as a tragic accident where the motorcyclist simply didn't see the AGS member trying to initiate a stop, it must raise two separate items for further review. Both the excessive speed and general dangerous driving of motorcyclists , as well as dangerous practices by AGS for traffic stops. Lights facing traffic, officers standing on the road with car lights facing oncoming traffic etc. Traffic stops should be properly controlled with blue light cordons etc. For safety. Better safety practice SOPs could perhaps have saved this member's life

There was a bike race in the north (NW200) over the weekend. A lot of bikers would have gone up for it.

It's not, so no idea why shield would think him being in the psni has any bearing on an RTA in another jurisdiction.

RIP to Garda Flatley, just a man who left his home that morning to go to work, no idea he wouldn't be coming home again.

I thought from the statement made that he was on side of road with speedgun and another collision happened and he was hit by out of control bike. But who knows, hopefully there will be enough dashcam and cctv to establish what happened and who, if anyone was at fault.

Same. I remember travelling home one night on a quiet country road and I was bemused to see a single headlight tailing me for about 2 miles before it turned into a neighbouring house. That allowed me to twig who was on the motorbike and it all made sense. A very sensible man who still has his communion money.

It's just odd to think of motorcyclists obeying speed limits and exercising safe driving practices. Every fine weekend on the roads in summer, you see the exact oppposite on Irish roads.