Stopped and details taken by Guard - but not told what for??

connundrum

Hi,

Was stopped this evening after I had a) come off the M50 and b) just finished a phone call whilst driving (I know, I know).

I saw the Guarda car in the rear view mirror and didn't take any notice, as at that time I wasn't doing anything wrong.

They switched on the blue's and I pulled over. The Guard came to the window, asked to see my licence, walked to the back of the car and wrote down whatever details he was looking for. Then he walked back around to me, handed me the licence and walked off.

I've been stopped before and told that I'd get an €80 fixed penalty and 2 points, or I've been warned about mobile phone use.

The lack of conversation from yer man leaves me with no idea of what I was stopped for or what the punishment would be? Is that normal? It probably was the mobile phone, but it could have been speeding - on the M50 etc.

If he doesn't have to tell me what he stopped me for then its grand, just wondering like.

Cheers

Louisburgh lass

Think the guard would have issued you with a fine straight away if it was for the mobile phone use or speeding.. strange!!!

fearruanua

it was hardly a bangarda looking for your number???:):):):):):):)

Berty

A Garda boardie mentioned before that they dont have to tell you if they are giving you a fine. They can just post it out to you.

A lot of Garda's(so he said) are not interested in the confrontation so dont tell you.

I think you should have been told or think that the Garda figured you knew anyway on account of being pulled over for being on the phone.

You should live in hope there is a typo on the fine(if it arrives) like wrong time or location or date or reg.

Gran Hermano

I reckon the garda most likely thought they were doing you a favour and
not wasting your time informing you what would happen.

After all you were busy on the phone and obviously had calls to make

If you've ever had a driver run into the back of you on a dark and wet winters
evening on the M50 in messy traffic you might see things differently.

connundrum

Gran Hermano wrote: »

I reckon the garda most likely thought they were doing you a favour and
not wasting your time informing you what would happen.

After all you were busy on the phone and obviously had calls to make

If you've ever had a driver run into the back of you on a dark and wet winters
evening on the M50 in messy traffic you might see things differently.

Ah now, I never even tried to defend my actions. I'll be reinvesting in a new bluetooth yoke tomorrow.

Was just wondering about the manner of the stop.

No worries anyways.

run_Forrest_run

you'll know in a few weeks but in the meantime spend some time learning a lesson and buy yourself a hands-free kit.

tossy

Did you not think of asking?

reverandkenjami

Strange!! My first thought would be to ask why i was pulled over!

connundrum

Didn't really get a chance. I had the licence in my hand as he approached the window so he just took it an immediately went to the back of the car. He came round and just put it in my hand after and walked away without missing a step.

Had I got out of my car to follow him and ask, I assume it would have been seen as kind of agressive. So I stayed put and decided to ask internets people later.

mickdw

Maybe when you had the licence so readily to hand, he thought you were basically saying... ya I know i was wrong, get on with it.

Turner

Ya a lot of gards wont say anything about the fine. Sure most people know why they are being pulled over.

For speeding its simple enough because the garda will have a speed gun in his hand.

They might give you a chance to produce insurance or check your motoring history or how many convictions you have and if its ok might decide not to issue a ticket.

unkel

Chief--- wrote: »

a lot of gards wont say anything about the fine.

I feel this is bad practice. At best unprofessional. Someone pulled over should be told what they are being prosecuted for and what fine / points they can expect if the Garda decides he / she will take the matter further.

oleras

unkel wrote: »

I feel this is bad practice. At best unprofessional. Someone pulled over should be told what they are being prosecuted for and what fine / points they can expect if the Garda decides he / she will take the matter further.

Exactly........think of them like infractions......;) Some explain them to you, some dont.

tdc

I've been stopped twice and both times I was told what it was for immediately when they came to the window. Maybe they knew that you were aware of what you were doing wrong so just chose not to waste your time and seeing as you didnt ask it worked perfectly! Glad to see the Garda are being more efficient with their time! :pac:

Slightly off topic but tonight I was behind a Garda car at a red light. The Garda never stopped, just rolled along checking that there were no cars coming into the junction and then continued to drive along? They were not in any hurry, they just didnt seem to want to wait there like everyone else! I know they have the right to do this, in say an emergency, but is this really allowed, just because they cant be bothered for it to go green?

Anan1

It is allowed, but it's a stupid thing to do and it does nothing to enhance an already battered public image.

Turner

It is perfectly ok for them to do it. They are not breaking any law by doing so. Unless it was extremely dangerous.

They do not have to be on an emergency and do not need to have blue lights on. In fact they do not have to be in a garda car. Once they are on duty be it driving their own car, a seized car, or a car they are driving back to the staion to be searched they are exempt from certain road laws. So by driving through a red light they are not breaking any law.


And with the greatest respoect to you, you have no idea where they were going or what they were doing.

Just be glad they are out on the roads and not parked up in a station eating doughnuts :rolleyes:


/queue the regular keyboard garda bashers.

tossy

Just because a patrol car doesn't have its lights or sirens on does not mean its not attending a situation,certain situations are better handled when you don't announce your arrival at 400 decibels 5 minutes before you get there!

kayos

Hold on you mean the cop did not give the normal opening line of “Do you know why we pulled you over?”.

As for the case of breaking red lights with no sirens/lights on its not the first time people have seen this and it won’t be the last. I said it before and I will say it again I’ve no problems in them doing it when they are on proper business but when you then see them pulling into a café and 4 of them hopping out for lunch I do think it’s a bit rich.

stealthyspeeder

You could have been stopped if he was looking for criminals that were reported over the police radio who were last seen in a car matching the description of your car.

TheDriver

As much as they have the right to break a red light, it doesn't look good. Blue lights don't give them a right to barge through like any emergency driver, just a request to let them through
TBH some cops drive way too dangerously with blue lights on, flying up small streets. I nearly got run down at a pedestrian crossing one week by a cop and also in the week by an ambulance, both just driving normally.

I.S.T.

Why didn't you ask him???

daveharnett

connundrum wrote: »

The Guard came to the window, asked to see my licence, walked to the back of the car and wrote down whatever details he was looking for. Then he walked back around to me, handed me the licence and walked off.

The fact that he didn't bother to check tax/insurance/nct suggests to me that he was looking for somebody in particular, and that you were not him.

dubmick

quirke_folder wrote: »

A Garda boardie mentioned before that they dont have to tell you if they are giving you a fine. They can just post it out to you.

This happened to me, I apologised for speeding and he just said to take it easy in future. No mention of fine or ticket. Received both in the post the following week.

unkel

kayos wrote: »

I’ve no problems in them doing it when they are on proper business but when you then see them pulling into a café and 4 of them hopping out for lunch I do think it’s a bit rich.

Let's keep on topic folks. This is about someone being stopped and not told what's going to happen. Not about Gardai driving through red lights, parking in disabled spots just to eat 24 donuts or any other cliché :rolleyes:

andrewh5

unkel wrote: »

I feel this is bad practice. At best unprofessional. Someone pulled over should be told what they are being prosecuted for and what fine / points they can expect if the Garda decides he / she will take the matter further.

I agree. Do gardai not have to advise someone under caution that they are being reported for an offence? If not it points to mickey mouse behaviour.

Gran Hermano

I can't help think certain Garda are avoiding telling people whether they are getting points/fine at the roadside in order to avoid any protests or complaints from the offender. It smacks of them not having the cojones
to inform people what will happen and taking the easy option and avoiding confrontation.

DonJose

Gran Hermano wrote: »

If you've ever had a driver run into the back of you on a dark and wet winters
evening on the M50 in messy traffic you might see things differently.

I got rear ended 2 years by a dope speaking on his mobile as I was turning onto the tallaght dual-carriageway when the fukker drove straight into me. Cost him/insurer €2,500 to fix my car, it pisses me off to see gobsh!tes talking on mobiles when you can get a bluetooth kit for a couple hundred euro.

andrewh5

DonJose wrote: »

I got rear ended 2 years by a dope speaking on his mobile as I was turning onto the tallaght dual-carriageway when the fukker drove straight into me. Cost him/insurer €2,500 to fix my car, it pisses me off to see gobsh!tes talking on mobiles when you can get a bluetooth kit for a couple hundred euro.

I agree. It would help if the gardai actually did their job and enforced the law over it. I have seen gardai pull up alongside people on mobiles, look at them then drive off again.

Unaccompanied learners, front fog lights & people on mobiles just get ignored.

DonJose

tdc wrote: »

Slightly off topic but tonight I was behind a Garda car at a red light. The Garda never stopped, just rolled along checking that there were no cars coming into the junction and then continued to drive along? They were not in any hurry, they just didnt seem to want to wait there like everyone else! I know they have the right to do this, in say an emergency, but is this really allowed, just because they cant be bothered for it to go green?

They could've been on their way to a burglary or a car getting broken into, lights flashing and sirens wailing only tell the scumbags, "We're on our way".

Anan1

DonJose wrote: »

I got rear ended 2 years by a dope speaking on his mobile as I was turning onto the tallaght dual-carriageway when the fukker drove straight into me. Cost him/insurer €2,500 to fix my car, it pisses me off to see gobsh!tes talking on mobiles when you can get a bluetooth kit for a couple hundred euro.

Slightly OT, but studies suggest that it's talking on the phone, rather than holding the phone, that's dangerous.