Motorway Patrol

Litcagral

Kaiser2000 wrote:

I think his point, and mine above, is that on this occasion they were probably driving in the buslane purely to beat the queue in the other lane and "because they can", rather than anything to do with "work" - after all if it was that urgent they'd have the lights on, or certainly no time to give their egos a massage by "warning" the guy behind them, right? You don't usually see ambulances/fire engines shooting down the bus lanes or crossing white lines without lights flashing and sirens blaring after all.

Simply put, it was an abuse of their powers/status - ethically anyway if not legally.

I don't understand your point. I think that the Gardai should be able to move about as quickly as possible. I don't see how this can be construed as an abuse of power. Two simple examples:

(a) If a Garda notices a car parked illegally e.g. on a bus lane, do you really expect him to make his way to the nearest car park and look for a place to park and then walk back to issue a ticket? Of course not - pull in behind it, post ticket and get mobile again.

(b) If a Garda is required to deliver a summons, do you think that he should sit in traffic queues wasting time when that time could be utilised more productively and he can be mobile and available again?

I would prefer to see our Gardai being able to move around as quickly as possible an be available and responsive for effective policing when required. People regularly complain that Gardai are not available or arrive late for non- emergency duties. This could only worsen if they were to do as you wish. I don't see how a Garda using a bus lane affects you negatively, apart obviously from envy.

Cormic

Litcagral wrote:

I would prefer to see our Gardai being able to move around as quickly as possible an be available and responsive for effective policing when required.

However the Gardai also have a duty to lead by example.

Litcagral

esel wrote:

Nice try.

If you had quoted in full, and included the exceptions referred to instead of cutting them from your quote, you would have got the following:

27. Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively, of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of the Garda Siochana of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Siochana, where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.


'other than' above refers to the following:



So, let's be clear, apart from the above exceptions, Gardai (in the performance of their duties) and emergency vehicle drivers etc. are exempt from the 'requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles'.

Kind of puts a different perspective on it, doesn't it?

I edited the quote in the interests of simplicity-it may put a different perspectice on it but I still maintain that it is perfectly legal for them to utilise a bus lane or park where required (obviously once no one is put in danger).

Turner

Of course the gardai can use the bus lanes, break speed limits and general road offences....if they are going to a call or not.

As soon as they mark on duty they are exempt.

However they are not allowed to drive drunk, dangerously or refuse to provice a specimen of breath after arrest.

Guy:Incognito

Kaiser2000 wrote:

I think his point, and mine above, is that on this occasion they were probably driving in the buslane purely to beat the queue in the other lane and "because they can", rather than anything to do with "work" - after all if it was that urgent they'd have the lights on, or certainly no time to give their egos a massage by "warning" the guy behind them, right? You don't usually see ambulances/fire engines shooting down the bus lanes or crossing white lines without lights flashing and sirens blaring after all.

Simply put, it was an abuse of their powers/status - ethically anyway if not legally.

Even if they are just out patrolling, whats the point of themm spending an hour of their shift sitting in traffic? They're far better off keeping moving, otherwise the ymay as well be asleep in the station as sitting in 4 miles of traffic.

Guy:Incognito

Victor wrote:

When was the last time you saw [strike]the fire brigade[/strike] ambulances on patrol?

They go cruising looking for random sick people. They're everywhere dont'ch know.:)

elexes

/imagines a fire truck on patrol

officer1: lads any fires tonight
sumbag1: na were good
officer2: ya see i told you they werent dealers they just follow the trends lets head down to the tesco car park and find a burning car

ninty9er

I'd say that IS200 was a patrol as no diplomat of any half decent country would be seen in a compact-exec/posh family car.

I think it's great to see this happening.

Saw a thing on BBC1 durin the week showing cops whose job is to be out driving all the time to catch car-thieves in particular. They Had an A3 and an Impreza as well as a few others that weren't identified.

What's with the use of Galaxy's for Traffic Corps. They actually serve no more purpose than an estate, are <more> unstable at speed and are, lets face it, if they're bog standard (as marked Garda patrol vehicles generally are) are painfully slow, my aunt has the 1.9 6 speed and while it's just as fast as a 1.6 petrol saloon, isn't anything to wriote home bout