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What power do off-duty guards have?

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  • 14-09-2010 10:22am
    #1
    KingIsabella
    Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭


    Friend of mine from way out in the shtix was driving yesterday and in front of her was a big purple C-reg people wagon. It was an 80km limit, and the people wagon was doing about 70 so she overtook when it was safe to do.

    She was driving along and the wagon started flashing her for a couple hundred metres and then she noticed that the driver was in uniform so she pulled over. He checked her licence and all that and was a right p*@^k about the whole thing. He took all her details and said she was doing 106(a numberobviously concocted out of his head as he had no way of knowing, and an obvious exaggeration) in an 80km zone.

    Afterwards she drove away and went into the nearby town to a shop, where he was in there buying his bits and bobs.

    Just wondering was he in any position to pull her, guess an exaggerated speed she was doing and report it?


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    #2
    Bogger77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    a Garda is never off duty, unless they're outside of the country.


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    #3
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,253 ✭✭✭markpb


    They still have the same legal authority as when they're rostered on. In my experience, your friend must have been really acting the maggot, most Gardai have no interest in working on their days off (like the rest of us).


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    #4
    yop
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    IF he was in uniform he was either starting or finishing a shift.

    But 2 sides to every story, he could have been the twat, then again your mate could have been also ;)


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    #5
    KingIsabella
    Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭KingIsabella


    She's never been a dangerous driver by any stretch of the imagination though. I was thinking he was just pissed off he was overtaken in his people wagon. My girlfriend was in the car with her and she said he seemed to let up a little bit when he saw that she was a local.


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    #6
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    KingIsabella wrote: »
    I was thinking he was just pissed off he was overtaken in his people wagon.
    That sounds like a bit of a stretch, TBH.:)


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    #7
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users Posts: 24,470 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Bogger77 wrote: »
    a Garda is never off duty, unless their outside of the country.

    :rolleyes:

    yeah cos we pay them 24/7


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    #8
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    Bogger77 wrote: »
    a Garda is never off duty, unless their outside of the country.
    +1
    a garda is always on duty


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    #9
    hobochris
    Registered Users Posts: 2,164 ✭✭✭hobochris


    Is that the speed on his radar gun? ;)

    I take it his personal vehicle speedo is 100% calibrated and has a radar speed detection system on board..


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    #10
    KingIsabella
    Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭KingIsabella


    Anan1 wrote: »
    That sounds like a bit of a stretch, TBH.:)


    She was doing 70 in an 80km zone sticking behind him, so she overtook him in a safe spot. I can't think of a legitimate reason he'd pull her for doing an alleged 106.

    I'm presuming if he does turn it into anything it can't really go far as 106 is a number he just blurted out.


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    #11
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    yop wrote: »
    IF he was in uniform he was either starting or finishing a shift.

    But 2 sides to every story, he could have been the twat, then again your mate could have been also ;)

    Surely you've been around here long enough to know it's NEVER the poor innocent oppressed driver's fault in stories where we only have their side . :)


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    #12
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    KingIsabella wrote: »
    She was doing 70 in an 80km zone sticking behind him, so she overtook him in a safe spot. I can't think of a legitimate reason he'd pull her for doing an alleged 106.

    I'm presuming if he does turn it into anything it can't really go far as 106 is a number he just blurted out.
    I wasn't there, so I can't say. As an outsider, though, her overtaking dangerously does seem more likely than his making unnecessary unpaid work for himself. In any case, it sounds like he let her off with a warning?


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    #13
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,632 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    If the cop was doing 70kph the only allegation he could make would be she was doing "in excess of 70kph".

    Now if the overtaking manouver was dodgy or dangerous however......


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    #14
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    markpb wrote: »
    They still have the same legal authority as when they're rostered on. In my experience, your friend must have been really acting the maggot, most Gardai have no interest in working on their days off (like the rest of us).

    Alot of people take issue with being over taken. Gardai are no different only they feel they have the power to do something about it. (and they do) so i wouldnt agree Gardai have no interest in working. - Its situational power, my sister in law is a fine example...


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    #15
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    listermint wrote: »
    Alot of people take issue with being over taken. Gardai are no different only they feel they have the power to do something about it. (and they do) so i wouldnt agree Gardai have no interest in working. - Its situational power, my sister in law is a fine example...
    Wouldn't they get bored of it after a while? If I were an off-duty Garda it'd want to be something straight-up dangerous to get me involved - otherwise i'd never get where I was going myself. I'm not saying it's impossible mind, it just seems less likely than the alternative.


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    #16
    Bogger77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    :rolleyes:

    yeah cos we pay them 24/7

    ask any member of the force, that you're friendly with, if they are technically always on duty?


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    #17
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users Posts: 24,470 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Bogger77 wrote: »
    ask any member of the force, that you're friendly with, if they are technically always on duty?

    they may be able to act but they are hardly obliged to

    otherwise why would anyone do it, 24/7 and only being paid for a normal 39 week or so...


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    #18
    high horse
    Registered Users Posts: 1,011 ✭✭✭high horse


    KingIsabella wrote: »
    Friend of mine from way out in the shtix was driving yesterday and in front of her was a big purple C-reg people wagon. It was an 80km limit, and the people wagon was doing about 70 so she overtook when it was safe to do.

    She was driving along and the wagon started flashing her for a couple hundred metres and then she noticed that the driver was in uniform so she pulled over. He checked her licence and all that and was a right p*@^k about the whole thing. He took all her details and said she was doing 106(a numberobviously concocted out of his head as he had no way of knowing, and an obvious exaggeration) in an 80km zone.

    Afterwards she drove away and went into the nearby town to a shop, where he was in there buying his bits and bobs.

    Just wondering was he in any position to pull her, guess an exaggerated speed she was doing and report it?

    There is absolutely no way I would pull over for a non-garda car! Unless I get the flashing blue lights, I'll keep on going thanks! :rolleyes:


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    #19
    Bogger77
    Registered Users Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    they may be able to act but they are hardly obliged to

    otherwise why would anyone do it, 24/7 and only being paid for a normal 39 week or so...
    'cos it's what they signed up to?


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    #20
    Viper_JB
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Viper_JB


    I don't see it as of being beyond the relms of possibility that the guard was out of order here given the information to hand, they are just people and people can be pricks, it's down to the person not the profession. Either way if she recieves a ticket I'd take it to court and I'd inform the guard that I intended on fighting the ticket in court the week I recieved it.


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    #21
    markpb
    Registered Users Posts: 9,253 ✭✭✭markpb


    Viper_JB wrote: »
    Either way if she recieves a ticket I'd take it to court and I'd inform the guard that I intended on fighting the ticket in court the week I recieved it.

    On what grounds?

    The Garda stands up and swears in front of the court that in their opinion, the person was in breach of RTA due to speeding or dangerous driving (take your pick). The fact that they weren't rostered on won't even come into it.


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    #22
    Viper_JB
    Registered Users Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Viper_JB


    markpb wrote: »
    On what grounds?

    The Garda stands up and swears in front of the court that in their opinion, the person was in breach of RTA due to speeding or dangerous driving (take your pick). The fact that they weren't rostered on won't even come into it.

    On the grounds that he was eyeballing the speed from a civilian vechicle. The OP's friend would be well within her rights to bring this to court and have her honest say on what happened.


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    #23
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    high horse wrote: »
    There is absolutely no way I would pull over for a non-garda car! Unless I get the flashing blue lights, I'll keep on going thanks! :rolleyes:
    That's a bit paranoid, TBH. There are a million reasons why anyone (Garda or not) may want to stop another car, some of which might save your life. Keep the doors locked, an escape route open, and only crack open the window by all means, but it's really not half as dangerous as the TV lets on.;)


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    #24
    Rob67
    Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭Rob67


    KingIsabella wrote: »
    Friend of mine from way out in the shtix was driving yesterday and in front of her was a big purple C-reg people wagon. It was an 80km limit, and the people wagon was doing about 70 so she overtook when it was safe to do.

    She was driving along and the wagon started flashing her for a couple hundred metres and then she noticed that the driver was in uniform so she pulled over. He checked her licence and all that and was a right p*@^k about the whole thing. He took all her details and said she was doing 106(a numberobviously concocted out of his head as he had no way of knowing, and an obvious exaggeration) in an 80km zone.

    Afterwards she drove away and went into the nearby town to a shop, where he was in there buying his bits and bobs.

    Just wondering was he in any position to pull her, guess an exaggerated speed she was doing and report it?

    The garda would carry out a time and speed over a set distance calculation which would give an approximate speed that the driver was doing. It is permissible as evidence in court (if required)


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    #25
    Zapho
    Registered Users Posts: 1,268 ✭✭✭Zapho


    Anan1 wrote: »
    That's a bit paranoid, TBH. There are a million reasons why anyone (Garda or not) may want to stop another car, some of which might save your life. Keep the doors locked, an escape route open, and only crack open the window by all means, but it's really not half as dangerous as the TV lets on.;)

    I don't think he was being too paranoid - I wouldn't stop just because someone was flashing me either......not because I'm worried they might be a murderer, just because, why would I bother?

    I mean, can a garda who is not in a squad car legally pull you over anyway? You could easily make the case that "how the hell was I supposed to know he was a gard?" And at that, how could he tell how fast you were going...I doubt they all carry radar guns linked to their own speedometers in their family car?


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    #26
    Cookie_Monster
    Registered Users Posts: 24,470 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Rob67 wrote: »
    The garda would carry out a time and speed over a set distance calculation which would give an approximate speed that the driver was doing. It is permissible as evidence in court (if required)

    and how on earth is he supposed to accurately measure distance and look at his watch to get accurate time while driving and watching the car in front of him?


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    #27
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    Zapho wrote: »
    I don't think he was being too paranoid - I wouldn't stop just because someone was flashing me either......not because I'm worried they might be a murderer, just because, why would I bother?
    Last time I flashed someone over it was because they had an almost flat rear tyre.
    Zapho wrote: »
    I mean, can a garda who is not in a squad car legally pull you over anyway? You could easily make the case that "how the hell was I supposed to know he was a gard?" And at that, how could he tell how fast you were going...I doubt they all carry radar guns linked to their own speedometers in their family car?
    They probably can't. The only time i've ever been pulled by an unmarked car without lights they held the badge up to my side window.


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    #28
    Rob67
    Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭Rob67


    Cookie_Monster wrote: »
    and how on earth is he supposed to accurately measure distance and look at his watch to get accurate time while driving and watching the car in front of him?

    Ah... I should have also pointed out that normally a co-driver would do the calculations, but it is possible to do it solo, not recommended though.


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    #29
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,663 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Anan1 wrote: »
    Wouldn't they get bored of it after a while? If I were an off-duty Garda it'd want to be something straight-up dangerous to get me involved - otherwise i'd never get where I was going myself. I'm not saying it's impossible mind, it just seems less likely than the alternative.

    You havent met her :D


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    #30
    nogoodnamesleft
    Registered Users Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭nogoodnamesleft


    Bogger77 wrote: »
    a Garda is never off duty, unless they're outside of the country.

    + 1 A garda is never off duty and have their powers of arrest even if their off duty. Most feel they have a responsibility to uphold the law regradless if their on or off duty as thats why they are in the occupation their in.


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    #31
    Orando Broom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,351 ✭✭✭Orando Broom


    Max Power1 wrote: »
    +1
    a garda is always on duty

    Still a guard until 3 years after they're dead.

    FACT!!!


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