Gardai should be removed from all 'traffic' work..

AndrewJRenko · 15-05-2021 10:54am

YFlyer wrote: »

At least the fines aren't too hefty.

Yes, not hefty enough to change behaviour, which somewhat defeats the purpose.

We need fines WITH penalty points, and an effective disqualification system.

AndrewJRenko · 15-05-2021 2:56pm

Interesting example this morning - Garda car drives blissfully past line of five vehicles illegally parked on double-yellows and footpath on Shelbourne Road.

Something's not working here.

I did report the parking to the clampers, but they were all 'busy' - tow truck, two vans and a bunch of lads having a good oul chat by the canal.

source · 15-05-2021 6:10pm

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Once again, AGS tend to leave minor parking infringements like this to the local parking enforcement authority, that's their sole job. AGS deal with far more than parking issues and it's likely this car was in its way to another job.

FGR · 15-05-2021 7:33pm

There are pros and cons to separating AGS from the roads policing role.

The pros would be that an independent 'Highway Patrol' would be dedicated to the one particular job and allow AGS to focus on other matters.

The cons would be that a fully seperate body will require a lot of investment and duplication of what already exists in AGS - new headquarters, managers, supervisors, stations etc which would mean a lot more cost.

It depends on if the public would be willing to pay for it.

Get Real · 15-05-2021 7:39pm

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Say the car is on the way to a shoplifter being held by security. Do they stop off at every minor thing on the way?

Using that logic, there'd be endless stopping. When they're driving, they're going to a queue of call after call generally. That'd be even worse if they pulled in every time a car is on double yellows or a cyclist breaks a red light.

All the more reason for a separate body to deal with these offences.

15-05-2021 7:48pm

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In fairness, there is nothing interesting about those examples.
The police and clampers may have been busy doing something more important.

16-05-2021 8:06am

It should also be noted that the Gardaí don't have to stop to issue fcpns for parking. They can just note the registration number and issue later.

Darc19 · 16-05-2021 8:13am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

In fairness, there is nothing interesting about those examples.
The police and clampers may have been busy doing something more important.

Mr Renko is a cyclist, so all cars are the enemy and cars blocking his way are akin to murderers and rapists

Eire392 · 16-05-2021 8:38am

As a member of AGS myself I will reply at Andrew's pictures above

Car could be on the way to a call all day

If you stopped physically at every illegally parked car you would not attend a single job

And I never stop and get out of the car for a ticket. Take them down in the notebook as I go by and they all get a fine in the post. No need to waste an hour there.

AndrewJRenko · 16-05-2021 5:08pm

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, there is nothing interesting about those examples.
The police and clampers may have been busy doing something more important.

What is interesting is the extent to which illegal pavement parking has become endemic in our society, to the extent that few people actually raise an eyebrow at situations like this, except perhaps the people with sight loss who bump into these vehicles, or the people in wheelchairs who either can't can't through or have to manouvre around these vehicles, or the parents with buggies or people with walking frames who are inconvenienced by this.

foreign wrote: »

It should also be noted that the Gardaí don't have to stop to issue fcpns for parking. They can just note the registration number and issue later.

Eire392 wrote: »

As a member of AGS myself I will reply at Andrew's pictures above

Car could be on the way to a call all day

If you stopped physically at every illegally parked car you would not attend a single job

And I never stop and get out of the car for a ticket. Take them down in the notebook as I go by and they all get a fine in the post. No need to waste an hour there.

But they don't generally get the fines in the post. In 2019 I think, IBikeDublin did an exercise where its 100-ish members identified more vehicles illegally parked on cycle lanes than 14,000 had issued tickets in the preceeding year. Most drivers know that their chances of getting ticketed for illegal parking like this is negligible, so they continue to do it routinely. And all these 'just a few minutes' parking offences add up to result in footpaths and cycle lanes being unfit for their intended purposes.

Darc19 wrote: »

Mr Renko is a cyclist, so all cars are the enemy and cars blocking his way are akin to murderers and rapists

In the case, I'd be much happier if the cars were on the road (blocking my way) rather than on the footpath, endangering and inconveniencing people with sight loss and others. But it would still be illegal.

source wrote: »

Once again, AGS tend to leave minor parking infringements like this to the local parking enforcement authority, that's their sole job. AGS deal with far more than parking issues and it's likely this car was in its way to another job.

I get the point that the car was probably on their way to another job. But there is a bigger underlying issue here. Illegal parking is endemic, and is generally ignored by AGS, if not indeed facilitated and enabled by them. It's not unknown for AGS to join in the fun themselves.
https://twitter.com/dublincycling/status/1392782118661541890
I've asked Gardai on foot to deal with particular vehicles illegally parked, and got responses like 'ah sure where else can they park' as if there is some intrinsic human right to drop your vehicle anywhere you choose, regardless of the impact on others.

Shield · 17-05-2021 7:17am

Mod: Can we please stop quoting pictures? It's extra work for the hamsters that power the site. Thanks.

thecityguy1 · 29-01-2022 3:09am

The nephew of no less than 3 current or retired gardai who grew up over the road from me likes to brag about how he can still get off any traffic offense despite the changes made since the penalty points scandal. The way it works now is first you need to get the gardas details from him especially what station hes from the station is about the most important thing. Next he contacts his uncle straight away doing it really fast is important and gives him the info. Next the uncle contacts the senior garda at the station and asks him to cancel the offense before its entered into the computer system once its in the system they cant do anything about it so time is really important. So for anyone wondering how gardas relatives and friends still get off in 2022 this is how

Strumms · 29-01-2022 3:25am

You see how well employing independent contractors goes in other aspects of frontline ‘policing’ and security … such an example would be security at nightclubs and pubs… where it’s a lottery…with little to no accountability and little to zero auditing of performance and behaviour…there is even criminality involved despite licensing and ‘regulation’…

mr cowen · 01-02-2022 7:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118548906#Comment_118548906

I wouldn't think there is many "senior Officers" around these days prepared to take chances like this, however there is a very simple solution to the hypothetical scenario you put forward, electronic tablets like they use on ambulances, submit all the details on the side of the road, you can even attach photos of reg plates or tax/insurance certs or even add maybe a video footage of the actual offence, once its submitted at the end of the traffic stop, its secured within the tablet, and therefore seamless in relation to being scrutinized, the next step is either upload remotely immediately after the stop or upload it via a docking station back at your local station where you work from. the process there fore becomes secure!

Gardai should be removed from all 'traffic' work..

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