Garda checkpoints

about 15k miles per year, meet one check point per 12-18 months I would estimate. However speed vans once or twice per week.

ANPR's are still not very prevalent - only some of the traffic corps vehicles have them as far as i know - and they don't have insurance data, just one day old tax and NCT data.

I don't see checkpoints too often. In 8 years of driving I've:
1. Been breathalyzed twice. Once on St Patrick's Day in Dublin, once on the Western Rd in Cork on a Bank Holiday Saturday evening.
2. Never had my license checked
3. Been checked for tax and insurance about 5 times. Once I had nothing in the windscreen, as I'd just bought the car 10 days previously. The Garda looked at me and said "eh. Tax?". When I explained, politely, he waved me on. See 2 above, he didn't even check my license, I didn't even have registration yet. Pays to have an honest face and be driving something boring I suppose.

The hairdryers don't seem to be that bothered. I've passed them at 130+ on motorways (usually 140 on the speedo - cruise control - on seeing them and <=130 passing) on about 10 occasions without them seeing bothered.

The only enforcement I've encountered is speed vans. I've been hit twice by garda speed vans in urban areas, never been snagged rurally as when I see the sign I usually assume. I thought I was snapped recently on the old N8 when a chunk of the M8 was closed but I seem to have come out ok.

I've seen plenty of people pulled over, usually for taking the complete piss. So I'll be doing 130-140 and see someone fly past in the overtaking lane, then seem them pulled over at the side of the road 10-20km later.

All in all I think there's a common sense approach where enforcement exists, but often very little enforcement.

Normally I generally see them is around Xmas on n20 by Topaz garage in mallow or up by two pots further up road.

I was stopped in 2012 early morning on motorway junction at mitchelstown asking what, where, when, do I know speed limits on motorway and them did a intimate inspection of car running his hand up and down car.

Sure it was his ring that scratched the plastic on rear light. For this I am a fan of camera as they tend not to give a monkey's about people's cars when there looking cars over.