Plate Recognition devices for Gardaí

Boggle

If only there was a method of finding out if someone had been somewhere even though they are not there anymore. If only people left, I don't know, clues or maybe evidence that they had been somewhere. These "clues" or “evidence” could then be detected by someone. Oh this is cool. We could have “detectives” and their job would be to “detect” these clues. Then they would be able to go to people, even if they had already gotten the train home, and say we have “evidence” that you were in this place on or about the time when a robbery took place. Who knows, perhaps with time judges in court would start to take this evidence into account in cases so that people who were not actually caught red handed could be convicted of crimes.

heh, heh... I'll be laughing for a week after that one:D

DubTony

MrPudding wrote:

These "clues" or “evidence” could then be detected by someone. Oh this is cool. We could have “detectives” and their job would be to “detect” these clues.

ROFLMAO

Nice one Mr P. This is a great idea. I can see you're excited about this. You need to talk to the minister.

Silvera

Litcagral wrote:

AFAIK if a Garda does the advanced driving course and fails, they are never allowed to drive Garda vehicles again. That is why so few put themselves forward for it.

I have been told a similar story. The system is crazy!
Basically a Garda could be driving a patrol car for a few years (i.e. gaining experience) and then decide to do the Garda driving course/test.
Apparently, the testers often fail drivers for very minor mistakes (perhaps to justify their own jobs?!).

Anyway, if the driver fails he will be relegated to 'observer' in the patrol car and a recruit only in the force a few years, could be made 'official driver' instead!
Crazy - an inexperienced driver is given the job over an experienced driver?! .......no wonder so many garda drivers don't bother with the official test!

unkel

Litcagral wrote:

AFAIK if a Garda does the advanced driving course and fails, they are never allowed to drive Garda vehicles again. That is why so few put themselves forward for it.

Getting back to you as promised. Some nuances here. If a Garda who was previously driving with the chief super's permission goes on the standard driving course and fails, then he/she cannot drive a patrol car again

He/she can do the test again and if succesful, he/she obviously can again drive a patrol car

Many guards do put themselves forward for the test but the resources are very limited so there is a waiting list

murphaph

vasch_ro wrote:

I know its an attempt at humour ...but I do take slight offence at this comment

Sorry if you do vasch_ro, it was an attempt at humour and I think I'm doing pretty well to have a sense of humour when I'm forking out almost a grand a year TPO insurance on a 250cc bike that wouldn't pull you out of bed. Hibernian left the insurance market for those of us on 2 wheels not because they were making millions in profit but because they were paying out so much in claims for pillions carried illegaly by inexperienced provisional holders. They openly blamed the Gardai for a failure to enforce the existing road traffic legislation. Here's a tip-when you see a bloke in a tracksuit with another bloke in a tracksuit on a a scooter then 99.9999% of them are riding around on a provisional licence and hence are breaking the law. In the UK the rider would be disqualified as would unaccompanied provisional category B holders-no questions asked. Here? Don't make me laugh!

John R

It is just another one of the stupid and illogical rules that are common in this country that make the law-abiding tax-payers bankroll the criminals, corrupt leaders and super-rich. We like to pretend that Ireland is on a par with the rest of Western Europe but it is just not true, this sort of casual injustice is just not tolerated anywhere else. The sad thing is that here it is lauded by many as a virtue that so many basic rules can be ignored or loopholed, it's part of the Irish "culture".

Nothing is done about any of it because the status-quo suits too many vested-interests.

Victor

maidhc wrote:

TBH the Gardaí could be doing more useful things (like public order and investigating serious crime...).

Public order and serious crime killed 60 people last year, traffic collisions killed 399.

BrianD3 wrote:

I'd like to know how they're going to check insurance and NCT. Is there a central database available to the gardai giving details of what cars are and aren't insured.

You need insurance to tax your car, you can use the registration to cross check with the NCT.

Savman wrote:

Er, yes I do have insurance Officer, and iirc its the MIBI who payout in claims involving inunsured drivers, insurance companies wash their hands of it.

I'm quite sute the insurance companies would prefer to keep your money for themselves and not pass it on to the MIBI.

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Maybe the Guards could pull over people whose plates are not recognised by the OCR technology. No database or link to database needed. And if the plate is recognised once cleaned then it proves the technology is working. If the plate is not recognised when cleaned then the Guards check if it's using funny fonts etc.

maidhc wrote:

What exactly is the point of that? Cant they just use their eyes to do the same thing?

I would prefer Garda drivers to be watching general traffic conditions, not the font on every single car they pass.

unkel wrote:

Hail! And no need for any more silly time wasting roadblocks with Gardai pointing a torch first at the driver and then at those pieces of paper. Until random breath testing is put in place that is

Yes and no random roadblocks are handy for stop "crims".

Boggle wrote:

Sorry mate but I prefer to have the right to defend myself in court without fear of reprisal (i.e. extra punishment for "daring" to defend myself against the almighty gardai). It's really frustrating when I see people coming out with offhand little statements like yours...

Pleading guilty early and getting a more lenient sentence is a basic part of our justice system.

Ratchet wrote:

also there is bunch of cameras installed all over the place specially for this system. e.g. oposite to Tesco ClareHall. These will monitor moving traffic.

I understand these are traffic counters only.

seamus wrote:

At a guess, I would say Dublin Bus or its conductors do not have the authority to issue fines.

Strictly speaking only a court can issue a fine. By paying a fixed fine, you are waiving your right to a court hearing.

maidhc

Victor wrote:

Public order and serious crime killed 60 people last year, traffic collisions killed 399.

In that case there would be a better return on investment by improving our laughable driving test and trying to instill some form of etiquette in drivers!

Anyhow, the money is not being spent on "road safety", but just another "machine that goes bing", and I really think we have enough already.

Victor wrote:

I would prefer Garda drivers to be watching general traffic conditions, not the font on every single car they pass.

Me too! A machine which makes them into money collectors for not having tax and nct doest help. Tax/NCT/Insurance work could be done by a private firm I reckon.

Victor

MrPudding wrote:

Exactly. Not much of a problem now. Then the system update over short range secure wireless once the car returns to the yard or perhaps once in proximity to a station. I doubt there would be too many false alerts. What would be the chances of the car encountering a car whos details have changed since the last update? Probably quite slim. Not much hassle anyway even if it did.

The Garda is installing a secure digital radio system (probably based on mobile phone technology), so the information can be stored centrally and accessed locally. That way, only information that is needed is available.

maidhc wrote:

Tax/NCT/Insurance work could be done by a private firm I reckon.

Do you think this private firm would do it for free? Would it become a money-making racket?

Would you stop on the side of the road for this private firm?