gardaí alienating public

Stench Blossoms

What I really want to know is, did her brother win anything ?

When I started reading that article I assumed that it was a hoax that it wasn't actually real Gardai who were seizing her car.

My car tax was due on just say the 19th of Jan and I didn't get paid until the 25th. I didn't drive my car for those 5 or 6 days.

She got what she deserved.

Theta

Like other posters said they got a lift to the nearest staion or somewhere decent.

If you decent to the cops they will be decent to you but if she acted the way she comes across in the article then I wouldnt bother me arse giving her a lift either!

alias no.9

cpoh1 wrote: »

Im not really speaking about this particular person not paying tax, it was more of a general observation. As Irish people I think we are way too happy to go along with poor conditions set out to us by our government without a fuss and suffer massively when compared to our European neighbours.

If I was in the situation (like thousands are at the moment) where i had no job and a wife and kids to support, paying extortionate car tax would be way down my list of priorities considering the money we are already paying on fuel etc. Its right up there with the tv licence fee. I genunily condone people driving without tax regardless of personal circumstances, it doesnt effect their driving skills, has no effect on the safety of their car and most importantly if the money was paid it would offer no improvement to our road conditions as thats not what its used for anyway. Just my opinion.

All of this is wonderful, but doesn't appear to be relevant to this incident. The biggest failing amongst Irish people is not that they 'take' the conditions imposed upon them but that they fail to make the connection between the politicians they elect and the way in which public services are funded, but that's democracy for you, you get the government you deserve.

iamskippy

keithclancy wrote: »

Its actually worth your while importing a car from Ireland to Germany, if you can put up with the steering wheel being on the wrong side

the insurance would be higher on a left hand drive would it? By much?

Theta

cpoh1 wrote: »

Im not really speaking about this particular person not paying tax, it was more of a general observation. As Irish people I think we are way too happy to go along with poor conditions set out to us by our government without a fuss and suffer massively when compared to our European neighbours.

If I was in the situation (like thousands are at the moment) where i had no job and a wife and kids to support, paying extortionate car tax would be way down my list of priorities considering the money we are already paying on fuel etc. Its right up there with the tv licence fee. I genunily condone people driving without tax regardless of personal circumstances, it doesnt effect their driving skills, has no effect on the safety of their car and most importantly if the money was paid it would offer no improvement to our road conditions as thats not what its used for anyway. Just my opinion.

What is with you and not get **** in order to drive your car.

Were you not the one also telling someone to forget about there NCT?

Anan1

Theta wrote: »

What is with you and not get **** in order to drive your car.

Let's keep it civil, thanks.:)

Theta

No probs my bad!

Marlow

Instead of ranting here, I send my rant to the indo. So should anybody else.

a) she didn't pay her taxes
b) she then outlines the differences between nationals and non-nationals not paying taxes, which more are a result of her being a dimwit
c) they should fire her for trolling in the paper over a non-event caused by her being a dimwit and how could they let an article like that go to print in the first place.

No pitty on her.

/M

testicle

Pyridine wrote: »

When I read that I was thinking that the gaurd probably dropped them off close enough on the hotel as with the bitchiness of the rest of the article she definitely would have emphasised the time it took to walk the distance had it been more than a few minutes.

Yeah. If she had been dropped off on the Limerick side of Newlands, she'd have stopped off at Bewleys, so where she must have been dropped off would be somewhere between Newlands and the Mad Cow, and given that there's a hotel at each end, it must have been some distance from each of them.

saltandpepper10

am i missing somthing here or whats the story leaving a women walking on any road for any distance is just not on surely the car should be lifted on a tow truck the ladies point about her brother is she didnt want him to miss his flight imagine all these type of instances that happen with guards and they dont get highlighted they could do with taking a leaf out of the english police in there business with the general public

Drummerboy08

Are you missing something? A few full stops by the looks of it.

shawnee

Just curious about your post KeithClancy !! Are you actually saying that car tax on a 2 litre in Germany is nearly two grand (double the Irish tax rate ) and that a new car is more expensive in Ireland than in Germany ?:rolleyes:

Boskowski

keithclancy wrote: »

My road tax on my 2.0 litre Diesel is well over double of what you'd pay in Ireland.

Damn .. Its about the only thing I miss about home, cheap cars, bendy roads and low tax

What are you on about? Road tax for a 2 litre diesel on the highest band is not quite 200€ a year in Germany.

Goesague

What does that woman want. She does not pay her car tax and expects the guards to believe her story about her brother. It is a wonder she did not want the taxpayer to pay for a taxi to bring her to collect the car. I am also surprised she did not expect to have it valeted while it was detained.

MagicSean

saltandpepper10 wrote: »

am i missing somthing here or whats the story leaving a women walking on any road for any distance is just not on surely the car should be lifted on a tow truck the ladies point about her brother is she didnt want him to miss his flight imagine all these type of instances that happen with guards and they dont get highlighted they could do with taking a leaf out of the english police in there business with the general public

English police do the same thing. wacth some road wars and youll see that. Whats wrong with leaving a woman on the side of the road? Are women not able to walk as well as men? I might add that there are plenty of taxis and busses that pass that spot on a very regular basis. Not to mention the luas.

P.C.

saltandpepper10 wrote: »

am i missing somthing here or whats the story leaving a women walking on any road for any distance is just not on surely the car should be lifted on a tow truck the ladies point about her brother is she didnt want him to miss his flight imagine all these type of instances that happen with guards and they dont get highlighted they could do with taking a leaf out of the english police in there business with the general public

Yes, you are missing something - she did not pay the tax on her car!

It is her responsibility to pay the tax - she made the decision not to pay the tax - she broke the law - she got caught.

How many laws can a person beak until it is not ok?
Where do we draw the line?

Sofiztikated

Surely she wasn't suggesting that her brother being a sporting "star" that they be let of the hook?

And seriously, what did she think was going to happen, the Gardi stop her and she said "Oh I'll pay it" and disappear off into the night, never to be seen again? Hardly.

If she didn't want to get stranded, then don't drive a car that was (very) out of date on the tax. Simples.

Sleveile

TOUGH,

What part of the notice in the post for the tax renewal did she not understand ? Do a lot of driving myself and i see it every day,drivers on the phone next to garda car at traffic lights,dangerous driving etc etc.The list goes on and on.Lets face it renewing the tax on your car is not rocket science and that lady just let herself down,in a big way.

The Garda are way too soft and that programme that was on - traffic blues, what an embarassement.

galwaytt

Bigus wrote: »

The gaurds are not revenue colllectors and it is dangerous to have them perceived as such.

Then they need to stop acting like them. This forum is full of posts about speeding/etc, and we don't seem to mind using that term, then.....

MagicMarker wrote: »

The guard was just being a prick tbh. It shouldn't be at his discretion to seize someone's car or not. Either everyone's car should be seized if found to be without tax, or no one's car should be seized.

The mis- or random application of the law, is what brings it into disrepute. If they really wanted to take untaxed cars off the road, all they have to do is walk around the parked cars and tow away all the untaxed parked ones. But that'd be too easy, see........

zilog_jones wrote: »

At the end of the day a car is a luxury. After my parents separated we lived without a car for 12 years, and we survived. It's entirely up to yourself if you want to live in some poorly developed suburbs with non-existant amenities, or live miles away from work. No one forced anyone into that kind of lifestyle.

Now that is bollix. Around here it's as important as ESB. No car = no job, no school, no shopping, no food. Grow up.

-Chris- wrote: »

There's very little excuse for driving a car without tax (although there may be some), and if this particular journalist decided to go on a rant in her nationally published soapbox about the sub-par way she was treated by the Gardai, then she deserves to have her motives questioned.

I just wish someone with an equally loud "voice" could take her to task on her polemic and question exactly what happened. There are plenty of people who will read this piece and accept its views unquestioningly, losing respect for AGS with every word they read.

I'm really frustrated and disappointed by this kind of journalism. It's a complete abuse of her journalistic power. Kind of ironic when she writes so vehemently about Garda abuse of power...

...and by the same token, when the AGS go on a Blue Flu, or having voted to take an (illegal) industrial action, then who polices the.......police ? And people always have the right to protest: that some do it by chucking bricks, or marches, or withholding taxes, is entirely down to them. They not paying their car tax, does not put yours up.

JHMEG wrote: »

Is this a car forum or a bitchfest?

I posted about possibly the coolest car mp3 player ever yesterday, and got just 1 reply.

Indeed !

-Chris- wrote: »

Except that she didn't get away with it, and somehow thinks that's unfair...

I read the article, and that's not what I got out of it: I read 'Mea Culpa', but there's a Duty of Care to not place the lady/passenger in harm's way. Let's not forget, AGS have been found wanting in this before, in the same area, got taken to court, and lost. This is not a one-off event, it would seem, either......

realcam wrote: »

What are you on about? Road tax for a 2 litre diesel on the highest band is not quite 200€ a year in Germany.

Yeah, I was wondering that too. And, if there's no VRT in Germany, how could the cars possibly be more expensive ? I know for a fact that a 911 is an awful lot more to buy here, rather than there........

corktina

you've rubbished nearly everyones posts there buddy, surely not everyone can be out of step but you in the parade....

testicle

galwaytt wrote: »

I read the article, and that's not what I got out of it: I read 'Mea Culpa', but there's a Duty of Care to not place the lady/passenger in harm's way. Let's not forget, AGS have been found wanting in this before, in the same area, got taken to court, and lost. This is not a one-off event, it would seem, either......

If she walked to the Louis Fitzgerald from where she was dropped off, she was dropped off somewhere between Newlands Cross and the Mad Cow inbound. She claims that there was no footpath to walk on. On this I am calling her a liar. While it is true that there is no footpath along the N7 inbound, there is one on the grade seperated bus-lane which is right alongside the N7.

keithclancy

shawnee wrote: »

Just curious about your post KeithClancy !! Are you actually saying that car tax on a 2 litre in Germany is nearly two grand (double the Irish tax rate ) and that a new car is more expensive in Ireland than in Germany ?:rolleyes:

326 a year for a 2.0TDI in Nordrhein Westfalen
I pay 346/quarter in Noord-Brabant

Heres a table for Limburg (can't find a PDF for my area, but its pretty close)
http://www.poulsbaarlo.nl/lpg/MRB%2001%202010.pdf

On the left is vehicle weight and fuel type on the top.

hobochris

I hope after this outcry the Garda push prosecution for not displaying a valid tax disc.

What makes her different to any other person in this country that has to pay motor tax on their car?

TheNog

galwaytt wrote: »

The mis- or random application of the law, is what brings it into disrepute.

Each case should be considered on its own merit which can determine the outcome. It was said earlier that this womans tax was out by 12 months.

If they really wanted to take untaxed cars off the road, all they have to do is walk around the parked cars and tow away all the untaxed parked ones. But that'd be too easy, see........

I would consider this easy but also very very inefficient as opposed to a checkpoint. Imagine a Garda walking around looking at parked cars for no tax and seizing them. Now compare him to another Garda at a checkpoint checking for tax, insurance, drunk drivers, criminals, drugs, etc etc

Makes more sense........

...and by the same token, when the AGS go on a Blue Flu, or having voted to take an (illegal) industrial action,

Here is the story again. Take the time to read it properly

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0211/garda.html

I read the article, and that's not what I got out of it: I read 'Mea Culpa', but there's a Duty of Care to not place the lady/passenger in harm's way. Let's not forget, AGS have been found wanting in this before, in the same area, got taken to court, and lost. This is not a one-off event, it would seem, either......

We will never know where exactly she was left at the roadside but is it really dangerous to be left at the roadside? Should we tell those people who take walks along our roads? And why would a woman be in more danger than a man being left at the roadside during daylight hours?

The link you provide is of one news story where granted Gardai acted in the wrong but so what? This was one of thousands of vehicles seized across the country each year

ShiresV2

hobochris wrote: »

What makes her different to any other person in this country that has to pay motor tax on their car?

Superiority complex.

Stark

galwaytt wrote: »

Now that is bollix. Around here it's as important as ESB. No car = no job, no school, no shopping, no food. Grow up.

What happens when you don't pay your ESB bill? Do they let you have the electricity anyway because "you need it like"?

Gurgle

daRobot wrote: »

It's absolutely insane to think that if you imported a new mazda rx8, that you'd be paying 2100 euro a year.

Yes, the bastards.
And just because it shìts out CO2 like a burning tyre yard.

daRobot

Gurgle wrote: »

Yes, the bastards.
And just because it shìts out CO2 like a burning tyre yard.

Good man.

So you're all for the promotion of vehicles that actually have a direct negative effect on the air you breathe instead, yes?

-Corkie-

Most of the last two pages are either off thread or critising each other posts. Put away the handbags. I would love to know did anyone else email the indo editor. I did and got no reply at all....:(:(

Stark

I don't think they generally do reply. You just send them an e-mail saying "In response to the letter on blah" and they'll print one or two of those e-mails in the next issue.

-Corkie-

I dont think they will print the email i sent somehow;);)

donvito99

Anyone up for a Jihad on Marie Crowe?

keithclancy

daRobot wrote: »

Good man.

So you're all for the promotion of vehicles that actually have a direct negative effect on the air you breathe instead, yes?

Your mixing up Diesel Particulates with Co2.

Diesel Particulates have a direct health effect, Co2 is just the latest in a long line of rubbish to make you think that something should be taxed to feck

-Corkie-

donvito99 wrote: »

Anyone up for a Jihad on Marie Crowe?

I did already!!! I bet you a fifty you will after reading her article about the men dressed up!!!!!

ballsymchugh

donvito99 wrote: »

Anyone up for a Jihad on Marie Crowe?

not enough!! it has to be on the Sindo itself

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/i-wasnt-blotto-or-anything--stylist-to-the-stars-furious-after-brush-with-law-over-drinkdriving-1818086.html

yes, they all have superiority complexes.
this made the front page.

furtzy

ballsymchugh wrote: »

not enough!! it has to be on the Sindo itself

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/i-wasnt-blotto-or-anything--stylist-to-the-stars-furious-after-brush-with-law-over-drinkdriving-1818086.html

yes, they all have superiority complexes.
this made the front page.

What a dick head. I nearly lost my Dad to a drink driver so this prick makes me sick. Fair play to the Gardai for taking this ****er off the road. His attitude is disgusting

-Corkie-

What a load of tripe. I never read such sh1te in all my life. Him saying the law is wrong and its his second offence. Fairplay to ags and the judge for getting the fool of the road.

rugbyman

Absolutely great post GalwayTT, i am glad to be out of step with you.

I am often amazed at how many whingers have computers.

To avoid/evade tax is about as time honoured a tradition as exists.

while I found the ladys almost nauseating comments about her brother who was going to save the world, i dont know why people cannot be made amemable to the law in court (ok, bit of a waste of stat resources) and fined .

But her attitude was not half as nasty as those on here.

Regards, Rugbyman

daRobot

keithclancy wrote: »

Your mixing up Diesel Particulates with Co2.

Diesel Particulates have a direct health effect, Co2 is just the latest in a long line of rubbish to make you think that something should be taxed to feck

That's exactly the point I was making Keith, re-read what I was responding to

v3ttel

She was using illegal transportation. She had to organise her own, when the guards stopped her. The guards aren't Budget Travel. I really don't see the problem.

Who gives a sh*te who her brother was representing.

sesna

I agree the article was completely ridiculous, especially her harping on about her brother and his flight, as if the guards were to take that into account as some kind of emergency.

The Gardai and government are however guilty of alienating people given they opportunistically target people who are travelling at a perfectly safe speed a few kmp/h over a posted limited on dual carriageways or motorways throughout the country. Or last week I witnessed a car and a van being pulled over for moving into a bus lane 5 meters early - they did not skip any traffic as they were turning left and all the traffic was travelling straight on.

At the same time, whenever I have witnessed blatantly dangerous driving the Gardai don't want to hear about it. I reported two Honda Civics racing at over 100mph on the N4, dangerously overtaking and driving on the wrong side of the road around blind bends last year. The guards phoned me back 2 months later saying it would be real hassle for them to follow up on the complaint for both me and them. I dont know why I bothered taking a description of the cars involved and one reg plate

Of course its much easier to target people whose speed is perfectly safe in a cynical revenue gathering exercise. These same people, unlike the journalist, have already paid a fortune in road tax, tax on their fuel, VRT etc. No wonder these people feel alienated from the Gardaí and feel their relationship with Gardai is soured.
In the long run the guards are shooting themselves in the foot when they expect cooperation and good relations in everyday community policing.

Marlow

SARASON wrote: »

I would love to know did anyone else email the indo editor. I did and got no reply at all....:(:(

I got a reply from one of the editors. Somehow ended up in my spam folder Needed some additional info, which I send. We'll see the outcome of that. I've also pointed him at this thread.

/M

mullingar

ballsymchugh wrote: »

not enough!! it has to be on the Sindo itself

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/i-wasnt-blotto-or-anything--stylist-to-the-stars-furious-after-brush-with-law-over-drinkdriving-1818086.html

yes, they all have superiority complexes.
this made the front page.

Emm, Quote from the offender:

"I had a few pints of Guinness after I played a round of golf at the Royal Dublin," he says.

and

"I was shocked that I was over the limit," he says now. "I said to the guard there was no way I could be over the limit."

How stupid can somebody be? Does celebrity lifestyle = immunity and stupidity??

Read this David Marchall (offender): DRINKING A FEW PINTS THEN DRIVING IS DRINK-DRIVING :rolleyes::rolleyes:

are people that stupid???

Raiser

For every 1 good, decent, hard working, principled, honest, efficient, well-suited to his/her role, worthy Garda there seems to be about 50 sad, petty, small-minded, weak, opportunistic, blind, utterly useless Losers that even their own dear embarrassed Mother couldn't defend.

- Unfortunately they're all working for the same rate of pay and inflated overtime, when actually there's a fair chance that some of them would happily pay us the Taxpayer to drive joyride around in Squad Cars harassing people and acting the Príck

Stark

What's that got to do with the piss head and the "Clare 4" tax dodger?

galwaytt

TheNog wrote: »

Each case should be considered on its own merit which can determine the outcome. It was said earlier that this womans tax was out by 12 months.

I saw mention of 12 month's and 3, so I don't know which is right. 3 iffy, 12 is taking the you-know-what alright....

I would consider this easy but also very very inefficient as opposed to a checkpoint. Imagine a Garda walking around looking at parked cars for no tax and seizing them. Now compare him to another Garda at a checkpoint checking for tax, insurance, drunk drivers, criminals, drugs, etc etc

Makes more sense........

...mmm, I think the parking angle, purely for tax-evasion, if that's the goal, is both easy and efficient. I'm all for checkpoints for all the other stuff btw.

Here is the story again. Take the time to read it properly

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0211/garda.html

What I don't like about the figures reported in that is that, of the 11,600 who were entitled to vote, only 3623 of them voted in favour of action (short of withdrawal of labour). That's not exactly a majority of the Force........

We will never know where exactly she was left at the roadside but is it really dangerous to be left at the roadside? Should we tell those people who take walks along our roads? And why would a woman be in more danger than a man being left at the roadside during daylight hours?

As you said we don't know, all we know is what she reported in the paper. Whilst no, you couldn't, shouldn't even, take responsibility for people generally walking (they are adults themselves, after all, and have a personal responsibility), the same cannot be said of what the lady described. If it's accurate, of course. If not, all bets are off. And no, I'm all for Equality, what's good for goose is good for the gander, and all that......

The link you provide is of one news story where granted Gardai acted in the wrong but so what? This was one of thousands of vehicles seized across the country each year

True, and brings to mind that show last week - Blue, something ? - about GTC on patrol..........one Garda made a good comment: Those flouting the law need to be lucky all the time, the Garda just need to be lucky, once...........

brayblue24

Raiser wrote: »

For every 1 good, decent, hard working, principled, honest, efficient, well-suited to his/her role, worthy Garda there seems to be about 50 sad, petty, small-minded, weak, opportunistic, blind, utterly useless Losers that even their own dear embarrassed Mother couldn't defend.

- Unfortunately they're all working for the same rate of pay and inflated overtime, when actually there's a fair chance that some of them would happily pay us the Taxpayer to drive joyride around in Squad Cars harassing people and acting the Príck

:rolleyes:

rugbyman

just clarifying a point from earlier

"Absolutely great post GalwayTT, i am glad to be out of stepWITH THE OTHERS AND IN STEP with you."

I reckon that the Guards right to take an untaxed caar is of great value in getting bangers off the road ,often driven by children,un insured. They are unlikely to pay up and therefore the car is crushed. Taking cars off the likes of this girl is not good pr and is certainly not cot effective given the salaries of Gardai.

Rugbyman

brayblue24

rugbyman wrote: »

Taking cars off the likes of this girl is not good pr and is certainly not cot effective given the salaries of Gardai.

Rugbyman

Would you mind explaining this guff please? I genuinely don't know where you're coming from (even ignoring the typo)....

corktina

personally i think there should be a confidential hotline to report tax dodgers et al and get their cars taken off them...would be one busy line...and thats just with calls from me.