VIP treatment on roads for public figures: justified or not?

Dionysus

Yesterday while driving alongside the canal a convoy of Garda bikes with sirens flashing were waving frantically at drivers to pull in. I had to be at a meeting and immediately raised my eyes up and thought "who's this fucking arsehole coming?". Along came more gardaí and a fancy new car with a gray-haired elderly man in the back seat. I happen to have a lot of time for the said gray-haired man, but I find this practice of stopping all the traffic and clearing the road so that he and numerous other "dignitaries" can drive to be the antithesis of republican democracy.

I don't think anybody has a problem pulling in for emergencies. But pulling in for this? Even leaving aside the cost of the resources used to clear roads for these journeys (could gardaí not be doing something more valuable for society?) how is it justified that ordinary people can be ordered into the side of the road and told to wait while an elected figure is given such wholly unnecessary treatment?

It's at moments such as these that I feel like we've elected kings to positions in this republic. I'm surprised that the said gray-haired man, who has spoken up for the underdog all his life, could be comfortable accepting such unnecessary and patently inegalitarian trappings of his new position in Irish society.

Anyway, do you think such treatment on the roads for public figures is justified or not?

Biggins

"All animals are equal - but some animals are more equal than others"
George Orwell - Animal Farm.

Reminds me of the old days of Soviet Russia when they used to do similar every time a minister wanted to go somewhere.

O' well, welcome to our new overlords driving!

Logical Fallacy

Nope, it's a waste of Gardai resources as well.

krissovo

There is a security element to the argument, with high profile individuals driving they are at risk at traffic lights etc in normal traffic at becoming a target.

The inconvenience is minimal to other road users normally. Your poll is misleading.

Logical Fallacy

krissovo wrote: »

There is a security element to the argument, with high profile individuals driving they are at risk at traffic lights etc in normal traffic at becoming a target.

The inconvenience is minimal to other road users normally. Your poll is misleading.

Sorry, there is no major threat for any Irish politician besides saying something stupid.

Where To

Should taxpayers money be used on wages and pensions for 'public figures' who spend all day stuck in traffic?

parker kent

No; it's ethically questionable in a democratic republic and a waste of resources

If they turned up late because they were stuck in traffic people would be bitching about that then.

Biggins

parker kent wrote: »

If they turned up late because they were stuck in traffic people would be bitching about that then.

They might but they might be usually too stressed about general driving conditions and the mess some authorities have made of road systems, to be bothered either!

Logical Fallacy

parker kent wrote: »

If they turned up late because they were stuck in traffic people would be bitching about that then.

Or they could just leave a little earlier.

spoofilyj

where do i go from here wrote: »

Should taxpayers money be used on wages and pensions for 'public figures' who spend all day stuck in traffic?

Well maybe if they left on time to get to their destination then it would not be a problem.

Also if they have to experience what Joe public has to go through every day they might get an idea of how to fix the problem instead of being completely disconnected from reality with very high salaries and golden state pensions ever before retirement age. </rant>

tayto lover

What !!! Santa coming early or what ??

Biggins

For foreign dignitaries, I can understand if there is a security risk - but if they do it just be default for every driving occasion along with cost, then I would have to reconsider if its appropriate.

Snakeblood

No; it's ethically questionable in a democratic republic and a waste of resources

Dionysus wrote: »

Yesterday while driving alongside the canal a convoy of Garda bikes with sirens flashing were waving frantically at drivers to pull in. I had to be at a meeting and immediately raised my eyes up and thought "who's this fucking arsehole coming?". Along came more gardaí and a fancy new car with a gray-haired elderly man in the back seat. I happen to have a lot of time for the said gray-haired man, but I find this practice of stopping all the traffic and clearing the road so that he and numerous other "dignitaries" can drive to be the antithesis of republican democracy.

I don't think anybody has a problem pulling in for emergencies. But pulling in for this? Even leaving aside the cost of the resources used to clear roads for these journeys (could gardaí not be doing something more valuable for society?) how is it justified that ordinary people can be ordered into the side of the road and told to wait while an elected figure is given such wholly unnecessary treatment?

It's at moments such as these that I feel like we've elected kings to positions in this republic. I'm surprised that the said gray-haired man, who has spoken up for the underdog all his life, could be comfortable accepting such unnecessary and patently inegalitarian trappings of his new position in Irish society.

Anyway, do you think such treatment on the roads for public figures is justified or not?

No 'it depends on the role of the person and urgency of the task at hand' option?

DrumSteve

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Sorry, there is no major threat for any Irish politician besides saying something stupid.

We'll see after this budget...

Carter P Fly

There is no justification for an irish politcian to have an escorted motorcade as the security risk is so low as to be considered non existant.

Now leaders and ambassadors from abroad would be a different story but again the risk should be assessed on a per person basis.

Kintarō Hattori

This really peeves me off as well. That is all.

Chuck Stone

It's to remind us how important they are and how much we need them.

Biggins

Chuck Stone wrote: »

It's to remind us how important they are and how much we need them.

Who?
Our Irish TD's or our real masters in Europe that running the country?

dilallio

I suppose it's justified in cases where the President is coming back late from one appointment and has another immediate one.

Rome used to be unbelievable for every 2nd mercedes having a blue light & siren. You could have to pull over 3 or 4 times every hour for so-called VIPs.

I've had the same thing happen to me on the M50 by the predecessor of the old gray haired man.

I was heading south from the airport, overtaking in the fast lane when I noticed a single garda motorcycle a good bit in the distance in my rear mirror with blue lights flashing. I indicated and pulled into the lane on my left and as he overtook, he raised his hand - I thought he was acknowledging me pulling over quickly. I was wrong.

As he sped ahead I checked my side mirror (nothing there) and then pulled back into the fast lane.

About 10 - 15 secs later, I check my rear view mirror and this time I see another motorcycle garda, this time a lot closer and he is waving furiously at me to get out of the lane.

I comply and as he passes, he is roaring at me to stay off the fast lane.

We are just inside 1km to the Blanchardstown junction when the 2 motorcycle gardai now in front, start to do a rolling slow-down of all lanes.

With about 400 M to go, 2 more motorcycles followed by the President in a car, overtake, pull in front of the slowing traffic, and exit the motorway, followed by the first 2 motorcycles.

Presumably, the President was tight on time after leaving the airport.

It made me think, is all this fuss really needed now, but one thing's for sure, you really have to admire the skill of these garda motorcycle drivers, to execute a complex manoeuver like that in fairly heavy traffic, particularly when some drivers like myself don't understand their intent.

Chuck Stone

Biggins wrote: »

Who?
Our Irish TD's or our real masters in Europe that running the country?

Disney really matter. Anyone with that amount of flashing lights on police vehicles in that big a hurry must be doing something very very important for us peasants.