Garda checkpoint pages on FB

Henry Ford III · 20-01-2021 11:46pm #1

Saw one earlier (Dublin). What's the idea I wonder?

Is it a heads up for folk who might be wanting to drive without tax, insurance, NCT, or license to avoid detection?

Do people check these pages before setting off on a journey or worse still check them whilst en route?

I think it's all pretty questionable.

Any thoughts?

Newuser2 · 20-01-2021 11:47pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Saw one earlier (Dublin). What's the idea I wonder?

Is it a heads up for folk who might be wanting to drive without tax, insurance, NCT, or license to avoid detection?

Do people check these pages before setting off on a journey or worse still check them whilst en route?

I think it's all pretty questionable.

Any thoughts?

Young lads I thought mainly that don't want to meet one

punisher5112 · 20-01-2021 11:48pm

Basically that's it, they want to warn others and hope to continue to drive stoned, coked up or other issues.

Mimon · 20-01-2021 11:50pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Saw one earlier (Dublin). What's the idea I wonder?

Is it a heads up for folk who might be wanting to drive without tax, insurance, NCT, or license to avoid detection?

Do people check these pages before setting off on a journey or worse still check them whilst en route?

I think it's all pretty questionable.

Any thoughts?

Signed up to a couple for mostly speed traps. Haven't checked them in a couple of years so not sure if still going.

Telling about checkpoints I didn't like as who knows why a checkpoint could be set up. Could be to stop a dangerous criminal from escaping an area etc.

Newuser2 · 20-01-2021 11:51pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Basically that's it, they want to warn others and hope to continue to drive stoned, coked up or other issues.

Drug driving is rife with young lads

pippip · 20-01-2021 11:52pm

I might remind a few, before the high horse brigade arrive, that there used to be a similar speed check thread on here many moons ago.

I know not identical but similar vibe

Newuser2 · 20-01-2021 11:53pm

pippip wrote: »

I might remind a few, before the high horse brigade arrive, that there used to be a similar speed check thread on here many moons ago.

Random ones or the fixed ones?

The fixed ones were public knowledge

Henry Ford III · 20-01-2021 11:55pm

Hard to see any positive in them.

Criminals must love them. Free info on where the Gardai are (or may not be).

Newuser2 · 20-01-2021 11:57pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Hard to see any positive in them.

Criminals must love them. Free info on where the Gardai are (or may not be).

Prob why they started moving round

They'd be at random spots for a few minutes and move to the next location

You could meet them anywhere

Northern Monkey · 20-01-2021 11:57pm

Surely something like Waze is a better option for this

pippip · 21-01-2021 12:00am

Newuser2 wrote: »

Random ones or the fixed ones?

The fixed ones were public knowledge

Both, was deemed illegal and shut down.

pinktoe · 21-01-2021 12:04am

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Hard to see any positive in them.

Criminals must love them. Free info on where the Gardai are (or may not be).

I have seen posts shared about houses and sheds or even dogs getting robbed in the area which is handy to know. They also can be good to know about delays, crashes and road works. I rarely check them though.

Henry Ford III · 21-01-2021 12:07am

pinktoe wrote: »

I have seen posts shared about houses and sheds or even dogs getting robbed in the area which is handy to know. They also can be good to know about delays, crashes and road works. I rarely check them though.

Sat nav is in car friendly and has to be a better bet. Traffic delays are shown in real time.

Del2005 · 21-01-2021 12:42am

Northern Monkey wrote: »

Surely something like Waze is a better option for this

Same thing though. I'm far from an angel but as said earlier not all check points are for catching motorists, a few might get caught but if you are doing something illegal tough.

Lewis_Benson · 21-01-2021 12:48am

What's the idea I wonder?
Its for "the Bai's" so they know where not to drive

Is it a heads up for folk who might be wanting to drive without tax, insurance, NCT, or license to avoid detection?
Yes

Do people check these pages before setting off on a journey or worse still check them whilst en route?
Most likely

I think it's all pretty questionable.
Agreed

Any thoughts?
For idiots

rabbitinlights · 22-01-2021 12:58pm

It's a digital flash of the lights.

Henry Ford III · 22-01-2021 2:25pm

It's not in real time though, so unless you are glued to FB whilst driving what's the point?

colm_mcm · 22-01-2021 2:50pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

It's not in real time though, so unless you are glued to FB whilst driving what's the point?

They are probably glued to FB whilst driving.

They won’t get caught though.

DaveyDave · 22-01-2021 2:51pm

My sister used to drive unaccompanied, she had to check it every time she wanted to leave the house. Feck that...

Del2005 · 22-01-2021 3:37pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

It's not in real time though, so unless you are glued to FB whilst driving what's the point?

It is on Waze. I've seen people watching videos while driving so having facebook open wound't surprise me.

tcawley29 · 22-01-2021 5:30pm

Del2005 wrote: »

It is on Waze. I've seen people watching videos while driving so having facebook open wound't surprise me.

No it's not. Someone has to report it first on Waze.

frozenfrozen · 22-01-2021 5:43pm

Yeah I don't like the sharing of checkpoints as it comes with so many issues.

But the ones that tell people where speed vans are I have no problem with. I was in a good one where I used to live. You'd know about speed vans, loose cows, people walking in dark clothing without a path at night, groups of cyclists. Floods. Trees down on the road etc. It was actually very good.

Just had a look at it now after at least 2 years and it's all checkpoints. not good

22-01-2021 5:45pm

To be fair to the Gardai, they know about these pages and (pre-covid) checkpoints generally only lasted about 20 minutes anyway, and they'd pack up and move to a different road.

Henry Ford III · 22-01-2021 7:04pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

To be fair to the Gardai, they know about these pages and (pre-covid) checkpoints generally only lasted about 20 minutes anyway, and they'd pack up and move to a different road.

Yes and by the time somebody has posted a location to FB and the members have seen it it's probably too late.

Del2005 · 22-01-2021 7:27pm

tcawley29 wrote: »

No it's not. Someone has to report it first on Waze.

They get to Facebook the same way they get to Waze.

DaveyDave · 22-01-2021 8:49pm

Del2005 wrote: »

They get to Facebook the same way they get to Waze.

Waze has voice commands so you can still report things hands free.

StemCell · 22-01-2021 9:16pm

Or just report a lot of false Garda checkpoints on Waze if you object to people breaking the law.

Henry Ford III · 22-01-2021 11:07pm

DaveyDave wrote: »

Waze has voice commands so you can still report things hands free.

Press a button on a touchscreen and it's done. Facebook is totally different.

micah537 · 23-01-2021 3:25pm

I keep an eye on the Galway one at times. I don't care about checkpoints as everything is in order on my car. The page has nearly 76,000 likes so yes a lot are looking at it, no way is that number of people trying to avoid detection.

I don't look at or know what's on the other Gardaí pages, but this page is handy when there is a storm or flooding as it's more up to date in rural settings than apps or AA Road watch. If a road is impassable I want to know before I leave the house.

As mentioned earlier, they can alert people to robberies and crime in the area which I want to know about, so they act as a community watch page as well. BTW the community watch page in my area just seems to share posts from the checkpoint page.

There are some clowns in the comment section who do seem to be missing a disc or three, so the Gardai could check them out if they really wanted to. With ANPR and the mobility app, it's pretty risky to venture out without everything in order even with FB pages and app etc.

Henry Ford III · 23-01-2021 10:37pm

Isn't the population of Galway c.76000? They hardly all look at that page.

Ash.J.Williams · 23-01-2021 10:44pm

Newuser2 wrote: »

Drug driving is rife with young lads

More than young fellas:)

lucalux · 23-01-2021 11:37pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Isn't the population of Galway c.76000? They hardly all look at that page.

I'd say most people who follow these pages follow the ones of surrounding counties too. I'd be close enough to 4 counties to warrant it, if I was so inclined.

iQuain · 24-01-2021 12:04am

Newuser2 wrote: »

Drug driving is rife with young lads

Drink driving is rife with owld lads

spring lane jack · 24-01-2021 12:20am

iQuain wrote: »

Drink driving is rife with owld lads

I smoked Weed an hour before my test and passed no problem.

lucalux · 24-01-2021 12:27am

iQuain wrote: »

Drink driving is rife with owld lads

Drug and drink driving both, know no age, gender, or class distinctions.

Plenty of people taking solpadeine or neurofen OTC and not aware of the implications for impairment.

Plenty of people on very heavy duty oxy-type drugs, prescribed by a doctor (so it's fine right?), sent off with a script and not a word about how it affects driving.
They're a problem as much as drink drivers imo

Ash.J.Williams · 24-01-2021 12:29am

I got so baked yesterday I observed all warning signs, drove below the speed limited and was courteous to pedestrians and fellow drivers

iQuain · 24-01-2021 4:20am

lucalux wrote: »

Drug and drink driving both, know no age, gender, or class distinctions.

Plenty of people taking solpadeine or neurofen OTC and not aware of the implications for impairment.

Plenty of people on very heavy duty oxy-type drugs, prescribed by a doctor (so it's fine right?), sent off with a script and not a word about how it affects driving.
They're a problem as much as drink drivers imo

Absolutely - I totally agree. My comment was a direct reply to the ageist comment posted earlier in the thread. In hindsight it was probably immature of me.

Del2005 · 24-01-2021 10:32am

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I got so baked yesterday I observed all warning signs, drove below the speed limited and was courteous to pedestrians and fellow drivers

We've all seen wolf of wall street.

Dempo1 · 24-01-2021 10:49am

Not sure what is worse, posts on Facebook or the absurd official Garda Traffic Twitter Feed.

It just amazes me some of the sarcastic and legally questionable posts are permitted, let alone sanctioned.

Assuming the letter of the law was being followed, all offences detected are Alledged? and yet the perception given is a slam dunk, bangs to right mentality. I appreciate they make an effort to hide some identifying details but question the merits of joyfully and sarcastically posting detections of breaches in the road traffic act.

Whilst I'm at it, there's been a glut of excitable posts about the work they are doing re the pandemic and yet, most involve cars being siezed for various offences, most notably cars being siezed from learner drivers, usually including an unamusing side swipe at the offender.

I'm all for a Twitter feed advising the public on traffic issues, accidents, delays, detours etc but do we really need to be informed and in a mischiefious legally questionable manner, a motorist having their car seized or being caught "alledgedly" speeding or being responsible for other "alledged" offence. Such is the amusement, there's even a Thread on Boards dedicated to latest garda traffic Tweets.

Henry Ford III · 24-01-2021 11:00am

I think the Garda Traffic Twitter account is ok.

I think that they are showing that they do detect and stop various offenders, to encourage anyone who sees it to drive within the laws.

Del2005 · 24-01-2021 11:58am

Dempo1 wrote: »

Not sure what is worse, posts on Facebook or the absurd official Garda Traffic Twitter Feed.

It just amazes me some of the sarcastic and legally questionable posts are permitted, let alone sanctioned.

Assuming the letter of the law was being followed, all offences detected are Alledged? and yet the perception given is a slam dunk, bangs to right mentality. I appreciate they make an effort to hide some identifying details but question the merits of joyfully and sarcastically posting detections of breaches in the road traffic act.

Whilst I'm at it, there's been a glut of excitable posts about the work they are doing re the pandemic and yet, most involve cars being siezed for various offences, most notably cars being siezed from learner drivers, usually including an unamusing side swipe at the offender.

I'm all for a Twitter feed advising the public on traffic issues, accidents, delays, detours etc but do we really need to be informed and in a mischiefious legally questionable manner, a motorist having their car seized or being caught "alledgedly" speeding or being responsible for other "alledged" offence. Such is the amusement, there's even a Thread on Boards dedicated to latest garda traffic Tweets.

Driving offences are different from criminal offences. You aren't assumed to be innocent for driving offences, as its a privilege not a right. If you go to court you have to prove it wasn't an offence, the Garda doesn't have to prove it was.

Twitter is where people look so if they see cars been taken off people driving illegally then it might stop them driving illegally.

lucalux · 24-01-2021 12:21pm

iQuain wrote: »

Absolutely - I totally agree. My comment was a direct reply to the ageist comment posted earlier in the thread. In hindsight it was probably immature of me.

Oh no worries at all, wasn't a reply to get at anyone at all.

I just threw it up there, when thinking about the checkpoint pages on FB, and who they are perceived to be aimed at.

I think the perception of these pages is that it's just boy racers or criminal gangs, when in my experience, they're used by plenty from all walks of life, to evade detection for whatever reason. It's a bit off topic from me anyway, as usual

lucalux · 24-01-2021 12:27pm

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I think the Garda Traffic Twitter account is ok.

I think that they are showing that they do detect and stop various offenders, to encourage anyone who sees it to drive within the laws.

Yeah it's a visibility thing for sure, though one issue I might have is that sometimes they use the wrong legal terms, which doesn't help their cause when people pick up on that. Little things like spell checking would help to, if they want it to look professional.

No harm for some to see it, it does have a cooling effect to see someone have their car seized, if you are driving with the same expired tax or lack of insurance or whatever.

They are a bit sarky in it from time to time, tweets probably sent in from loads of different Guards, so I imagine there's differences in tone from that.
A lot of police forces around the world do similar, fairly tongue in cheek comments on Twitter pages.
I imagine it's a very fine line to straddle, between professionalism and a bit of a joke.

zg3409 · 25-01-2021 2:41pm

I used Google maps with real time traffic during the first lockdown and 2 checkpoints were automatically diverted away due to traffic delays caused. The map can show red lines where there is delays and Waze has a specific feature.

Facebook does seem ineffective at this, but most covid gardai points seem to be in exact same spot over and over again, if not there 24/7 any more.

I don't so much go out of my way to avoid (I am all in order) , but if there is another way just as quick or faster without possible silly questions I go that way.

There are lots of people genuinely worried about speeding points, particularly full time drivers such as taxis, couriers, van drivers, sales reps. Just one speeding points (3 points) lasts 3 years, and if you get caught just over once a year, you will be banned before the first expires. I pass one mobile van at least once a month, and its easy to creep over limits. Insurance costs soar once you have 6+ points.

There are lots of others living week to week on pandemic payment, trying to keep their car, pisdubky letting tax run out, and struggling to pay insurance. Its easy is you have cash in your pocket to not realise his some live, and how rent, food, drink, drugs may be higher priority than tax man.

Its also easy to set up a Facebook group and Facebook suggests new groups to you all the time, and many join to have a look, even if they are ineffective at avoiding quickly setup checkpoints and vans that move every hour to a new spot.

Garda checkpoint pages on FB

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