Gardai not leading by example on parking, says Irish Times journalist

Paulzx

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Anne Marie Hourihane is a serious journalist .

Maybe she was up until now.

I think she's obviously decided to to remove herself from the "serious journalist" list.

Maybe she's angling for a job with the Irish Daily Mail. She's now a few points up going into the interview

markpb

Turner wrote: »

They are not blocking anybody, traffic or pedestrians. Those parked on kerbs are parked on very wide kerbs with enough space to fit a treble buggy past.

Now that's not true. The ones on Hatch St are on double yellow lines and make it hard for buses and lorries to take that corner. Why do you think the double yellow lines are there? Are DCC wrong to put them there?

The parking outside Store St was so bad, the council had to install (ornamental) bollards to stop the Gardai parking there. Were DCC wrong about that too?

Articles like this always get a good response because the public are jealous of the fact that parking regulations do not apply to Gardai. And they dont apply for a very good reason.

That's not true either. Gardai are exempt from the RTA while in the course of their duties[/url]. Their private cars are not in the course of their duties. The patrol car parked on a corner, on a cycle lane and forcing traffic to stop and wait because they couldn't get round the corner from Damt St to Georges St while the Gardai went for dinner in Ricks was most definitely not in course of their duties.

Paulzx wrote: »

Maybe she was up until now. I think she's obviously decided to to remove herself from the "serious journalist" list.

It would be nice if people could discuss the thread topic instead of making personal and empty comments about the writer of the article.

MagicSean

markpb wrote: »

Now that's not true. The ones on Hatch St are on double yellow lines and make it hard for buses and lorries to take that corner. Why do you think the double yellow lines are there? Are DCC wrong to put them there?

The parking outside Store St was so bad, the council had to install (ornamental) bollards to stop the Gardai parking there. Were DCC wrong about that too?



That's not true either. Gardai are exempt from the RTA while in the course of their duties[/url]. Their private cars are not in the course of their duties. The patrol car parked on a corner, on a cycle lane and forcing traffic to stop and wait because they couldn't get round the corner from Damt St to Georges St while the Gardai went for dinner in Ricks was most definitely not in course of their duties.



It would be nice if people could discuss the thread topic instead of making personal and empty comments about the writer of the article.

It doesn't have to be a Garda car. It just has to be used in the performance of duty. Travelling to and being in work can be classified as being in the performance of duty.

Iwannahurl

Paulzx wrote: »

Maybe she was up until now.

I think she's obviously decided to to remove herself from the "serious journalist" list.

Maybe she's angling for a job with the Irish Daily Mail. She's now a few points up going into the interview

Nonsense.

Just deal with the substantive issue.

Paulzx

markpb wrote: »

It would be nice if people could discuss the thread topic instead of making personal and empty comments about the writer of the article.

Would it be nice?


The journalist has decided to express her opinion in a national newspaper.

If she doesn't wish people to make comment on her she shouldn't write public articles.

The comment is not empty. It is a direct reference to the standard of the article in my opinion. You on the other hand feel it is a quality piece of journalism in your opinion.

My opinion on the quality of the subject of the article is on topic.


Personally i don't really give a damn where the Gardai park their cars. They are certainly not happy themselves parking outside Pearse St. as their cars are getting bumped and scraped with all the moving around by members trying to get cars in or out. They obviously feel they have no other option though.

Its still a bulls**t tabloid level article from a paper that considers itself above that level. Maybe its not as far above it as they thought

markpb

MagicSean wrote: »

It doesn't have to be a Garda car. It just has to be used in the performance of duty. Travelling to and being in work can be classified as being in the performance of duty.

Personally (and until it's tested in court, it'll remain my opinion) I think that's violating the spirit of the law. How is a private car parked for an 8 hour shift aiding a member in the course of their duties?

Paulzx wrote: »

My opinion on the quality of the subject of the article is on topic.

Your comment was specifically about the writer, nothing more and nothing less. You may have made other comments but the one I quotes was nothing more than a personal dig at someone whose opinions you disagree with. It's possible to disagree with her without insulting her.

Paulzx

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Nonsense.

Just deal with the substantive issue.

I am

Paulzx

markpb wrote: »

Your comment was specifically about the writer, nothing more and nothing less. You may have made other comments but the one I quotes was nothing more than a personal dig at someone whose opinions you disagree with.

The writer is directly responsible for the article. She sorta has a connection to it. Thats why her name is at the bottom.

So you can't talk about an article and make reference to the person who actually wrote it?

Iwannahurl

MagicSean wrote: »

I've seen it.



They often know where we live



You seem to be under the impression it's the same person or group doing it. Some people just decide to take a bit of vengence when they are released from custody. Some just take a swipe at the cars when they are passing. Some of them are caught and prosecuted but it doesn't affect the mind of the next person who does it.

I asked for evidence, not a personal opinion.

What is the direct or indirect evidence (AGS reports, news reports, official reports of any sort) that criminal damage of cars owned by members of AGS is 'a big issue' as you seem to be claiming?

Are the private cars being damaged outside Garda stations, or outside Garda members' homes, or both?

Is this a 'big issue' in Dublin only, or is it happening in other towns and cities?

How are the perpetrators able to identify the Garda-owned private cars?

Iwannahurl

Paulzx wrote: »

I am

Paulzx wrote: »

The writer is directly responsible for the article. She sorta has a connection to it. Thats why her name is at the bottom.



So you can't talk about an article and make reference to the person who actually wrote it?

Paulzx wrote: »

The journalist has decided to express her opinion in a national newspaper.

If she doesn't wish people to make comment on her she shouldn't write public articles.

Its still a bulls**t tabloid level article from a paper that considers itself above that level. Maybe its not as far above it as they thought

So how is it a bullsh:t tabloid level article?

Is the Garda Inspectorate also operating at a similar level when they state that members of AGS should show good example in their driving (and parking) behaviour?

MagicSean

Iwannahurl wrote: »

I asked for evidence, not a personal opinion.

What is the direct or indirect evidence (AGS reports, news reports, official reports of any sort) that criminal damage of cars owned by members of AGS is 'a big issue' as you seem to be claiming?

Are the private cars being damaged outside Garda stations, or outside Garda members' homes, or both?

Is this a 'big issue' in Dublin only, or is it happening in other towns and cities?

How are the perpetrators able to identify the Garda-owned private cars?

What makes you think I owe you evidence? Google it yourself. It happens all over. It's not hard to identify a car as belonging to a Garda if it's parked at the station at 4a.m.

Atlantic Dawn

I would like to live in a country where a cars parking is judged not by the "Exempt" text on the tax disc but by the legality of the way it is parked . Does any other country in the civilised world have its clampers check the tax disc first for this text before deciding not to clamp it?

mcgarrett

Was sitting in the car today with my 5 yr old waiting for the other half. She was reading "little miss tiny" and "mr tickle" I was reading about a dozy bitch walking around town looking into parked cars and taking reg. numbers.

The child got a good read for her money.

Victor

bluetop wrote: »

With all that is going on in the Country at the moment, people should be more concerned about that, rather than the parking of cars, water charges, bin charges, household charges, soon none of us will be able to drive our cars let alone park them and of course the rocket fuel prices, wonder what they will find next to bitch about.

I'm sorry, is that a plea to leave the €4,000 a year Garda parking scam and the €4,000 a year Garda rent allowance scam alone?

bubblypop wrote: »

if every single official vehicle that is attached to a unit in harcourt square actually tried to park in there together, there would not be any parking available for about a one mile radius of harcourt square.

I thought that basic numeracy was needed to join the Garda. There are 1,127 parking spaces in the St. Stephens Green-College of Surgeons complex alone. http://www.q-park.ie/ParkingatQPark/Parkinglocations/PerCity/tabid/425/qparkParkingLocatorvw3443/parkingdetail/ParkingID/1542/language/en-US/Default.aspx and more that 20,000 on street parking spaces in teh city centre. The Garda only has something like 1,500 vehicles.

i believe if you check the vehicles parked on harcourt st/hatch st they ARE official vehicles, where does the public suggest the Gardai park these official vehicles when the drivers are in harcourt square??

That's because the car park is full of private vehicles!

MagicSean wrote: »

You seem to be under the impression it's the same person or group doing it. Some people just decide to take a bit of vengence when they are released from custody. Some just take a swipe at the cars when they are passing. Some of them are caught and prosecuted but it doesn't affect the mind of the next person who does it.

MagicSean wrote: »

It's not hard to identify a car as belonging to a Garda if it's parked at the station at 4a.m.

But surely parking them outside a Garda station just makes it easy for them? That and the out of date tax/insurance/NCT disks and the strategically-placed Garda paraphernalia left to make sure that they don't get tickets / clamped.

Turner wrote: »

What do you think would happen to Garda patrol cars if they were parked on hatch street down as far as the national concert hall ??

And the people who do give out here will be the first people to complain when they are arrested some night and paraded 700m down a packed street in handcuffs to a Garda car that is parked in a multi story car park!!

We're not talking about patrol cars, so stop changing the subject.

They are not blocking anybody, traffic or pedestrians.

Often they do.

Articles like this always get a good response because the public are jealous of the fact that parking regulations do not apply to Gardai.

Jealous? I don't have a car, so how could I be jealous?

MagicSean wrote: »

Travelling to and being in work can be classified as being in the performance of duty.

Can be? By who? Do those hours go on your time sheet?

Iwannahurl

MagicSean wrote: »

What makes you think I owe you evidence? Google it yourself. It happens all over. It's not hard to identify a car as belonging to a Garda if it's parked at the station at 4a.m.

It's not about owing anybody anything.

You made a claim that criminal damage of Garda-owned cars is a 'big issue'.

Can you back up that claim or can you not?

So far not.

You also appear to claim that Garda officers' private vehicles are being damaged outside their homes. Any evidence for that being a 'big issue'?

Incidentally, are illegally/obnoxiously parked cars less vulnerable with regard to this 'big issue' of criminal damage?

MagicSean

Victor wrote: »

I'm sorry, is that a plea to leave the €4,000 a year Garda parking scam and the €4,000 a year Garda rent allowance scam alone?
I thought that basic numeracy was needed to join the Garda. There are 1,127 parking spaces in the St. Stephens Green-College of Surgeons complex alone. http://www.q-park.ie/ParkingatQPark/Parkinglocations/PerCity/tabid/425/qparkParkingLocatorvw3443/parkingdetail/ParkingID/1542/language/en-US/Default.aspx and more that 20m,000 on street parking spaces in teh city centre. The Garda only has something like 1,500 vehicles.
That's because the car park is full of private vehicles!

But surely parking them outside a Garda station just makes it easy for them?

I'm not sure what scams you are talking about. I'll gladly give up my rent allowance if the restriction on being stationed close to my home is lifted.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

It's not about owing anybody obvious.

You made a claim that criminal damage of Garda-owned cars is a 'big issue'.

Can you back up that claim or can you not?

So far not.

You also appear to claim that Garda officers' private vehicles are being damaged outside their homes. Any evidence for that being a 'big issue'?

Incidentally, are illegally/obnoxiously parked cars less vulnerable with regard to this 'big issue' of criminal damage?

What back-up would you want, or expect, exactly? I've told you I've witnessed it. And I don't think I claimed cars are being damaged outside homes. Perhaps you could point out where i said that? And yes, the further a vehicle is from the station the easier a target it is. i would think that is evident.

Iwannahurl

Turner wrote: »

They are not blocking anybody, traffic or pedestrians. Those parked on kerbs are parked on very wide kerbs with enough space to fit a treble buggy past.

Articles like this always get a good response because the public are jealous of the fact that parking regulations do not apply to Gardai. And they dont apply for a very good reason.

And the people who do give out here will be the first people to complain when they are arrested some night and paraded 700m down a packed street in handcuffs to a Garda car that is parked in a multi story car park!!

Red herrings and excuses, I say. Not to mention fanciful allegations.

Are the members of the Garda Inspectorate also merely jealous when they state that AGS members should show good example in relation to roads policing?

MagicSean

Victor wrote: »

I'm sorry, is that a plea to leave the €4,000 a year Garda parking scam and the €4,000 a year Garda rent allowance scam alone?
I thought that basic numeracy was needed to join the Garda. There are 1,127 parking spaces in the St. Stephens Green-College of Surgeons complex alone. http://www.q-park.ie/ParkingatQPark/Parkinglocations/PerCity/tabid/425/qparkParkingLocatorvw3443/parkingdetail/ParkingID/1542/language/en-US/Default.aspx and more that 20m,000 on street parking spaces in teh city centre. The Garda only has something like 1,500 vehicles.
That's because the car park is full of private vehicles!

But surely parking them outside a Garda station just makes it easy for them?

I'm not sure what scams you are talking about. I'll gladly give up my rent allowance if the restriction on being stationed close to my home is lifted.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

It's not about owing anybody anything.

You made a claim that criminal damage of Garda-owned cars is a 'big issue'.

Can you back up that claim or can you not?

So far not.

You also appear to claim that Garda officers' private vehicles are being damaged outside their homes. Any evidence for that being a 'big issue'?

Incidentally, are illegally/obnoxiously parked cars less vulnerable with regard to this 'big issue' of criminal damage?

What back-up would you want, or expect, exactly? I've told you I've witnessed it. And I don't think I claimed cars are being damaged outside homes. Perhaps you could point out where i said that? And yes, the further a vehicle is from the station the easier a target it is. i would think that is obvious.

mcgarrett

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Just deal with the substantive issue.

If you feel that strongly make a contribution yourself.

You can complain to the Ombudsman, C/Supt Harcourt Sq, C/Supt Pearse Street or directly to the Commissioner.

But that might involve growing a pair of balls and putting your name to a complaint as opposed to ranting anonymously on the net.

Rowley Birkin QC

MagicSean wrote: »

And yes, the further a vehicle is from the station the easier a target it is. i would think that is evident.

Are they not more of a target and clearly painted as a members car if illegally parked in the vicinity of a station?!

Iwannahurl

MagicSean wrote: »

What back-up would you want, or expect, exactly? I've told you I've witnessed it. And I don't think I claimed cars are being damaged outside homes. Perhaps you could point out where i said that? And yes, the further a vehicle is from the station the easier a target it is. i would think that is obvious.

You've implied that criminal damage to Garda-owned private cars is a big issue. Big enough to merit the attention of the GRA and AGSI, perhaps? Big enough to feature in Garda annual reports? Or is the definition of a 'big issue' merely something you have seen?

In relation to criminal damage of Garda-owned cars, you said "they often know where we live".

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=76554440&postcount=30

Incidentally, do members of AGS also park illegally/obnoxiously outside their own homes, and if so does this protect their vehicles from the 'big issue' of criminal damage? And if so, by what means?

Iwannahurl

mcgarrett wrote: »

If you feel that strongly make a contribution yourself.

You can complain to the Ombudsman, C/Supt Harcourt Sq, C/Supt Pearse Street or directly to the Commissioner.

But that might involve growing a pair of balls and putting your name to a complaint as opposed to ranting anonymously on the net.

How do you know I haven't?

You don't seem at all averse to ranting, anonymously or otherwise, yourself.

The substantive issue, as set out in the OP, is that AGS members are setting a very poor example with their illegal/obnoxious parking, and that this has a banana republic feel about it.

Nothing you have said so far has gone any way towards dispelling such an impression.

audidiesel

if im getting out of work at 10:30pm and im due back in at 5:30am, then sorry but i quite honestly couldnt give a monkeys if i piss off somebody by parking on a double yellow line. once im not causing an obstruction to anyone else im happy enough.

not to mention the fact that its quite possible that i may have clothing with blood on it, soaked in alcohol or vomit attached. if a bus ran at that time id say the passengers would love me getting on.

i did a lot of tours outside my station which means i have to carry stab vest, utility belt and other assorted gear with me to and from the station.

at the end of the day, the journalist is making a big deal out of having to sidestep around one or two cars and having others parked in a way she isnt happy with.

shes entitled to go on with her opinion, but then so am i. i think its petty journalism and belongs in a proper rag like the indo

rivervarrig

In our local Garda Station, its a divisional headquarters, cars cannot be parked in the 10 spaces to the rear of the station because bird droppings from the 100 or more crows on the communications mast rain down on the patrol cars, then those guards get a call, hardly looks professional rolling up in a bird sh!t splattered patrol car, so they have to park them out at the front on the narrow street.
private cars have been damaged from prisoners released also and not nesscarily the night they were arrested but its easy spot a members car when its parked there in the middle of the night. there are no facilities for parking garda cars or private cars securily in that station. there is no where for the public to park either when calling to go in to the station. theres no disabled access either.
its not always AGS managements fault and its defintily not the Gardas fault for all these negative issues.
maybe the author might write an article on the positive side of the Garda force in tomorrows edition, like the nature of the job and the challenges they face daily, or is it just too easy to write an article on illegally parked cars?

Rowley Birkin QC

audidiesel wrote: »

if im getting out of work at 10:30pm and im due back in at 5:30am, then sorry but i quite honestly couldnt give a monkeys if i piss off somebody by parking on a double yellow line. once im not causing an obstruction to anyone else im happy enough.

not to mention the fact that its quite possible that i may have clothing with blood on it, soaked in alcohol or vomit attached. if a bus ran at that time id say the passengers would love me getting on.

i did a lot of tours outside my station which means i have to carry stab vest, utility belt and other assorted gear with me to and from the station.

at the end of the day, the journalist is making a big deal out of having to sidestep around one or two cars and having others parked in a way she isnt happy with.

shes entitled to go on with her opinion, but then so am i. i think its petty journalism and belongs in a proper rag like the indo

To be fair I think she's more getting at the fact that members of AGS should not flagrantly disregard the law.

If I'm honest I don't really care where you park either. I do wholeheartedly care if your very first action starting your shift as a keeper of the peace and enforcer of the law is to blatantly and publicly disregard that same law.

Not trying to be personal about it but small things like that carry such a powerful message to others; "The cops can't be bothered to park properly so why should I?".

MagicSean

Iwannahurl wrote: »

You've implied that criminal damage to Garda-owned private cars is a big issue. Big enough to merit the attention of the GRA and AGSI, perhaps? Big enough to feature in Garda annual reports? Or is the definition of a 'big issue' merely something you have seen?

In relation to criminal damage of Garda-owned cars, you said "they often know where we live".

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=76554440&postcount=30

Incidentally, do members of AGS also park illegally/obnoxiously outside their own homes, and if so does this protect their vehicles from the 'big issue' of criminal damage? And if so, by what means?

It's an issue that has been raised before by the GRA and in the media. I'm sure someone in your profession can search through media reports and press releases.

When I said they know where we live it was in response to a question as to how our vehicles could be identified and it was an indication of the level of knowledge collected in relation to gardai. This has also been raised by the GRA and has been in the media.

Your last paragraph is a bit nonsensical and pointless isn't it?

MagicSean

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

Are they not more of a target and clearly painted as a members car if illegally parked in the vicinity of a station?!

Easier to identify but more risky to damage.

Iwannahurl

rivervarrig wrote: »

In our local Garda Station, its a divisional headquarters, cars cannot be parked in the 10 spaces to the rear of the station because bird droppings from the 100 or more crows on the communications mast rain down on the patrol cars, then those guards get a call, hardly looks professional rolling up in a bird sh!t splattered patrol car, so they have to park them out at the front on the narrow street.
private cars have been damaged from prisoners released also and not nesscarily the night they were arrested but its easy spot a members car when its parked there in the middle of the night. there are no facilities for parking garda cars or private cars securily in that station. there is no where for the public to park either when calling to go in to the station. theres no disabled access either.
its not always AGS managements fault and its defintily not the Gardas fault for all these negative issues.
maybe the author might write an article on the positive side of the Garda force in tomorrows edition, like the nature of the job and the challenges they face daily, or is it just too easy to write an article on illegally parked cars?

1. Call from whom? From somebody in authority who's more concerned about bird droppings than, say, obstructed footpaths?

2. Did you read the OP and the IT article?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=76542076&postcount=1

MagicSean

Rowley Birkin QC wrote: »

To be fair I think she's more getting at the fact that members of AGS should not flagrantly disregard the law.

If I'm honest I don't really care where you park either. I do wholeheartedly care if your very first action starting your shift as a keeper of the peace and enforcer of the law is to blatantly and publicly disregard that same law.

Not trying to be personal about it but small things like that carry such a powerful message to others; "The cops can't be bothered to park properly so why should I?".

This is the problem when you try to run a modern police service out of ancient buildings designed for half the amount of staff.

Iwannahurl

MagicSean wrote: »

It's an issue that has been raised before by the GRA and in the media. I'm sure someone in your profession can search through media reports and press releases.

When I said they know where we live it was in response to a question as to how our vehicles could be identified and it was an indication of the level of knowledge collected in relation to gardai. This has also been raised by the GRA and has been in the media.

Your last paragraph is a bit nonsensical and pointless isn't it?

So, no evidence, sources or links then.

The point I was alluding to in that paragraph was that parking illegally/obnoxiously provides no extra protection for Garda-owned cars, AFAIK. Another poster has made the point that parking illegally/obnoxiously -- perhaps with a Garda diary in the window to inform Traffic Wardens? -- is in fact likely to highlight a vehicle as being owned by a Garda.