breath tests and freeflow

dubtom

I was breathalised last weekend coming from Malahide on the dublin rd. An elaborat checkpoint with about 8 Guards pulling everyone, including Buses and in my case a taxi.Cop introduced himself and said he was from Dublin Castle and was doing mandatory breath tests.Ofcourse I got a zero, I don't drink anyway, never mind while driving.Trouble is it's the only one I've seen since it was introduced, I expected to see them all over the place this Christmas, seeing as they don't need cause to test anyone anymore. Anyone else been tested or noticed an increase in checkpoints, that was the only checkpoint I've seen this month.I've also noticed an abundance of Guards standing on junctions scratching their arses, doing nothing. I can honestly say the only Guard I have seen actually waving his baton and trying to control traffic was outide blanch cop station last week, every other one has just stood around doing nothing. I heard somewhere that they have been told to keep juctions clear, and I suppose their presence might deter some people from jumping the orange and getting stuck halfway, I think though they could make a difference to the gridlock if they ignored the green or red sometimes and went with the flow of traffic just to keep it moving. Freeflow hasn't worked this year imho.

Savman

They're out in force mainly around city centre for the "Freeflow" thing, met them at nearly every junction on a recent rush hour trip from Merrion Square to Gardiner St. How effective it really is can be debated, seems just to be an exercise in keeping yellow boxes free. Didn't think you needed a whole "operation" for that...:rolleyes:

mikemac

If you were extremly cynical you could say the Operation Freeflow equals big overtime cheques for the Gardai for Christmas

I don't agree with this personally as I give the guards a lot of credit but I've heard it said several times

dubtom

Actually come to think of it most of the Guards I've seen at junctions seem to be young, so it could be a case that they just don't know what to do.

OldmanMondeo

Seen plenty of Guard's at Junctions. Just being there seems to be stopping a lot of the stupidity that normally happens, Q-jumpers, bus lane users, box junction blockers.

As for the check points, I haven't pased any, in fact I have only been ever stopped once, 3 years ago in Edgeworthstown, I am from Dublin, around midnight. Other than that, just a quick look at the tax. Actuall looking forward to the breath test, weird.....

Savman

OldmanMondeo wrote:

Seen plenty of Guard's at Junctions. Just being there seems to be stopping a lot of the stupidity that normally happens, Q-jumpers, bus lane users, box junction blockers.

And that makes things "freeflow" does it??

Sorry but Operation Freeflow is a hollow exercise. If they were arsed they could really get traffic moving by taking control of heavy junctions so that traffic leaving the city gets out faster. Clearing yellow boxes etc. is like trying to seal an open wound with a small plaster. Maybe they're adopting the Tesco approach...Gardai - Every Little Helps :rolleyes:

Stark

"Operation train student gardaí"

OldmanMondeo

Savman wrote:

And that makes things "freeflow" does it??

No, to get traffic flowing properly, we need a Public transport system that works, not just for Dublin. The amount of people that are now traveling from outside of Dublin to get to work in Dublin has leap enormusly in the last numbers of years. People I work with can get a bus, Dart or Luas to the job, I can't. I live 40 miles from the job. If I could get a reliable bus service, I would use it. And it is not my choice to live so far away, I am from Dublin, I want to live indublin, But I can't afford to.

The Operation Freeflow we have not, while not the answer and was ever only supposed to be a short term solution, does help. Less and less people are willing to "Amber Gamble" or block box junctions. You won't get away with parking in a bus lane to take a phine call or pick someone up. Yes more needs to be done, More guards need to be on duty, all year, not just at Christmas,
A Garda is for Life not just for Christmas...:rolleyes:

MercMad

I thought freeflow was about Gardai manning the junctions that cause the most trouble and overriding the traffic lights to eliminate queues.

We've all seen where traffic at one of the four roads that meet at a crossroads is ten times heavier than other directions so I thought the idea was to give a little more priority !

Maybe there just too much traffic everywhere and the effect is lost !

dubtom

Although I agree that a Guard at a junction will stop the amber gambler, their not the problem or the reason why we have gridlock. We don't have an good public transport system, we all know that and it's not going to change over any Christmas period. What we are supposed to be having is some sort of relief from the gridlock with Guards at junctions taking control.Take for example the Dorset street /drumcondra road area. There are gardai on every junction from Bolton street to Collins ave, all doing nothing. That road leads on to the M1,a big road which eventually leads to a 120kph zone,all the way to Dundalk. If they were to give priority to the main road and not small ones like Withworth, which probably see's 6/7 cars per sequence passing onto Dorset st, even one sequence would make a difference. Thats a simplistic example I know, but we're talking a two week period here and quite a lot could have been achieved by the Gardai to prevent the nightmare if a little thought had been put in instead of a display of force that achieves nothing.

Savman

dubtom wrote:

Take for example the Dorset street /drumcondra road area. There are gardai on every junction from Bolton street to Collins ave, all doing nothing. That road leads on to the M1,a big road which eventually leads to a 120kph zone,all the way to Dundalk. If they were to give priority to the main road and not small ones like Withworth, which probably see's 6/7 cars per sequence passing onto Dorset st, even one sequence would make a difference. Thats a simplistic example I know, but we're talking a two week period here and quite a lot could have been achieved by the Gardai to prevent the nightmare if a little thought had been put in instead of a display of force that achieves nothing.

My sentiments exactly, the swift movement out of the city would far outweigh the minor inconveniences of not being able to use smaller roads like Whitworth Road. The smaller roads should be closed off for local access only, exactly like what happens for big matches, parades etc.

Don't get me started on publin transport :mad::mad::mad:
Having spent 20 odd years getting Dublin Bus everywhere, since I started driving I have vowed never to set foot on those things again if I can help it. Sitting in your car in heavy traffic is better than sitting next to some brass monkey on a packed bus imo. I'm sure the Metro and extension to Luas will help a bit down the line. We'll probably get there eventually, these are the bad times though.

Stark

Tbh, I prefer the bus for going in town but that's only since I moved closer to the city centre and a few buses pass by the stop near me. Saves me a whole load of hassle with parking. When I was living out further though, there's no way I would have chosen the "might be along in about 45 mins if you're lucky" option, parking nightmare or no parking nightmare.

The tax man

dubtom wrote:

Anyone else been tested or noticed an increase in checkpoints, that was the only checkpoint I've seen this month.

I got tested about a month ago in Blackrock. Big zero for me too.:)
That's the last checkpoint I've come across.

overdriver

I got breath-tested two weeks ago, and I have seen Gardai standing at junctions to stop cheating muppetry, but none over-riding the traffic lights and directing traffic yet,
Operation Officer Santa Claus.


A guy I worked with was caught last week drink-driving, after years of doing it 4-5 nights a week. It's his third conviction. The cop didn't turn up, and sent a representative, who didn't know the previous.

He got a year ban.

This guy is gonna kill himself, and possibly someone else because he will definitely drive while disqualified.

alfie

The reason Gardai are not overriding traffic lights and directing traffic is because they are told not to. The reason they are told not to is because Dublin city is broken up into different zones. Traffic lights are programmed so that cars move from zone to zone if a Guard starts directing traffic at one junction it will mess up the system, traffic may appear perfect in one area but will be complete mayhem in another area.

maidhc

alfie wrote:

The reason Gardai are not overriding traffic lights and directing traffic is because they are told not to. The reason they are told not to is because Dublin city is broken up into different zones. Traffic lights are programmed so that cars move from zone to zone if a Guard starts directing traffic at one junction it will mess up the system, traffic may appear perfect in one area but will be complete mayhem in another area.

All I know is that in Cork when Gardaí are directing the traffic it flows better than when they are not.

I know the manufacturers claim their traffic lights are clever and all that, but frankly I don't believe a word of it! Then again the city manager tells us we shouldn't be bringing our cars into town and that there are other alternatives. The alternatives must be classified information or something though, because no one seems to know what they are.

overdriver

alfie wrote:

traffic may appear perfect in one area but will be complete mayhem in another area.

That is the normal state of affairs anyway.
Zone 1: Stuck in the city centre
Zone 2: Stuck on the Quays
Zone 3: Stuck on the canal
Zone 4: ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.... a.k.a the M50.


It's fruatrating to see things like the stupid stupid stupid situation at Eddie Rocket's in Terenure, heading to Rathmines. The light goes green, but 3 cars on, the next set go red, and the yellow box fills up with traffic coming from the side
.
I doubt very much the zones have any clue waht each other is doing, in reality.

Captain Slow IRL

overdriver wrote:

Zone 4: ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.... a.k.a the M50.

Is it really that bad?! A bad traffic jam in my town means it takes you 20 minutes to get from one side of town to the other!
Gardai down here are also disastrous when it comes to directing traffic - the workers at the various roadwork sites seem to have a far better idea than anything the gardai can accomplish. There seems to be a lot of young officers around town - maybe they just aren't taught this type of stuff in training.
Fair play to them though, they stopped me one night (had english plates on a newly bought car) and 3 young gardai got out, 1 lad and 2 ladies. The lad approached the car and his 2 female workers were standing each side of him - I thought they were gonna pull guns of me or something! Then asked me how long I had the car, I produced a letter from customs and he looked it over. Then he took off without a word - wtf? This was at the start of the month and this is the only time since then I've met the cops stationary on the road. I don't drink either and I do be driving late at night through town - not a sign of them at all. I wonder if all this bad weather is to blame........

overdriver

It can be bad beyond belief, yes.

Captain Slow IRL

That must suck!
My gf's brother lives in new york - the route he goes to work has a checkpoint, and you'll get fined if your car isn't full (of people) This, obviously, cuts down on traffic. This only applies at certain times - something like this could be a good idea for The Pale

gurramok

Savman wrote:

My sentiments exactly, the swift movement out of the city would far outweigh the minor inconveniences of not being able to use smaller roads like Whitworth Road. The smaller roads should be closed off for local access only, exactly like what happens for big matches, parades etc.
.

Alot of the 40 buses use that road plus another route number i cant think of(13?), should they be re-routed and the other traffic through congested Phibsboro already?!
Try travelling along Whitworth road at peak hour, its just as bad as any other.

cast_iron

land9 wrote:

That must suck!
My gf's brother lives in new york - the route he goes to work has a checkpoint, and you'll get fined if your car isn't full (of people) This, obviously, cuts down on traffic. This only applies at certain times - something like this could be a good idea for The Pale

Perhaps a better idea would be to adopt NY's other idea - where they man the junctions with baton waving officials. I don't think they are cops, and with a bit of proper training, almost anyone could do it well, and save the Gardai alot of time and money.

Also, I think your home town got a few new cops in the last year, and the traffic corps is alot more active these days than it used to be.

Savman

overdriver wrote:

That is the normal state of affairs anyway.
Zone 1: Stuck in the city centre
Zone 2: Stuck on the Quays
Zone 3: Stuck on the canal
Zone 4: ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.... a.k.a the M50.

:D:D

land9 wrote:

Is it really that bad?!

Yes. Worse actually. Words can't describe how bad it has become.

gurramok wrote:

Alot of the 40 buses use that road plus another route number i cant think of(13?), should they be re-routed and the other traffic through congested Phibsboro already?!
Try travelling along Whitworth road at peak hour, its just as bad as any other.

No, obviously public transport would be exempt, thought that goes without saying. Buses have Bus Lanes anyway and only affect gridlock where the bus lane ends and they have to merge back into traffic. It's the thousands of other vehicles I was on about.