Statement to guards?!

Loco

A guard rang me up today giving out about something that happened on the road. Apparently i was driving right up close behind someone, overtook them on the inside and gave them the middle finger.

I havent a clue where it is coming from. I dont think i have even overtaken someone today, let alone on the inside!

I have to go to the guards on wednesday with my insurance and license and make a statement.

Anyone have an idea what this entails and what the hell im supposed to say to them?

Thanks

Loco

told my old man and he is adamant i go to a solicitor before going into them. is that really necessary?

Anan1

Just tell them the truth.

Marcus.Aurelius

He probably used your car reg to ring you. If your car doesnt match the description he gives, it wasn't you. Also bear in mind that if you were that wrong, he should have exercised his powers and pulled you over on the spot. This all sounds fairly dubious to me, it sounds backwards. Hope you get on OK

_Kaiser_

Make sure you get exact details of what you're being accused of - time, location etc - and get same in writing. If you can then prove you weren't in the vicinity at the time (in work or whtever) then case closed.

In either case, don't sign any statement without reading and fully understanding it first (also make sure you get a copy). Your dad has a point too.. wouldn't hurt to get a proper legal opinion anyway beforehand, even if you don't bring a lawyer with you on the day.

yayamark

ya u will have to make a cautioned statement regarding dangerous driving.

just tell the truth can't see it going to court just a caution maybe!

Anan1

maoleary wrote:

Also bear in mind that if you were that wrong, he should have exercised his powers and pulled you over on the spot. This all sounds fairly dubious to me, it sounds backwards. Hope you get on OK

I'm assuming that someone reported the OP.

Loco

maoleary wrote:

He probably used your car reg to ring you. If your car doesnt match the description he gives, it wasn't you. Also bear in mind that if you were that wrong, he should have exercised his powers and pulled you over on the spot. This all sounds fairly dubious to me, it sounds backwards. Hope you get on OK

yah but i think he said a mother and her daughter came into him all frightened and flustered and complained giving my reg and details which were correct..

Kaiser2000 wrote:

Make sure you get exact details of what you're being accused of - time, location etc

ya, think ill call in or ring and get the specifics. i was on the way from college at the time he was speaking about though. dont remember overtaking and certainly giving the finger to anyone tho!

spurious

Anan1 wrote:

I'm assuming that someone reported the OP.

That's how I read it too and it heartens me that the guards actually do something about reports on bad driving. I've witnessed some terrible driving at times and never bothered reporting it as I presumed nothing would be done.

It's possible they have the wrong reg OP - take all the advice above.

Anan1

spurious wrote:

It's possible they have the wrong reg OP - take all the advice above.

The OP says his reg and details are correct. If the car make, colour, and reg are correct then we'll have to assume that it's not a case of mistaken identity. No disrespect to the OP, but one would, if this is the case, have to wonder why a mother and daughter would arrive at a Garda station and make up such a story.

BrianD3

dont remember overtaking and certainly giving the finger to anyone tho!

This is one reason why I would have concerns about members of the public reporting drivers to the Gardai/traffic watch etc. Thread here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055007284

There are a lot of extremely stupid people out there who cannot be relied upon to give a correct and objective account of what happened (if indeed *anything* happened) In your case who knows what the true story is. Perhaps you legally "undertook" this woman in a slow moving queue of traffic, but in her own mind she perceived this as dangerous undertaking at 60 mph and also has convinced herself that she saw you give her the finger as well :rolleyes:

netwhizkid

There is such thing as cloning of number plates, ie. scumbag sees you driving and notes your reg, then if your model and colour of car are the same as the scumbags he makes up a few phoney plates and drives around while the victim gets speeding fines and complaints etc to him/her as a result.

I read about it happening big time in the UK, not so common here but with the OP in Cork with alot more people it can happen, perhaps he was the victim of it. I agree with the OP in this case anyway.

[EDIT] See more on car cloning here [EDIT]

drdre

Dont give up, just say prove it. He should have pulled you over there and then if he seen you.If someone reported you just keep saying no.

Gary ITR

How would the guard get your mobile number and I find it strange that he phoned you. Are you sure somebody isn't pulling your chain?

yayamark

drdre wrote:

Dont give up, just say prove it. He should have pulled you over there and then if he seen you.If someone reported you just keep saying no.

i think its been established that the gardai weren't at the scene of this alleged incident

yayamark

Onkle wrote:

How would the guard get your mobile number and I find it strange that he phoned you. Are you sure somebody isn't pulling your chain?

directory enquires maybe?

mike65

I'd phone the station back and ask to speak to the Guard in question (do you have a name?), and if they have'nt heard of him.....!

Mike.

The Doktor

Had somthing similar happen to me once... phone call from the guards, telling me i did nasty stuff on the road, and had to go to the station etc . Told him to fup off and dont be annoyin me and hung up. I really couldnt belive a guard would ring with somthin like that (specially on my mobile).
Turned out it was a wind up with a few lads in work. They told me the next day they couldnt believe i spoke to a guard that way!
Do as Mike65 says and call the station directly and ask for the guard in question.

Bradidup

I gave the fingers to two cops driving in a van on Henry St limerick back around 2000, I was trying to pull out from a blind parking spot in a Hiace panel van and they wouldn’t give me space. I didn’t realise they were cops until the two of of them hopped out and gave me the riot act.

They told me I would be done for giving an offensive gestures two members of An Garda Siochain and also no seat belt. I wrote a written apology to the cops in question along with the £20 fine for the seat belt fine and never heard from them again. The best thing you can do is apologise and plead dumb.

bbability

I can sort of relate to the Thread Starters concerns. I too had a similar incident a few years back. Only thing was I, along with my wife (who was 6 months pregnant at the time) were nearly killed by a luni in a Porshce Jeep. Anyway I did the honary thing and reported him to TW. It was the last time I reported anything to them. Why? Because the whole thing was turned on me because the other vehicle involved was "connected". So my advise is you get a good brief and cover your ass!

As for that Traffic Watch bull****. That's what my taxes and yours pay for. That the cops job not Joe Publics

BostonB

bbability wrote:

I can sort of relate to the Thread Starters concerns. I too had a similar incident a few years back. Only thing was I, along with my wife (who was 6 months pregnant at the time) were nearly killed by a luni in a Porshce Jeep. Anyway I did the honary thing and reported him to TW. It was the last time I reported anything to them. Why? Because the whole thing was turned on me because the other vehicle involved was "connected". So my advise is you get a good brief and cover your ass!

As for that Traffic Watch bull****. That's what my taxes and yours pay for. That the cops job not Joe Publics

I can relate to that, driving through town, I had a Porsche Jeep almost drive into me to stop me from changing lanes into a gap in the traffic. I'd being trying to change lanes for ages with the indicator on. This guy thought it was his mission to stop me, or kill me trying. But I just slowed down and pulled into the gap he'd created behind him. For some reason he decided then to brake test me by slamming on the brakes. But I wasn't close enough to have any effect, I just moved into another lane and left him behind. But what a moron.

Stephen

I reported a boy racer twat in a fiat punto that nearly killed me back in my motorbike days to Traffic Watch, never heard a word about it again

Canis Lupus

Has the OP been asked to report to the station on this Sunday by any chance?

testicle

Canis Lupus wrote:

Has the OP been asked to report to the station on this Sunday by any chance?

No Wednesday, Sunday would be too obvious. Sure no Guards work on Sundays... :cool:

Kimbot

Sorry but if you were reported for dangerous driving the gardai will not RING you they will speak to you in person!! How would they get your phone number??

testicle

What was the number that rang you? Coppers don't ring from Private Numbers (in my experience anyway)

Kimbot

As per my previous post. The gardai will only ring you if your name and number is in the pulse system for some reason! Other than that they have no way of obtaining your phone number!!
Now I know from experience that if it was a serious enough charge/problem they would not ask you to drop to the station a week later when the event is unclear in anyones memory!! They would advise you to go there straight away!
I would ring the supposed station and ask to speak to the super in charge and see what he says about the whole thing because it seems very fishy all around!!

NUTLEY BOY

yayamark wrote:

ya u will have to make a cautioned statement regarding dangerous driving.

Why ?

As far as I know OP is not obliged to make any statement.

Would he not be ill-advised to do so if he has done anything naughty as his evidence might be the only evidence against himself and that would be self-incrimination wouldn't it ?

Also, identification evidence would be crucial to any chances of successful prosecution especially for any RTA type offences. Identification evidence is notoriously problematic. How would the complainants be so sure of their identification of the OP unless they photographed him ? Yoiks, OP don't volunteer for an identity parade either.

The moral of the story is that you should never make rude gestures at other people unless you have smoked glass windows

Not advice - just an opinion.......

Gary ITR

testicle wrote:

Coppers don't ring from Private Numbers (in my experience anyway)

They do from my local station

overdriver

They call to the house, normally.

Victor

testicle wrote:

What was the number that rang you? Coppers don't ring from Private Numbers (in my experience anyway)

So do you think a garda phoning an informer reveals his number?