Young Garda with an attitude problem

ninty9er

First of all

Rules of the Road wrote:

You must not fit blue or red flashing lights which are solely reserved for Gardaí, ambulance and other designated service vehicles. See www.transport.ie for details.

So on I go with my story.

There's a match on at Thomond Park in an hour, so our road is closed to non-permit holders. This is being enforced by Gardaí. I left by one approach and the Garda just waved me through once he saw a permit on the windscreen.

On another approach back, I met a different Garda. Jacket around neck, cap on head, he might as well have been wearing a Burka. He came over and checked that the pass was for my car; fine no problems, but when he could find no problem with that he told me that he "could seize my car for having blue lights"

Now these things are practically invisible(parking lights) as I always drive with headlights on, and apart from the above quote which is in relation to flashing lights (which mine aren't) I haven't been able to find the Statutory Instrument which relates to the seizure of a car for lights. Methinks he was just mightily pissed off to have to stand in the rain, but wait.

"I'm stationed in Mayorstone, I'll meet ya again, now get rid of them or I'll seize the car"

If they are, in fact, illegal I'll have no qualms in removing them, but I don't see how 2 small parking lights that **don't flash** could warrent grounds for seizing a car. I reckon a judge would throw it out if it came to it as courts have no authority to enforce the principle of the law, just the letter; which is flashing lights.

Surely the car would have been seized at the checkpoints I come across in my normal course of driving if it were true!

Anyone shed any light (no pun intended) on the situation.

EDIT:

BTW I said "okay" to him, pending further investigation of his threat in Statutory Instruments.

L-M

I would consider Xenon lights to be blue, and they haven't a problem. Could you possibly get a pic up? Could be easier to judge.

Pity he didn't seize the car, one less Astray on the road:p:D:pac:

peasant

I'm pretty sure that there is a paragraph somewhere that states that driving and postioning lights on a car must be white, indicators yellow and rear postioning and braking lamps must be red. Couldn't be bothered to go rooting for it though.

L-M

peasant wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that there is a paragraph somewhere that states that driving and postioning lights on a car must be white, indicators yellow and rear postioning and braking lamps must be red. Couldn't be bothered to go rooting for it though.

But aren't Xenon's blue?

FOGOFUNK

Fairly sure Xenons are white, are you thinking of angel eyes?

ninty9er

Found it

SI 189/1963 section 10.2

Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963. wrote:

Each lamp when lit shall be capable of showing to the front of the vehicle a white light visible at night time in clear weather for a distance of 500 feet.

Quite what "side lights" are capable of a 500 foot distance I'm not sure, there's only a 325 foot requirement on headlights.

Looks like I'm back to white bulbs....maybe green or orange just to make a point though.

mikemac

You broke the law OP :eek:
National Safety Council

The Law

A motor vehicle* must be equipped with the following several lamps which must be effective and operational…

Two headlamps to the front
Two white front sidelamps
Two red rear lamps
Two red stop lamps
Two red rear reflectors
Number plate lighting at the rear
Direction indicators to the front and rear (which must be amber in colour)

I haven't quoted a law but go googling and you'll find one


Oh I found this too

Rear red lamps

Rear red lamps are absolutely necessary to warn following traffic. Enhanced red lamps should only be used in dense fog, falling snow or heavy rain conditions and NEVER DURING ORDINARY VISIBILITY when they tend to blind traffic approaching from the rear.

I don't think a lot of people know this one

eringobragh

Limerick-man wrote: »

But aren't Xenon's blue?

Depends on the temp



Stock HIDs are normally 4300Ks. I'm running 6000Ks and there white no real strong hint of blue

niceirishfella

The young copper is full of his own self important BS.
Seize the car.......yeah, right...........and the yard back at the station literally BURSTING with impounded ****boxes from ramraids/drugraids/halting sites etc etc.
They would'nt have the room for your car.....and his super would have something to say to him if he impounded a car for 2 poxy blue front parking lights.
Anyways, he's just givin you a warning.........even if he was a wanker about it.

and the moral of the story for you is.....................well, i guess you know that already.

tdc

ninty9er wrote: »

Looks like I'm back to white bulbs....maybe green or orange just to make a point though.

or to be patriotic :pac:

ninty9er

niceirishfella wrote: »

Seize the car.......yeah, right...........and the yard back at the station literally BURSTING with impounded ****boxes from ramraids/drugraids/halting sites etc etc.
They would'nt have the room for your car.....and his super would have something to say to him if he impounded a car for 2 poxy blue front parking lights.

That's so true, sure even visitor parking is full of burnt out wrecks up there. I had to block them in :D when I went to get the permit.

My gripe is that I've had the lights in at least 6 months, been through at least 10 checkpoints with approx 3 Gardaí per checkpoint and nothing is said to me until this jumped up little git has to stand in the wind and rain:D:D:D

All he needed to say was something along the lines of

"will ya throw 2 white bulbs in there, we don't want some prick pulling you over for those"

I generally have a lot of respect for Gardaí and the job they're doing, but it was the attitude rather than the actual issue raised that p1ssed me off.

L-M

ninty9er wrote: »

"will ya throw 2 white bulbs in there, we don't want some prick pulling you over for those"

I think you've just met the prick who pulled you over for those! Lol

ninty9er

Limerick-man wrote: »

I think you've just met the prick who pulled you over for those! Lol

No he was standing in the middle of 2 barriers, which he didn't even bother to move afterwards the little cvnt.:mad:

I had to stop.

L-M

ninty9er wrote: »

No he was standing in the middle of 2 barriers, which he didn't even bother to move afterwards the little cvnt.:mad:

I had to stop.

Well i'd count yourself lucky, Robo cop (for anywho who's not from Limerick, he is a very very by the book garda on a bike) did the brother for 56 in a 50km.

niceirishfella

ninty9er wrote: »

No he was standing in the middle of 2 barriers, which he didn't even bother to move afterwards the little cvnt.:mad:

I had to stop.

You know you can make a formal complaint to the ombudsman about INCIVILITY.
I did - about a copper who pulled me for something but his verbal assault/attitude/rant and demeanor was outrageous.
It softened his cough I can tell you.

ninty9er

Limerick-man wrote: »

Well i'd count yourself lucky, Robo cop (for anywho who's not from Limerick, he is a very very by the book garda on a bike) did the brother for 56 in a 50km.

My mam says it's a disgrace to have a drink-driving b4stard like him back enforcing traffic laws after his ban expired. An affront to justice....outrage.

He's a total bollix though. I think I met his successor:D:D

ninty9er

niceirishfella wrote: »

You know you can make a formal complaint to the ombudsman about INCIVILITY.
I did - about a copper who pulled me for something but his verbal assault/attitude/rant and demeanor was outrageous.
It softened his cough I can tell you.

I'd have to have his badge no. for that though.

Chong

I have always heard of this robocop guy down in Limerick is he famous or something?

ninty9er

Bill wrote: »

I have always heard of this robocop guy down in Limerick is he famous or something?

If you saw him in action you'd recognise him.

Bet into them leathers he is:pac::pac:

niceirishfella

ninty9er wrote: »

If you saw him in action you'd recognise him.

Bet into them leathers he is:pac::pac:

LOL - does he look like "the gimp" in the Pulp Fiction Movie?:eek::D:D:D:D:D:D

ninty9er

Think that, plus reflective jacket and Garda helmet.....add one hundred cups of gut, bake for 5 minutes and hey presto:D

Chong

ninty9er wrote: »

If you saw him in action you'd recognise him.

Bet into them leathers he is:pac::pac:

I hope I never happen across this fella.

L-M

Bill wrote: »

I have always heard of this robocop guy down in Limerick is he famous or something?

He's oh so very famous. Such a bollix that he waited untill he pulled his friends (also a guard) wife over for drink driving and would NOT drop it. Took it the whole 9 yards. Eventually, when he was drinking, other garda lads waited for him to come out of the pub and caught him. I think he got a year off the road, and Limerick was free for a bit, but now he's back and as big of a bollix's as ever.

peasant

enough of the name calling now