Rude Traffic Corps

Beau x1

Pulled over last night, realised a once two way street had been converted to one way. Anyway, I was about to turnabout when a garda car rolls up, the guy pulls down his window and asks me if I'm drinking.

I tell him I haven't, but I was willing to take a breathaliser test. Then he promptly responds "I didn't ask you for one".

He asks me why I'm driving down the one way street, and I explain I hadn't realised it was one way instantly (it was a pretty wide road too) and I tell him I was just about to turnaround but I saw the garda car and thought it'd be best to pull in.

Then he asks me "Are you slow or something?" and begins to question how many years I've been living in the area. I tell him five, but I haven't been driving for even a year. He yet again treated me like an idiot and I tried to explain to him that everyone makes mistakes.

I just think the attitude was really unprofessional for individuals in such a position and I feel the traffic corps portrayed on "Traffic Blues" on RTE is a complete PR stunt. I'm sure they're not all like that, but I can't say I wasn't surprised.

Paparazzo

You should have said "just give me that ticket and fcuk off"

Berty

Or ask him did he do a test for his license or did the superintendant just hand him one like most of them.

ToxicPaddy

Best would have been to ask for his badge number, name, station and the name of his sergeant, record the time and date and the reg of the garda car and call over to the station and have a chat with him. IIRC, they have to provide this information if requested by a member of the public.

You acknowledged you made a mistake and were in the process of rectifying it, so there was no need for him to act or speak to you like that.

I've heard of it happening before with someone I know back home and when the person called over to the station to have a chat with his sergeant, he didnt make an official complaint, just had a chat with him and said he didnt appreciate being spoken to like that and there was no need for it.

He got a letter a few weeks later apologising for the treatment he received.

flanzer

My mate's a Detective in a North Dublin Station and he says there's 2 things he hates in life.

1) I can't mention on boards.ie because it might be seen as racist and
2) Traffic Corps

Says a lot really!

Interceptor

You were driving the wrong way down a one way street? Despite signs, white lines and all the other cars pointing the one direction? I'd have assumed you were drinking too. Your second mistake (after the obvious one) was to get into any level of reasoning after admitting your mistake - you said you were driving less than a year which means you are a higher risk motorist and you should have apologised for your stupidity and gone on your merry way.

I'm with the Gardai on this one.

'cptr

timmywex

Berty wrote: »

Or ask him did he do a test for his license or did the superintendant just hand him one like most of them.

They all have their test done in fairness.

Its just whether they have an advanced course done or only are just a normal joe soap full driving license person

Random

Maybe the Gardai was having a bad day? If you feel so strongly about it then complain. If you don't then just put it down as someone having a bad day. I know "having a bad day" isn't much of an excuse but we're all human.

My thoughts on it anyway.

Anan1

flanzer wrote: »

My mate's a Detective in a North Dublin Station and he says there's 2 things he hates in life.

1) I can't mention on boards.ie because it might be seen as racist and
2) Traffic Corps

Says a lot really!

What, racists hate the Traffic Corps?

colm_mcm

I think if you had asked for badge numbers etc, you'd find yourself with a charge against you for dangerous driving.
You were lucky to get off, whinging about it now that it's over isn't going to solve anything.

Mr.Diagnostic

I think the OP’s point was that regardless of him being in the wrong there was no excuse for a Guard to adopt a rude attitude. I would agree with the OP on this score. Most Guards are ok but there are a few who don’t seem to be able to behave reasonably, speaking from experience.

Berty

timmywex wrote: »

They all have their test done in fairness.

Its just whether they have an advanced course done or only are just a normal joe soap full driving license person

Not always. The super can give written permission for them to have a full license without the formality us normal joe soaps go through.

You know if their details are hand written onto their licenses instead of being printed.

trad

Would you have been happier to get a penalty point and a fine?

Get real, you got a bollocking and that's the end of it. Have you ever met a car head-on on a one way street? Not a pleasant experience.

donvito99

Berty wrote: »

Not always. The super can give written permission for them to have a full license without the formality us normal joe soaps go through.

You know if their details are hand written onto their licenses instead of being printed.

There Traffic Corps, I should think that they would be prioritised for courses seeing as they spend 8 hours a day driving.

irisheddie85

The cop asked were you drinking, you said no and offered to do a breath test.
I find if you do things like say you are willing to do a breath test or offer up excuses or hand over your license without being asked guards tend to get narky.
Best thing to do is apologise and say as little as possible.

ria5000

Berty wrote: »

Or ask him did he do a test for his license or did the superintendant just hand him one like most of them.

a superintendent does not hand out licence's to ANYONE

Hooch

Berty wrote: »

Not always. The super can give written permission for them to have a full license without the formality us normal joe soaps go through.

You know if their details are hand written onto their licenses instead of being printed.

No a supt cannot give out a licence! As tim said a Chief Supt can give whats know as chiefs permission for a person holding a full licence to drive an official car of not more than 2000cc. The standard car course is then two weeks and the advanced (which covers the 3ltr cars) is another three weeks. So its a myth that a supt can give out a licence.

To the poster that stated a detective in dublin hates traffic.....would you be suprised to hear that most regular uniform members HATE branch members???? It swings in circles

O/P....a lot here know my back ground is Traffic Corps, the member had no right to speak to you harshly. You committed a very serious offence which could have resulted in a very serious collision but no matter how bad something is I would never give a lecture to someone not to mind speak so harshly to a member of the public. You could make a complaint if you wish, but just keep in mind we all have bad days, it could have been his.

Also dont let this experience give you a bad impression of all Gardaí or Traffic members. Also just to add a Garda must only give you his District (shoulder) number and is not obliged to give anything else. Havint been asked in about 3 years for mine....nice guy remember;), kill them with kindness

cianclarke

Beau x1 wrote: »

I just think the attitude was really unprofessional for individuals in such a position and I feel the traffic corps portrayed on "Traffic Blues" on RTE is a complete PR stunt. I'm sure they're not all like that, but I can't say I wasn't surprised.

Deffo agree here, I don't for one second believe that the Traffic Corps are as lovely, lenient, forgiving and polite as they're made out to be on Traffic Blues.
Asking "Are you slow or something" is bang out of order, I'd be absolutely fuming at this and there's no way I'd be letting it go, even if I was in the wrong.

MaxFlower

There were two options open to the Gard in question.

First, give the OP a ticket/fine and move on or second, give the OP a warning and move on.

Being rude or a smart ar5e was never an option and that gard should be reminded of that by way of a letter of complaint to the station or the ombudsman. The level of professionalism in a good portion of public and private services in this country still leaves a lot to be desired.

colm_mcm

How would that letter go?

Dear Ombudsman,

Last Thursday, I was driving up a one way street (the wrong way of course) when one of your minnions had the cheek to question my actions.
I've only been driving for under a year, and usually drive in the other direction.
Anyway, they were really mean to me, will you have a word?

Damien360

Traffic Corps can't win here at all. Everyone moaned they were too lenient on the traffic corps programme. Now the compliant is he is too harsh. You can bet the guard is tired of hearing "I did'nt know I could'nt do that" all day. OP, you were a fool to even try to be a smart arse by offering a breath test. Apologise and leave. Be happy he was lenient enough not to give you a fine.

donvito99

TBH,

-From the OP's A/C, what the Garda said was wrong and quite cheeky.

-I find it disturbing that it can be that easy to drive up a one way street witout noticing any road markings or signage.

-I'd be pretty pissed off to if I saw a motorist possibly endangering the lives of others. (Lets not forget OP, you were breaking the Law).

Hooch

donvito99 wrote: »

-I find it disturbing that it can be that easy to drive up a one way street witout noticing any road markings or signage.

I was once in an RTC in a marked car, a car came up the wrong way of a one way street and slapped straight into the front of the car, making ****e of both cars. The driver said he didnt see the signs, even though the was a no right turn before the street, two no entry signs at either side of entrance, usual soild line on the road and ''No Entry'' written on road. These things happen to be fair to the O/P, but what he did was very sstupid and very dangerous indeed and deserves to be prosecuted....but not spoken to in that way.

Im with teh poster above, Trafic cant win here, never could. Traffic blues got slated in this forum for the last number of months for being too easy.....now their too hard.

Folks, there is always two sides of every story remember

Random

I'd rather verbal abuse than penalty points and what not

donvito99

IMO,

people can slate Traffic all they want, whether its crouching tiger hidden Garda (with Speed gun), or being to lenient, they have worked, reducing road fatalities.

dingding

Reminds me of years ago, late 80's, I was in Dublin and I got lost, using my sense of direction I nipped up a one way street, following another car.

A Gardai jumped out and stopped the first car. :eek:

Was giving out for ages 5 I'd say more than 5 minutes. :eek:

When my turn came, (I was driving a Donegal registered Escort) Told him I was lost, and could he direct me to Bray.

He said I would know how to get to Bray more than him and he waved me on.

Result :cool:

donvito99

dingding wrote: »

He said I would know how to get to Bray more than him and he waved me on.

Result :cool:

Lol.

Thats the problem with Guards from different parts o' the country, takes a while for the local knowledge to kick in.

bonzos

A friend of mine from leitrim was stopped in dublin 2/3 years ago ,showed his licence to the garda who asked him when handing it back "do ye still live in the caves down there?" and told him to move on.My friend at the time had applied to join the gurads needless to say he was not very impressed

F-Stop

This post could so easily have been:

Drove up a one way street the wrong way by accident last night and realised I'd made a mistake. As I was about to turn, who should pull up but a Garda car. I was expecting the worst, but he sticks his head out and laughs, "Have you been drinking or something?".

I laughed back, "No Guard."

"Why are you driving down a one way street?"

"Sorry, I hadn't realised it changed. Bit stupid of me"

"Are you slow or something?"

"Sure I have to be to keep within the speed limit."

Garda drove off, I drove off. Sound man.

It all depends on your fcuking perspective really.

Fishtits

Two points.

First, a former class mate of mine is AGS traffic corp at the moment. He was bottom of the class, A nice guy. But. He had completed his leaving cert, a strange thing for an apprentice in the '80's

Second, these guys have to implement archaic legislation, I really don't envy them.

dingding

donvito99 wrote: »

Lol.

Thats the problem with Guards from different parts o' the country, takes a while for the local knowledge to kick in.

The gas thing was that if I knew the way to Bray I would not have gone up the one way street.

:):)