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

deputydugs

G Luxel wrote:

Having read this thread from start to finish, I d like to add a few points here.

Not every unmarked car is a D regd. I know of a particular unmarked car with
the three aerials with a reg number, although not giving it out, as say 00 LM 97546, yes thats right a county with 5 digits. thats right FIVE.

Secondlly Cork County Council have a multi storey car park for the sole use of their employees, so thats the tax payer paying for their parking.

3rd, its not always an emergency that guards are attending. I remember a Camry speeding and sirening through 4 mile long traffic at peak hour with a diplomatic car. Everyone had to pull in while stuck in traffic for hours and let this VIP get through town.

ive noticed on a few occasions a certain patrol car park on double yellow lines in a busy street and the officers entering a deli counter and chat for a few minutes and then leave with a lot of breadrolls and coffee. I think this is sending out a wrong message to those of us who dont break the law that its ok for them to do so for leisure activities............

Well I agree with most of what you say and also ya we do park on double yellow lines. I always thought we were exempt "not 2 sure on that, emer services are" I'm not going crawling in any books to prove that point, YES its a bad thing for the public to see but heh..... Its somthing that you yourself would love to do. And most of the traffic lads now have 06 D,C,LK,WW,CE etc..... And TRUST ME they blend in and are dam good,, even got nabed by one ma self... Wonder what I did ehh. Sweet talk with my little friend in my arse pocket. Again this does not help my casue in saying that people on this board rant and rave about the force, But thats good ya, we dont care becasue its the mod thing to bash us now, prove me wrong...open 2mors paper. And 2 be Frank we have very thick skin.

About the tax. WE PAY TAX 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the public pay our wages why the hell to we pay TAX. I always wanted to know that and love saying 2 the smart arse who says " My tax pays your wages" and I say " Really, who does my tax pay for, yours.....no....okay then"

Wishbone Ash

deputydugs wrote:

I always thought we were exempt "not 2 sure on that, emer services are"

Strictly speaking you are only exempt from most of the Road Traffic Act/ Statutory Instruments Regulations while on official business. Going for refreshments would not be official business. I don't blame you, I'd do it myself. Most employees have some little perk with their jobs.

Alun

deputydugs wrote:

Well I agree with most of what you say and also ya we do park on double yellow lines. I always thought we were exempt "not 2 sure on that, emer services are" I'm not going crawling in any books to prove that point, YES its a bad thing for the public to see but heh..... Its somthing that you yourself would love to do.

Well, no, I wouldn't like to park on double yellow lines, actually. They're there because if people park on them they cause an obstruction, and I don't like obstructing people, including emergency services such as yourselves. Clearly you don't give a damn about that as long as you can get away with it .. very professional, I'm sure. Case proven.

About the tax. WE PAY TAX 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If the public pay our wages why the hell to we pay TAX. I always wanted to know that and love saying 2 the smart arse who says " My tax pays your wages" and I say " Really, who does my tax pay for, yours.....no....okay then"

Oh very witty (not). What has that got to do with it? We do pay your salary, you're a public servant. Your tax goes to pay other public servants, including yourself.

deputydugs

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Strictly speaking you are only exempt from most of the Road Traffic Act/ Statutory Instruments Regulations while on official business. Going for refreshments would not be official business. I don't blame you, I'd do it myself. Most employees have some little perk with their jobs.

Id really ment I was getting food for peson in custody:D

deputydugs

Alun wrote:

Well, no, I wouldn't like to park on double yellow lines, actually. They're there because if people park on them they cause an obstruction, and I don't like obstructing people, including emergency services such as yourselves. Clearly you don't give a damn about that as long as you can get away with it .. very professional, I'm sure. Case proven.

Oh very witty (not). What has that got to do with it? We do pay your salary, you're a public servant. Your tax goes to pay other public servants, including yourself.

Em ya.......I really dont give a rats arse mate, I am a good member and as I can guess by ure attitude you dont care about how good we are at our job you will still slander us as most of the public do.

Ya know what is nice, when a member of the public thanks you for doing your job.

I found it funny at a checkpont the other day, I stopped a car an they said they were going on holidays and I had a friendly chat with the driver, How are you sir, Nice day, etc, then I said good bye, have a great holiday take care and then the litlle b i c t h who was over 18 in the back said as the car went off "we wont miss you" Just the little b i t ch that would come to you ballin her eyes out becasue her boyfriens said boo to her or she lost her purse or got lost.

Really hope I end up investigating an assault on her(mayb not that bad but...), sounds bad ya, Im not laughin but I would laugh to myslef if I had to. And all my pittly at her tears would be me pointing my eyes up in the air.

Savman

deputydugs wrote:

Em ya.......I really dont give a rats arse mate, I am a good member

God I love sarcasm!! Its the highest form of wit!

Oh wait...:rolleyes:

G Luxel

deputydugs wrote:

Id really ment I was getting food for peson in custody:D

food for person in custody? what are u? a charity worker or maybe its meals on wheels?

Wishbone Ash

G Luxel wrote:

food for person in custody? what are u? a charity worker or maybe its meals on wheels?

Gardai are regularly requested to get food for persons detained in custody. Why does thid seem to puzzle you? Do you expect someone held for several hours or days to starve? I've never heard of a Garda Station being equipped with it's own catering staff. :rolleyes:

RainyDay

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Gardai are regularly requested to get food for persons detained in custody. Why does thid seem to puzzle you? Do you expect someone held for several hours or days to starve? I've never heard of a Garda Station being equipped with it's own catering staff. :rolleyes:

Given that this is a routine part of Garda operations, there is no good reason (beyond laziness and arrogance) to break traffic laws while carrying out this task.

overdriver

...and let that be a lesson to us all. Whenever a Garda flaunts the rules because he / she can, and possibly gets caught for it, some other Garda will come up witha creative reason why they were within their rights to do so.

event

Alun wrote:

Well, no, I wouldn't like to park on double yellow lines, actually. They're there because if people park on them they cause an obstruction, and I don't like obstructing people, including emergency services such as yourselves. Clearly you don't give a damn about that as long as you can get away with it .. very professional, I'm sure. Case proven.

what case have you proved?

john_g83

Along similar lines to what has been posted already....
I was pulling out of the estate where I live a couple of days ago when my phone rang. Being a conscientious citizen I pulled in and took the call. Business completed I continued on my way. Couple of mins later I see a squad car coming my way. Think to myself, "nice one john, might have saved yourself a couple of Penalty Points there". It was then that I noticed that the Garda was in the middle of rather animated phone call on his mobile while driving along.

Is it a case of one law for us and another for those who uphold the law? Surly it is their responsibility to set a good example...or is it do as I say and not as I do??

event

john_g83 wrote:

Along similar lines to what has been posted already....
I was pulling out of the estate where I live a couple of days ago when my phone rang. Being a conscientious citizen I pulled in and took the call. Business completed I continued on my way. Couple of mins later I see a squad car coming my way. Think to myself, "nice one john, might have saved yourself a couple of Penalty Points there". It was then that I noticed that the Garda was in the middle of rather animated phone call on his mobile while driving along.

Is it a case of one law for us and another for those who uphold the law? Surly it is their responsibility to set a good example...or is it do as I say and not as I do??

maybe he was talking to a victim on the phone

edmund_f

maybe we learned an interesting from the op, take a photo with your camera phone (or video?), perhaps we can start a 'crap cop driving' thread

as far as 'all the great cops being spoilt by the bad few', you are either a bad cop by actions or a bad cop by association.

john_g83

event wrote:

maybe he was talking to a victim on the phone

Doubtful, by the looks of things he was having a good old chuckle with a mate. Anyway this is not an excuse, we are all ment to use hands free now in the car.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

event wrote:

maybe he was talking to a victim on the phone

and does that make him exempt from Irish law...
surly if it was a "victim" he should of been more attentive and professional when dealing with such a "victim"

event

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

and does that make him exempt from Irish law...
surly if it was a "victim" he should of been more attentive and professional when dealing with such a "victim"

i dont know the full extent of the law, cant say if he would be exempt

though what do you mean more attentive?

but what was he trying to say, that he saw a guard on a phone?

some of the attitude to the gardai on here is unbelievable

pclancy

They often have to use their phones to contact each other instead of their radios cos their radio network is so crap. Then again he could have just been ringing his mot.

john_g83

event wrote:

some of the attitude to the gardai on here is unbelievable

Why, because we have the audacity to expect them to follow the same rules as they are paid to enforce?

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

event wrote:

some of the attitude to the gardai on here is unbelievable

oh i know..... can you imagine talking about the gardai like that.

event

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ wrote:

oh i know..... can you imagine talking about the gardai like that.

wasnt referring to that comment in particular, that was nothing really

but just in general

john, because this thread went on for 9 pages of people saying they cant break the law in an emergency and how the wouldnt move out of their way in an emergency

Wishbone Ash

RainyDay wrote:

Given that this is a routine part of Garda operations, there is no good reason (beyond laziness and arrogance) to break traffic laws while carrying out this task.

As has been stated ad nauseum in this and other threads, the Gardai are exempt from most of the road traffic regulations while at work. Which part of the word "exempt" do you not understand? How can they "break traffic laws" if they are exempt from them?

RainyDay

Wishbone Ash wrote:

As has been stated ad nauseum in this and other threads, the Gardai are exempt from most of the road traffic regulations while at work. Which part of the word "exempt" do you not understand? How can they "break traffic laws" if they are exempt from them?

The exemption is irrelevant. Why should they park on double-yellows while carrying out a routine task like a takeaway pick-up? There is no good reason for this, and there are plenty of good reasons (like leading by example) why not.

SonOfPerdition

event wrote:

some of the attitude to the gardai on here is unbelievable

agree, and it says more about the whingers than the gardai.

*chip on shoulders*

Spitfire666

gardai are exempt from the law regarding mobile phones too.
as regards the parking on food pick ups, look at it this way, if they park on lines, the get in and out quicker, meaning they are back on patrol quicker meaning more chance to keep whingers happy.

darragh.delany

keizer wrote:

Has the country disintigrated into people like this? I don't think any guard in his/her right mind would give anyone penalty points for moving out of their way - even if you have to break a red light.

Well if you're depending on the Gardai for reasonableness and sense I suggest maybe you're not the one in your right mind...

I refer you to the frequent eratic/dangerous driving, the unreasonable speed traps/get off real policing exercises, the do it because I told you so attitude and the general sense of their being a self serving lobby leeching off the public etc etc

My most recent favourite was the squad car I passed on Monday morning driven over the limit in a residential area by a garda obliviously chatting away on his mobile phone (oh and no seat belt). Just because he can't be touched doesn't make it right.

And as for dealing with it democratically I'd appreciate knowing which political party has dealing with the blue flu-ckers on their manifesto - as usual no real choice....

Ah well....

Idleater

Spitfire666 wrote:

gardai are exempt from the law regarding mobile phones too.
as regards the parking on food pick ups, look at it this way, if they park on lines, the get in and out quicker, meaning they are back on patrol quicker meaning more chance to keep whingers happy.

I wonder if this "excuse" would stand up to questioning by a said member of the force and or traffic warden if it were anybody else?

What do you mean you are giving me a parking ticket? But I only parked there so that I could get in and leave quicker. A garda told me it was okay. :rolleyes:

Any vehicle, garda/ambulance/private etc all are an obstruction when they are parked on yellow lines. The sooner Gardai realise that, the better. Why are your fresh cod n chips more important than for example the mother pushing the pram that has to go on the road around your ill placed vehicle.

And a slight point about mobile phone use. While you may be exempt from it, I don't think you are exempt from driving without due care and attention.

L.

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

nereid wrote:

And a slight point about mobile phone use. While you may be exempt from it, I don't think you are exempt from driving without due care and attention.

L.

guard driving with due care and attention....dont make me laugh...

if the guards in the patrol car cant even be bothered to put on an indicator when turning what chance do we have of them paying due care and attention...
i have never..NEVER see a guard using indicators... for years i thought that they didn't have to.

scottledeuce

RainyDay wrote:

I had a little disagreement with a middle-aged gent driving an unmarked 99D black Toyota Camry 2.2 along the bus lane on the N4, between Chapelizod & Palmerstown. He was driving in the bus lane and I refused to let him in to my lane. We wound down windows & he sounded a siren for couple of seconds and told me it was a Garda car and he was entitled to use the bus lane. He told me that I was lucky to get away with a warning. I was too flustered to think of asking him for ID. I did take his reg number, and say him dissappearing off into the distance of the next bus lane.
QUOTE]


I haven't got the chance to read through this whole thread yet, but I have to say the above seems to highlight the ignorance and since of power that the Gardi seem to think they have,

I would go out of my way while to the degree that I'm not endangering myself or others, to let an emergency vehicle past that has it's siren on, but when it comes to an unmarked car that doesn't have a siren sounding trying to cut in from the bus lane, then am I not right to think that this is some chancer that wants to get home for the second half of eastenders.

I drive to Sligo every weekend and on a Friday evening when traffic is backed up, I see the same people driving up the hard shoulder, waiting for some soft nut to make space for them to pull in, So please forgive me for not being so naive and thinking , well this must be a unmarked cop car.

now obviously the guy did sound his siren and I would have let him through then also, but for him to think he had the automatic right to cut RainyDay here off is ridiculous.

I recently had a run in with the Gardi whick i think highlights the fact the unreasonableness and unquestionable nature of SOME of the Gardi on patrol,

I was driving home from a nightclub one Saturday on the N4 and I was following a car doing about 80 km/ph, There was a continous white line so i stayed behind, A minute or two later there was a car behind pretty much tailgating me so as soon as i got the chance i passed the car and the car behind followed too, next thing i know the i see flashing blue lights behind me so i pull over, turns out the car behind me was an unmarked car,

guy gets out, asked me do you know what speed you were doing blah blah blah, i told him the truth which was that i was doing 125km/ph but i was only speeding to get pass a slower car and was slowing down when he stopped me, Garda then says that i was doing almost 100mph, Firstly i asked "what's that in kilometers" with which he repled nearly 200, Then when i told him that was rubbish and told him that maybe he did that speed to catch up as quickly as he did,

He brought up the fact that I crossed a continious white line, which i did by a small margin but it was only because as i told him "His car was right behind me and i believed i could see far enough to pass safely" He then seemed to be offended by this and said he was observing my driving to see if i had any drink taken and what i did could be considered dangerous driving and he was going to charge me with this offence which is 4 penalty points.

His exact words then were" if you hadnt been such a boyo about it i would have let you away with a speeding ticket buy ye young boys always think your right"

Thats justice i quess

overdriver

I was in a bus lane CYCLING up Aungier street. At the lights, I was chatting to another cyclist for a moment, the lights changed and off we all went. Next fo all, there's a toot on a car horn behind me, and I turn to see a battered sliver Primera, in the bus lane,with two blokes in it.

I'm thinking WTF?, and they beeped again. And again. At this stage, I'm riding between the double yellow lines and I say to the driver " I'm over as far as I can, and you shouldn't be in there anyway - it's a bus lane". More beeps, so i gave them the finger.

Siren on, and the passenger says " Get up there" indicating the pavement, so up I go, and the two twa ts got out, shouting and roaring, saying they'll arrest me for " Telling a guard to f*ck off".

I tried telling them I didn't know they were gardai, and he says " That makes it alright then?". Before I could answer the other one is in my face shouting at me, asking questions. Then they swappped, all the time without letting me say anything.

I snapped and said " I can't answer both of you at once! ONE AT A TIME!"

The fat Cork one goes " You're a little c*nt!", then the other one tried to tell em it's illegal for me to cycle in a bus lane, that only emergency vehcles in the course of an emergency and buses can use it.

So I said " You're wrong about the bus lane, you can't call a member of the public a c*nt, and what emergency were you out on that could be postponed while yis shout at me on a pavement?" I was fuming at this stage.

Whereupon I was sent on my way.

All they had to do was sound the siren for a second to let me know they were ardai, and I'd have been out of their way. Not that I was ever in their way really.