Problem with garda after a crash

faceman

First, mods not sure where i should post this so feel free to move. The issue is not my personal issue but that of a friend.

A friend was in a crash the other day in dublin city centre. A woman went into the back of him after he had to break suddenly. However before all of this happened she was a bit of a maniac on the roads honking flashing etc. She went rasher cos my friend changed lane into hers real suddenly. (he was very annoyed at her agressive driving so he sped ahead and pulled in which he shouldnt have done)

Anyway she at one stage got out of her car and came up to his window abusing him at one stage! after which she proceeded to drive right up his rear and obviously when he braked - smash! nasty damage to his car, a bit to hers.

Now this is where it all goes a bit mad. both cars stops, she puts on her hazard lights and jumps out of the car on her mobile running up a laneway. me mate started to get worred. about 3 minutes later she returned with a garda and he was a sargeant. A few times she leaned in to say something in his ear too.

The sarge told me mate that she claimed he was driving dangerously and cautioned him. My mate went rasher. then the garda said that she had 3 witnesses to what happened (she was driving alone) the garda put my mate in his place for standing up for himself. Me mate told the garda that the CCTV footage in the area would show who's to blame.

He then told the garda he wanted her insurance details and the garda told him that he had them and to call him to get them!!! NO JOKE! he took the garda's badge and mobile number. the woman got in her car and drove off.

For a few days he has been ringing the garda and leaving messages and getting no reply. He informed his insurace company etc.

What should he do? As cliched as it sounds i was thinking he should ring Gerry Ryan show! Any advice?

craichoe

He should talk to the Super intendant, take photos of his car and the damage.

If she ran into the back of your buddys car shes automatically at the wrong as she should have been driving at a speed where she could stop within a safe distance.

I get the feeling though that your buddy might be lets just say not the type of person that a typical garda would get on with.

1. Take pictures of the damage
2. Try to remember as much about the incident as possible, keep it structured and clear, avoid including emotion or if there weres inappropriate language used, describe it as abusive language.
3. Write all this down and present it to the super whos in charge of this station where the garda is.

Also include that the garda refused to let you take any insurance details and has failed as such to provide you with any.

When you go to the station to present this to the super tell your friend to dress well and take out any earings or whatever, silly i know but you want him to take you seriously.

This Garda is banking on your buddy not knowing how to deal with the situation. Prove him wrong and follow the complains procedure, he'll be more than willing to provide the info after it comes out that he didnt follow procedure. The damage to your buddys car will be all the proof you need.

jimmycrackcorm

It's normally the repsonsibility of the driver behind to keep a safe distance. The friend should go to the station directly. I wonder if the Garda knows the woman as how else did she find him.

Sounds like a case for whiplas too to teach her a lesson.

nuttz

Talk to a solicitor, and ask what he thinks about going public with it. Ask the solicitor to write to the seargent in question as well as his superior(Superintendent), explaining the situation, demanding the insurance details be given as well as that the CCTV footage be reviewed, also insure that all correspondences are done so using registered post.

Gordon

This is probably better in the motors forum. Unless the legal discussion crew would prefer it.

Victor

I fail to see how this is a Personal Issue. Moved.

cormie

You should get your friend to hurry up and get any CCTV that maybe around before it's gone. Both drivers were acting the ass and both deserve a slap for putting other people in danger as well as themselves. It could have easily been the other way around if your friend was the one behind, due to their aggressive nature, but it wasn't. Dealing with the situation that unfolded, she is to blame. She should have kept a safe distance to be able to stop safely even if he had to jam on. The mods will probably move this to the motor forum where you'll get a lot more replies from people who would know a good bit on this subject:)

LundiMardi

Why didn't your friend just go over to the womans car and take down the insurance details? They're there for all to see. A garda telling me otherwise will not stop me.

But other than that, i'd seek legal advice.

Stark

Just out of curiosity, I know it's normally the case in a rear-end collision that the driver behind is at fault. What happens if you're driving along a dual carriageway at 60mph and someone from the overtaking lane pulls in front of you and jams on the brakes though?

mike65

The other driver would be charged with "not driving with due care and attention" I'd say.

Mike.

JHMEG

Did he get her reg number? If so, just go into any garda station and tell them someone smacked into the back of his car and drove off without giving insurance details. They'll give you her info handy enough (I know from experience!). And they'll tell you to come back to them if she won't give out her insurance details!

There is nothing criminal here, so there is no need to resort to CCTV footage etc. The damage was minor and there were no personal injuries, so this is a job for her insurance company to sort out. It's a black-and-white case of rear ending and they'll have the cheque written and the matter put to bed in 2 minutes.

No need to make it any bigger of an issue than it is, and forget that other muppet who had nothing to do with anything.

EDIT: If you really really really want to contact that garda, ask in any station where he is based (going on badge number). Then go to that station. If not on duty, ask when he is on. That mobile number could be anything (personal, the parish priest, the direct number to his arse...)

Dub13

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

Sounds like a case for whiplas too to teach her a lesson.

Were have you been...insurance fraud is no longer cool.

Stark

Every time an insurance company saves money from claims payments, it passes the savings onto you the customer. Therefore, when when someone defrauds an insurance company, they're stealing from you.

I don't know, I think there might be a flaw in the logic somewhere

hargo

There is an obligation on both parties to exchange name and address, reg details and insurance, failure to provide these is an offence. If you didn't get these at the time you can get them from the guard but the other party has 10 days to produce their insurance.

overdriver

I had a similar experience with a copper's wife, when she knaclked me off my motorbike.
All kinds of shenanigans went on with the cop involved wth the accident.

My advice is to stick to the absolute letter of the law, and involve your insurance company as early as possible. They are not afraid of a single Garda.
I would put money on her knowing him. How else could she get him so quick, and why else would he be so biased towards a driver who had rear-ended someone.

louie

Does your insurance company knows about it?
If not make sure they find out ASAP. At the time of the accident if there are not personal injuries, a gardai presence is not really important. Get as much details from the other driver, including address, name, insurance details and most important, the Reg. number of the car, then go to your local Garda station and put a complain. She's 100% at fault for not keeping a safe distance.

Seth Brundle

The garda knows her and was trying to intimidate you into.
Write each and every detail down on paper before you forget bits.
Tell your insurance company about it also.
Report him to your local super and keep pressing it. It was dodgy gardai that brought us this - www.morristribunal.ie

MrMarsh

Tough **** on your mate. He shouldn't have been acting the bollocks in the first place and just left her pass. What the **** was he trying to prove by blocking her? Looks like his amateur bit of law enforcement has got him in to trouble with a professional. I don't believe the story you posted anyway. Your friend was acting the bollocks and now he's paying the price. idiot.

LundiMardi

Regardless of the events leading up to the collision, it was her who was at fault by driving to close/to fast behind him. That is the simple fact.

CLADA

I'm leaning towards the view of MrMarsh, however I'm also considering the Garda conspiracy theory. Is it possible this woman regularly crashes at this spot and runs around the corner to where her Garda Sergeant husband is waiting and from there they take their poor victim to the cleaners!!

Both insurance companies will sort it out, the guards have no interest in non injury traffic accidents, costly lesson for both parties for their few moments of road rage.

Seth Brundle

if the woman was involved in deliberate crashes then presumably she would get others to crash into her - not her crashing into others!

cwynnes

CLADA wrote:

I'm also considering the Garda conspiracy theory

Bit far fetched dont you think

MrMarsh wrote:

Tough **** on your mate. He shouldn't have been acting the bollocks in the first place and just left her pass. What the **** was he trying to prove by blocking her? Looks like his amateur bit of law enforcement has got him in to trouble with a professional. I don't believe the story you posted anyway. Your friend was acting the bollocks and now he's paying the price. idiot.

What a load a crap....trying to make out its his fault she smacked into the back of him

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

faceman wrote:

What should he do? As cliched as it sounds i was thinking he should ring Gerry Ryan show! Any advice?

nothing he can do... these are the guards, they are like the mafia. he is up against a wall of silence.

rawmish

Stark wrote:

Every time an insurance company saves money from claims payments, it passes the savings onto you the customer. Therefore, when when someone defrauds an insurance company, they're stealing from you.

I don't know, I think there might be a flaw in the logic somewhere

The flaw is in the first sentence: "Every time an insurance company saves money from claims payments, it passes the savings onto you the customer."

Bluetonic

faceman wrote:

after which she proceeded to drive right up his rear and obviously when he braked - smash! nasty damage to his car, a bit to hers.

Did he 'brake test' her?

cwynnes

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

nothing he can do... these are the guards, they are like the mafia. he is up against a wall of silence.

Thats crap

Stark wrote:

Every time an insurance company saves money from claims payments, it passes the savings onto you the customer

Yeah....:rolleyes: thats why my insurance goes up every year :)

Big Nelly

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

nothing he can do... these are the guards, they are like the mafia. he is up against a wall of silence.

Usual mumbo jumbo blame the Garda for everyting that you post about everytime.


Second of all what the hell is rasher????? learn also to type proper! its typed and has grammer like my 6 year old kid

I think Mr Marsh is right, sounds like your mate was taking the pi** and cant drive proper, pulling into a lane without due care, speeding in a built up area, pulling in without due care or proper indication? they are all dangerous driving and that is just what you mentioned he done. Probably done alot worse but you or him are playing the "I was an angel and the devil woman was after me"

Got what he deserves to be honest and well done Garda. The usual cr*p that she whispered in his ear and that she took control over the Garda is tripe. Also if someone is travelling in a car when there is an accident they cant be a witness. So prob people standing on the Street seen your mate driving like a head the ball and thats why the Garda had 3 witnesses.

CCTV will prob not show clearly who crashed etc because it prob pointed more for the St unless they are specifically for traffic, and if so the Garda are watching them and you should have no problem getting them, but it sounds like your mate will get in more trouble if the Garda review them

Well done garda, pity you couldnt just ban a driver like this, would stop all this messing!!

Stark

cwynnes wrote:

Yeah....:rolleyes: thats why my insurance goes up every year :)

Really? I was being sarcastic when saying that the greedy whores pass on savings but your insurance should still be decreasing rather than increasing every year as you're getting older and building up your NCB. You definitely need to shop around more

Big Nelly

Stark wrote:

Really? I was being sarcastic when saying that the greedy whores pass on savings but your insurance should still be decreasing rather than increasing every year as you're getting older and building up your NCB. You definitely need to shop around more

Exactly, mine has dropped every year since I went out on my own policy, now down to 700 a year for a 1.9Tdi 130Bhp...not too bad in my eyes

ballooba

Big Nelly wrote:

Second of all what the hell is rasher????? learn also to type proper! its typed and has grammer like my 6 year old kid

ROFL

Seth Brundle

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

nothing he can do... these are the guards, they are like the mafia. he is up against a wall of silence.

Your argument is really starting to get boring. Take it elsewhere

Bluetonic wrote:

Did he 'brake test' her?

She should have maintained a safe distance behind the driver in front, so whether a brake test was or was not done is largely irrelevant.