Gardai abuse of the rules of the road

hondasam · 05-09-2011 10:59AM

Snakeblood wrote: »

'That's against the law'

what is?

You have never had anyone do you a favour?

seamus · 05-09-2011 11:00AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Breaking the traffic laws because you want to get to the shops quickly doesn't qualify.

So when they're on patrol and they make the decision to stop into a shop and grab a bite to eat, they should leave the bus lane?

Any idea how ridiculous and bitter that suggestion sounds?

hondasam · 05-09-2011 11:00AM

Bosco boy wrote: »

I'm following one at the moment at high speed while replying to you

On the way to supermacs no doubt, get me a coffee.:D
make it hot this time.

RustyNut · 05-09-2011 11:02AM

jonsnow wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/garda-in-fatal-crash-didnt-have-a-driving-licence-inquest-told-1945362.html

A garda who was on his way to court when he knocked down and killed a pensioner did not have a driving licence, an inquest has heard.

Garda Brian O'Connor held only a provisional licence and this expired over three years before the collision which claimed the life of Claire Barr (77). However, Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday heard that under current legislation gardai do not need to hold a licence when they are driving a vehicle in the course of their duties.

Shocking. Wonder what happened the Garda involved.

hondasam · 05-09-2011 11:02AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd lose all respect for them to be honest. This is supposed to be a democracy. Corruption has no place whatsoever in it, big or small.

Really everyone uses influence in some way or other.

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:02AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Yes, but only where they are using those exemptions in order to carry out their work. Breaking the traffic laws because you want to get to the shops quickly doesn't qualify.

Actually it depends how much force is used and whether the force was NECESSARY.

Yet they're not. Remember the guy who assaulted another person in Coppers and got off prison time because "jail is too rough for Gards"?

Good man, continue your crusade. You sound like a bitter little pill. Did you try to join and not make it?

Snakeblood · 05-09-2011 11:03AM

hondasam wrote: »

Really everyone uses influence in some way or other.

No, they don't. And if they do, they shouldn't. It's clientelism that has boned the country.

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:04AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd lose all respect for them to be honest. This is supposed to be a democracy. Corruption has no place whatsoever in it, big or small.

Daddy must not be doing his job too well then. Disgraceful !!

blindsider · 05-09-2011 11:05AM

tayto lover wrote: »

If the Garda cars were equipped with bluetooth i'm sure the Gardai would use it, but they are not. Maybe people expect them to supply their own for the use of the state.

You avoided my question.

My point is that taxis use mobiles safely - Gardai, it seems do not. No bluetooth should = no useage.

I would again query taxi drivers being 'allowed' to use mobiles whist driving - I do not think that this is legally correct.

seamus · 05-09-2011 11:06AM

RustyNut wrote: »

Shocking. Wonder what happened the Garda involved.

Nothing. Though I'm sure it wasn't a walk in the park for him, psychologically. He was not legally required to hold a licence at the time, and the DPP did not seek any prosecution, so presumably the Garda was driving within the law, it was just a very unfortunate accident.

Snakeblood · 05-09-2011 11:06AM

tayto lover wrote: »

Daddy must not be doing his job too well then. Disgraceful !!

Do you have an argument or are you just descending to insults?

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:08AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd lose all respect for them to be honest. This is supposed to be a democracy. Corruption has no place whatsoever in it, big or small.

Does that mean that you have any respect for them ? You could have fooled me.
You have a great way of hiding your respect.

hondasam · 05-09-2011 11:09AM

Snakeblood wrote: »

No, they don't. And if they do, they shouldn't. It's clientelism that has boned the country.

Is it the same in your eyes for everything?
You will not accept a favour for anything eg, doctor app, tickets for match,parking fine, clampers etc.

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:10AM

blindsider wrote: »

You avoided my question.

My point is that taxis use mobiles safely - Gardai, it seems do not. No bluetooth should = no useage.

I would again query taxi drivers being 'allowed' to use mobiles whist driving - I do not think that this is legally correct.

"No bluetooth should = no usage"
If the Gardai refused to use their phones because of that and your house was being robbed you would have a different view i'm sure.

hondasam · 05-09-2011 11:11AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I'd lose all respect for them to be honest. This is supposed to be a democracy. Corruption has no place whatsoever in it, big or small.

you neglected to say if you would accept a favour if offered.

Snakeblood · 05-09-2011 11:12AM

hondasam wrote: »

Is it the same in your eyes for everything?
You will not accept a favour for anything eg, doctor app, tickets for match,parking fine, clampers etc.

There's degrees, and the gardai particularly should be held to higher standards than most because they have more power than most members of society. For their own good as well as everyone elses. They shouldn't feel they can decide who gets what.

seamus · 05-09-2011 11:12AM

blindsider wrote: »

No bluetooth should = no useage.

So if they're having difficulty connecting their mobile to the bluetooth system, or it doesn't otherwise work properly or whatever, then they should pull over to the side of the road for the duration of the call?

A one-size-fits-all approach is simply unfeasible as the execution of the Garda's duty should always take priority over some laws.

More relevantly, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that using a mobile while driving isn't in itself more dangerous than using a handsfree kit. The main danger appears to come from the distraction of carrying on a conversation via telephone.

hatrickpatrick · 05-09-2011 11:14AM

seamus wrote: »

So when they're on patrol and they make the decision to stop into a shop and grab a bite to eat, they should leave the bus lane?

Any idea how ridiculous and bitter that suggestion sounds?

It is indeed ridiculous, which is why it has no relevance whatsoever to what I actually suggested :rolleyes:

hondasam wrote: »

Really everyone uses influence in some way or other.

Not if they have any principles.

tayto lover wrote: »

Good man, continue your crusade. You sound like a bitter little pill. Did you try to join and not make it?

Never had any intention of joining to be honest, I just don't like this status quo whereby all citizens are equal but some get ridiculously OTT special treatment.

tayto lover wrote: »

Daddy must not be doing his job too well then. Disgraceful !!

LOL
I'd say he's doing a fair bit better than one would expect, considering the outrageously stacked judicial system and the blue code of silence they have to battle against on a daily basis.

Must be fairly frustrating to get a conviction in court only for the judge to say "Oh but we can't jail Gards like normal people, they might not enjoy it"...

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:14AM

Snakeblood wrote: »

Do you have an argument or are you just descending to insults?

I am defending the Garda from the insults of a certain breed on this and other bashing threads. The fact that you pick out my post and not others who have insulted the garda force suggests that you too are just a basher as you select what suits you. I will continue to defend them because i respect them and have had great service from them over many years while in business.

hatrickpatrick · 05-09-2011 11:15AM

hondasam wrote: »

you neglected to say if you would accept a favour if offered.

In all honesty I don't think I would. I am an absolute firm believer in 100% equality of all human beings. I don't think it's right for one person to be treated better than another purely based on who they are or who they know.

tayto lover · 05-09-2011 11:16AM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

It is indeed ridiculous, which is why it has no relevance whatsoever to what I actually suggested :rolleyes:

Not if they have any principles.

Never had any intention of joining to be honest, I just don't like this status quo whereby all citizens are equal but some get ridiculously OTT special treatment.

LOL
I'd say he's doing a fair bit better than one would expect, considering the outrageously stacked judicial system and the blue code of silence they have to battle against on a daily basis.

Must be fairly frustrating to get a conviction in court only for the judge to say "Oh but we can't jail Gards like normal people, they might not enjoy it"...

Says all i needed to know about you. Thanks for explaining how bitter you actually are. Sad for you.

blindsider · 05-09-2011 11:16AM

hondasam wrote: »

Is it the same in your eyes for everything?
You will not accept a favour for anything eg, doctor app, tickets for match,parking fine, clampers etc.

I love the way this is over-simplified in an indignant way.

Do they not teach Ethics in Templemore?

Getting friends 'off' is very poor form - it puts them above the law. No-one should be above the law - look where that got the country!

If an abuse of power such as this is allowed, then the system is very wrong and that should be rectified - but it does not excusse the criminal behaviour of a Garda in quashing a fine, ticket DD or whatever.

comparing this to 'a doctor's appt' or 'match tickets' is fallacy - no law is broken in the latter two examples.

Favours are not the problem - breaking the law is!

Snakeblood · 05-09-2011 11:18AM

tayto lover wrote: »

I am defending the Garda from the insults of a certain breed on this and other bashing threads. The fact that you pick out my post and not others who have insulted the garda force suggests that you too are just a basher as you select what suits you. I will continue to defend them because i respect them and have had great service from them over many years while in business.

I picked you out because you're not contributing anything to the discussion over the last posts. First you try to deflect things, then you get to name calling, which isn't defending the gardai, it's attacking others.

Also, if you read my posts, you'll see I actually changed my mind on stuff due to contributions made by other, better posters.

hatrickpatrick · 05-09-2011 11:18AM

hondasam wrote: »

It must really drive you nuts when they get themselves and friends of speeding fines.
If you got done for speeding and a friend offered to get you off, what would you say?

I'd like ot think I'd refuse and in all honesty I'm pretty sure I would.
But it's irrelevant. A decent person in a position of power wouldn't offer to bend the rules for friends but not for others.

blindsider · 05-09-2011 11:18AM

seamus wrote: »

So if they're having difficulty connecting their mobile to the bluetooth system, or it doesn't otherwise work properly or whatever, then they should pull over to the side of the road for the duration of the call?

A one-size-fits-all approach is simply unfeasible as the execution of the Garda's duty should always take priority over some laws.

More relevantly, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that using a mobile while driving isn't in itself more dangerous than using a handsfree kit. The main danger appears to come from the distraction of carrying on a conversation via telephone.

See my earlier post - TETRA is their comms network. No reason for mobiles to be used in car. You took my post a bit out of context.

hatrickpatrick · 05-09-2011 11:19AM

hondasam wrote: »

Is it the same in your eyes for everything?
You will not accept a favour for anything eg, doctor app, tickets for match,parking fine, clampers etc.

Tickets for a match don't necessarily have to be sourced illegitimately. If a friend has access to them and is giving them out then sure why not? Nothing wrong about that.

Everything else on the list involves cheating other people, and I'm not ok with that.

Bannasidhe · 05-09-2011 11:20AM

I know for a fact that a civilian member of staff at Templemore is driving on a UK licence - despite not having lived there for nearly 10 years and is therefore not resident at the address on the licence. This same person has been stopped at least 4 times for speeding while on the way to Templemore by gardaí who are aware of this person's identity and long-term residency in Ireland. Not once was the legality of the UK licence questioned.

I, for one, have had more then enough of the 'ah, sure leave them off' attitude prevalent in this country. I want my elected representatives to act in the interests in the citizens, I want my law enforcement agency to uphold the laws - equally for every citizen - complaining when this does not happen is not begrudgery.

davetherave · 05-09-2011 11:21AM

chin_grin wrote: »

Saw one in a car yapping away on her mobile while driving. Eejit.

Is it possible that the Garda in question had a faulty radio and was making contact with the dispatcher or with another squad car nearby via alternative methods? Which she is fully entitled to do under section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 2007.

rounding tattenham Corner wrote: »

The gardai for their own safety should follow the rules of the road. Since the average IQ of a garda is much lower than the average person, so they need to put all their limited intelligence into concentrating on the road.

Can I ask what recognised body determined this conclusion regarding the intelligence levels of members of An Garda Siochana? Or are you just doing your best to put sentences together with your equally as limited intelligence?

splashthecash wrote: »

I past by a gardai car parked on a double line just in front of a T junction bend - saw him coming out of a shop with a sausage roll and coffee...just pised me off. If I was to have gone up to him, I'd probably be accused of "being smart or cheeky"

Have you considered the fact that maybe that was his lunch, and he was heading back out on patrol as soon as possible? Maybe he doesn't have the comfort of taking an hour long lunch break??

hatrickpatrick · 05-09-2011 11:23AM

tayto lover wrote: »

Says all i needed to know about you. Thanks for explaining how bitter you actually are. Sad for you.

Im not in the least bit bitter actually, I don't tend to start threads like this, I simply offer my views when I see a discussion about them.

If I come across as a bitter grumpy f*ck I assure you I'm not. Boards lies when it comes to personalities. I come on strong in my posts because I'm getting quite used to encountering the kind of ridiculousness I've seen in this topic and my posting style is developing an edge.
I'll try to work on that.

hondasam · 05-09-2011 11:23AM

blindsider wrote: »

See my earlier post - TETRA is their comms network. No reason for mobiles to be used in car. You took my post a bit out of context.

Do you use TETRA?

Gardai abuse of the rules of the road

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