Traffic Blues - RTE1 - May 31st

Can you point to legislation that the Garda could use that could make the woman stop driving any further, for the sake of 2 penalty point offences.

In this particular case,perhaps the Road Traffic Act element needed to take second place to the more pressing needs of the safety of children.

Would it have been an option for a Garda to prevent this woman driving off on the basis of reckless endangerment of a minor or any other of the many laws surrounding the care of children,particularly if any of the children were NOT her own ?

Surely if she's driving unaccompanied, her insurance is invalid, therefore her car can be seized ?

phaidi wrote: »

I KNOW!! not only was it outrageous but i actually cant believe they showed that for the gardas own sake!?! what was he thinking like?!?! he definetly didnt earn any brownie points for that one!! typical!!

He did right.If he prohibited her from driving away,she'd have the civil liberties crowd around in a jiffy.Then the craic would start....photographers,Sunday World et al.Plus the guard would be facing a complaint and likely get (a)a reprimand at best or (b) lose his job. So yes let her off IMO.

Most insurance companies will cover her...until something happens. Although by law you must be accompanied -the insurance schedule may not stipulate this.

bravestar wrote: »

Prevented it how? The Garda had no power to stop her driving away. If it upset you that much write a letter to your local TD outlining the reasons certan laws need to be reformed/introduced. Dont go criticising the Gardai.

il criticise them all i want they never did anything for me whenever i needed assistance and i tried to contact whoever i could to try and get their attention i got no joy no help what so ever just kept getting put off longer and longer!! im sure there is plenty of people that will agree with me!! the same has most likely happened to them i just think its so unfair on the extra two children in the back with no seat belts if there was an accident they could have seriously been injured or worse killed! you see them adds on the television constantly of crashes and the constant awarness to wear your seatbelt why are they broadcasting these adds to wear seatbelts if they are just going to let you drive off still without one on?!? and then this like oh sure not a bother drive off because chances are shes just going to do it again tomorrow.......crazy!!

foreign wrote: »

If you have a problem with how you were dealt with in the past then if it was serious enough, complain to the Ombudsman. Or complain to the superiors of whoever you were dealing with. Moaning here will not sort out your problems.

As for the incident being discussed, what did you want the gardai to do? Wrongfully arrest and detain the woman until she could afford a bigger car? Unlawfully detain the car and make her and her children walk home?

If there is no power for a garda to carry out an action then thats that. Nothing they can do, unless they want to lose their job, money, house. And I'm sure you would be one of the first to complain if gardai went around illegally arresting people or illegally detaining their cars.

so basically your saying let her drive around with 5 children in the back till she can afford a bigger car what difference would a bigger car make she would still have 5 children in the back!!! he could have easily arranged another form of transport to come along and put the two other children in and salefy drive off he should have made her wait inconveniently for the other form of transport like they do to so MANY MORE!! unless you are not concerned at all about the FACT there was 2 children unprotected in the back of the car this is after all how this all started!

if they can so easily detain cars off people and leave them standing on the side of the road with no way home what makes her so different that they could have easily arranged an alternative form of transport to get the children safely home and just maybe she might learn her lesson not to endanger them particular childrens lives again!!

nice guy always wrote: »

Not when your wrong you wont......



As stated by several Gardaí already the member concerned had no powers to do anything about it. NONE whatsoever. No make believe act or power.

Yes Gardaí have the power to sieze a vehicle.....but only in certain cases covered by legislation.

Gardaí must act within the law and can only enforce legislation that exists. If its not there then we can do NOTHING. If your not happy with this then complain to your local TD. We all agree she was wrong. We all agree its dangerous. However the Gardaí acted correctly.

i dont have to be wrong if i want to speak wrong of them thats my choice
he still could have easily made her wait for more transport to come along its the right and safe thing to do!

psni wrote: »

Alright phaidi, listen carefully:

They can't. They don't have a power to do what you're asking. Don't you understand?

Do we really have to spell this out to you like this? Gardai can only act within the law. If they did what you said above, they'd be breaking the law.

Your questions have been answered by a member of the Traffic Corps who knows more than anyone on the forum about it, so accept it - you are wrong.

Now let it go.

its hardly aganist the law to suggest more transport to come along and bring the children to safety!!!!!
so tell me does this also mean that im free to load however many people into the back of my car as i want and nothing will happen to me only a meer 2 points and a fine providing of course everything is legitimate on my car if i get stopped is it?!?!!

any talk of a second series?

Do we really have to spell this out to you like this? Gardai can only act within the law. If they did what you said above, they'd be breaking the law.

Your questions have been answered by a member of the Traffic Corps who knows more than anyone on the forum about it, so accept it - you are wrong.

Whilst not wanting to end up Phaidi`d,I can see where he`s coming from.

It appears to me that the Gardai on the scene,and those posting subsequently on the Forum,were very focused upon the exact letter of the relevant law.
Given the current coverage of all Child Welfare issues,I would have expected a member to forcibly impress upon that woman the (Potentially Fatal)danger to which she was exposing those children to.

She could of course plead ignorance,but as a Traffic Corps member would surely be aware of the reality of unrestrained children being shot forward by the decelleration forces in even a relatively slow speed (Sub 50KMH) accident.

However as alluded to by Phaidi,could the ethnicity of the person perhaps be seen by a member as a contributory factor in allowing a person to carry on.

I would sincerely hope not,but whatever action is/was possible under law still should not preclude that woman being seriously inconvienenced in order to drive(!) home the serious message into her consciousness.

Now that of itself WOULD have been a good days work ?

i don't mean to be back seat modding, but i think the op's question has been answered by a few other posters.

Time to close up and move on me thinks

NGA wrote: »

(Glad you think the Gardaí on the programme are good looking.....or pretty as you put it)

No Garda Roarty from series 1 though.............gutted

goldie fish wrote: »

Why was the motorcyclist arrested?

yeah, actually thought it was a little odd that he was handcuffed for his own safety?