Unmarked 99D car with siren in bus lane - claiming to be Garda

event

Sesshoumaru wrote:

and I should break a red light and risk injuring myself and others because...... ?

what if you found out they were on the way to a robbery that a relative was involved in?

Anan1

vector wrote:

just wait until speed cameras or stop light cameras arrive.

you'll then receive a photo of your car hanging in the middle of some junction.
the squad car you assisted is long gone, you don't know its details, and YOU have to pay the fine and get the points.

If they get you, they'll get the squad car too.

Sesshoumaru

You know innocent bystanders have been killed by Gardai driving too fast trying to get to a crime scene. Wasn't some old lady killed at a bus stop by a squad car not so long ago? Haste makes waste..... or death in this case. Sorry but I won't endanger my own life and the lives of other road users just because I see blue flashing lights.

Sesshoumaru

event wrote:

what if you found out they were on the way to a robbery that a relative was involved in?

queue spiderman music

TempestSabre

Anan1 wrote:

Surely only the profoundly idiotic could look at a Garda car with sirens & lights on and totally discount the possibility that it may be on its way to help somebody?

Ask them in Donegal...;)

Anan1

Sesshoumaru wrote:

You know innocent bystanders have been killed by Gardai driving too fast trying to get to a crime scene. Wasn't some old lady killed at a bus stop by a squad car not so long ago? Haste makes waste..... or death in this case. Sorry but I won't endanger my own life and the lives of other road users just because I see blue flashing lights.

I've tried to explain it to you as best I can. Reread my posts slowly, if that helps. There's really nothing more I can do.

Sesshoumaru

Anan1 wrote:

I've tried to explain it to you as best I can. Reread my posts slowly, if that helps. There's really nothing more I can do.

Yes its really simple. There is no law that states you can break a red light when you think its going to help a squad car. YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW! You break a red light and you can end up causing an accident which could result in the loss of life. Seems crystal clear to me.

TempestSabre

Anan1 wrote:

I've tried to explain it to you as best I can. Reread my posts slowly, if that helps. There's really nothing more I can do.

In fairness your reasoning is a little naive. You should not take a risk in order to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle. Move out of the way when its safe to do so.

Thats a different scenerio to deliberate blocking one obvously.

event

Sesshoumaru wrote:

Yes its really simple. There is no law that states you can break a red light when you think its going to help a squad car. YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW! You break a red light and you can end up causing an accident which could result in the loss of life. Seems crystal clear to me.

it could

or look at it from the other side, by you not moving, maybe you delay the gardai getting to an emergency and it ends up in the loss of life

seems crystal clear to me

Anan1

event wrote:

it could

or look at it from the other side, by you not moving, maybe you delay the gardai getting to an emergency and it ends up in the loss of life

seems crystal clear to me

Waste of time. It's been spelled out for him a few times now, either he doesn't understand or he doesn't care.

event

Anan1 wrote:

Waste of time. It's been spelled out for him a few times now, either he doesn't understand or he doesn't care.

yeah i know, but im bored:)

TempestSabre

event wrote:

it could

or look at it from the other side, by you not moving, maybe you delay the gardai getting to an emergency and it ends up in the loss of life

seems crystal clear to me

... or may he'll miss the start of neighbours...

Anan1

TempestSabre wrote:

In fairness your reasoning is a little naive. You should not take a risk in order to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle. Move out of the way when its safe to do so.

Thats a different scenerio to deliberate blocking one obvously.

In my 19 years of driving, I have moved out of the way of many, many emergency vehicles. I can't recall a single incident where to do so involved anything more than the slightest of additional risks, either to me or to other road users. To suggest that one would not move through a red light in order to let one past is therefore to me indicative of either very poor driving & observation skills or a complete disregard for the needs of others.

Anan1

TempestSabre wrote:

... or may he'll miss the start of neighbours...

Whatever soothes your conscience..

Sesshoumaru

As I said in my first post in this thread I would make an effort to clear the way for a squad car. But I won't break the law to do so. I particularly won't break any red lights. Feel free to break them yourself. I'm sure whoever you might hit will be very understanding. Sure you were only trying to be a good citizen of the state

TempestSabre

Anan1 wrote:

In my 19 years of driving, I have moved out of the way of many, many emergency vehicles. I can't recall a single incident where to do so involved anything more than the slightest of additional risks, either to me or to other road users. To suggest that one would not move through a red light in order to let one past is therefore to me indicative of either very poor driving & observation skills or a complete disregard for the needs of others.

Lucky you.

Its not like emergency vehicles don't have accidents, they do. But if you have one who picks up the insurance tab, or pays for your medical bills. Or perhaps in the past people have been stuffed by a Garda abusing their powers, and are not willing to repeat the experience. Who knows.

event

Sesshoumaru wrote:

As I said in my first post in this thread I would make an effort to clear the way for a squad car. But I won't break the law to do so. I particularly won't break any red lights. Feel free to break them yourself. I'm sure whoever you might hit will be very understanding. Sure you were only trying to be a good citizen of the state

would you break them for an ambulance?

TempestSabre

event wrote:

would you break them for an ambulance?

Only if they are selling 99's.

Sesshoumaru

event wrote:

would you break them for an ambulance?

No

event

Sesshoumaru wrote:

No

you wouldnt break a red light to move for an ambulance?

i hope noone you know is ever in an ambulance behind you

but its ok, at least you wont get a penalty point, let that console you

Spitfire666

And just to put an end to the "I'll get done for breaking the light" comments, you wont, if you read the law it states that exempt persons includes anyone assisting a garda in the preforming of his/her duties. so therefore if you brake the light you wont get done because you are assisting the garda car in getting where it needs to be quicker.
and how are you going to cause an accident by moving 2 or 3 foot through the lights to make room? no1 said you need to park in the middle of he junction.

Steffano2002

I'm not sure all the people here who say they wouldn't break a red light for an emergency vehicle are telling the truth... You must do it when you are holding up an emergency vehicle. End of story.
Of course you have to be careful when doing it. Nobody asked you to do a blind burnout or anything... :rolleyes:

Steffano2002

Spitfire666 wrote:

And just to put an end to the "I'll get done for breaking the light" comments, you wont, if you read the law it states that exempt persons includes anyone assisting a garda in the preforming of his/her duties. so therefore if you brake the light you wont get done because you are assisting the garda car in getting where it needs to be quicker.
and how are you going to cause an accident by moving 2 or 3 foot through the lights to make room? no1 said you need to park in the middle of he junction.

Fully agree with the above. No judge in his right mind would ever give out to you for doing the right thing... :rolleyes:

Stark

It would be almost like moving through a junction to make a right turn, nothing particularly unsafe.

Spitfire666

Steffano2002 wrote:

Fully agree with the above. No judge in his right mind would ever give out to you for doing the right thing... :rolleyes:

its no that the judge wouldn't give out, he can't give out. you are covered by law! and failure to move out of the way is an offence. namely obstructing a garda in the coarse of his duties.

Sesshoumaru

Spitfire666 wrote:

And just to put an end to the "I'll get done for breaking the light" comments, you wont, if you read the law it states that exempt persons includes anyone assisting a garda in the preforming of his/her duties. so therefore if you brake the light you wont get done because you are assisting the garda car in getting where it needs to be quicker.
and how are you going to cause an accident by moving 2 or 3 foot through the lights to make room? no1 said you need to park in the middle of he junction.

Thats all well and good until an accident happens. Will you be exempt then? I wouldn't bet on it. Can you please provide a link as well to whatever law it is you are quoting? I'd like to read it myself.

Spitfire666

its from a legal book not a link, i'll see if i can find it online.

Steffano2002

Spitfire666 wrote:

its no that the judge wouldn't give out, he can't give out. you are covered by law! and failure to move out of the way is an offence. namely obstructing a garda in the coarse of his duties.

Indeed Spitfire666. Bad choice of word on my part.

Steffano2002

Sesshoumaru wrote:

Thats all well and good until an accident happens. Will you be exempt then? I wouldn't bet on it. Can you please provide a link as well to whatever law it is you are quoting? I'd like to read it myself.

Are you a Learner driver Sesshoumaru?

Duckjob

Sesshoumaru wrote:

Thats all well and good until an accident happens. Will you be exempt then? I wouldn't bet on it. Can you please provide a link as well to whatever law it is you are quoting? I'd like to read it myself.

I'd would have though you would be legally covered under this:

http://www.irishmotoring.ie/car/rulesoftheroad/road_users_and_the_gardai.php

Road Users and the Gardai

The Gardai are responsible for enforcing road traffic law and all signals given by them must be obeyed. Where a Garda is controlling traffic, his signals, override all traffic signals.

Would you not see a garda comming swiftly up behind you with lights and siren blaring and motioning you to move over as a "signal", which would override the red light? And is he not, by his presence there, with lights and siren and blaring, "controlling" the traffic at the junction ?