random drink driving checkpoints

M cebee

44leto wrote: »

M cebee wrote: »

never been stopped

they come to town once in a while and always go to the same spot

there's a detour for anyone with no tax,bald tyres or bad after drink


dodging checkpoints is a way of life for a lot of people out the country

I witnessed something in Fetard in Wexford at about 12'30 at night every mobile phone in the place went off. Checkpoint on the ballybackward lane (whereever) the only people that get done down there are the visiting Dubs.

ya word gets back to the pub pretty much straightaway

things are different down the country
not condoning it

kev1.3s

Dermighty wrote: »

kev1.3s wrote: »

I can hand on heart say that it has been a full seven days since I had a couple of pints, anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.
I then informed the Guard that I had not had a drink in a week or so and her response was did I have a cigarette this morning which I replied no, I don't know what the **** a fag has to do with it anyway but my question is if these machines are not reliable why the **** are they being used to disrupt our day?
And before anybody asks I didn't use mouthwash this morning!

It's unfortunate and unprofessional that the gardai cant tell you're sober by looking at your car driving down the road :rolleyes:

Disrupt your day? 5-10 minutes in an effort to stop people being killed on the roads. I'm sure your day is important.

I imagine cigarettes contains chemicals which may react with the crystals in the bag which may give a false positive.

The 5 or 10th mins wouldn't disrupt my day but I'd have been pissed if I had been taken to the station for blood / urine tests and my brother missed his flight.

44leto

M cebee wrote: »

ya word gets back to the pub pretty much straightaway

things are different down the country
not condoning it

We weren't driving as we were staying in the town, (fishing). But I took it as a different type of warning. NEVER drive at 12 to 2 in any small town in Ireland at the weekend, a lot of the drivers are pissed and if you do be wary.

I am not condoning it or excusing it either, but there are no Taxis in these places, but I wonder would these small towns support a few taxis if none of the locals drove to the pub.

frozenbanana

kev1.3s wrote: »

Well you've obviously gotten your facts wrong on your new legislation as the machine I used had the ok pass on fail.

Me and RSA both:

WILL GARDA EQUIPMENT BE READY?
The Medical Bureau has confirmed that it has re-calibrated Garda
breathalyzer equipment for the introduction of the new measures at the end of
October.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I AM DETECTED WITH AN ALCOHOL LEVEL
BEWTEEN 50MG AND 80MG?
If you are detected with a blood alcohol reading by a Garda using a
breathalyzer at the road side the existing procedure applies. The individual
will be arrested and brought to a Garda station where a further breath, urine
or blood sample will be tested. It is on the basis of this reading that a person
will be charged and where applicable receive a fixed penalty notice.

WOULD A DRIVER BE SIMPLY LET DRIVE AWAY IF A FIXED PENALTY
CHARGE IS BEING APPLIED? SIMILAR TO A SPEEDING OFFENCE?
No. If a driver is detected at the roadside with a BAC exceeding the new legal
limits, that driver is arrested and brought to a Garda station where a further
breath, urine or blood sample will be tested. Under the 1984 Criminal Justice
Act a Garda may prevent a driver from using their vehicle until they are
deemed to be safe drivers and no threat to other road users.

But fair enough, the guard who stopped you must have hidden the station breathalyser somewhere so it wasn't recallibrated, so he can stop people for the craic.

Seems legit.

slimjimmc

frozenbanana wrote: »

Me and RSA both:



But fair enough, the guard who stopped you must have hidden the station breathalyser somewhere so it wasn't recallibrated, so he can stop people for the craic.

Seems legit.

All that says is that you'll be arrested if the roadside test indicates you've exceeded 50mg. All is needed is to recalibrate the roadside devices from 80mg down to 50mg. However, nothing in that confirms your assertion that the roadside devices were recalibrated from zero-pass-fail to pass-fail.

Topper Harley

frozenbanana wrote: »

Me and RSA both:



But fair enough, the guard who stopped you must have hidden the station breathalyser somewhere so it wasn't recallibrated, so he can stop people for the craic.

Seems legit.

I get the impression from the OP that his alcohol level was lower than 50 mg and so there was no reason to arrest him. It wasn't like he was just let off.

frozenbanana

slimjimmc wrote: »

All that says is that you'll be arrested if the roadside test indicates you've exceeded 50mg. All is needed is to recalibrate the roadside devices from 80mg down to 50mg. However, nothing in that confirms your assertion that the roadside devices were recalibrated from zero-pass-fail to pass-fail.

He asked me about legislation though not the procedure.

But fair enough, you are right. I had another quick look but can't find anything to confirm it, so I guess you'll have to make your own mind up who do you want to believe. Anyone interested enough can ask a Guard next time they see one.

Topper Harley wrote: »

I get the impression from the OP that his alcohol level was lower than 50 mg and so there was no reason to arrest him. It wasn't like he was just let off.

I understand that, my point is that guard on the side of the road doesn't have any means of determining your alcohol level on the side of the road, he used to, but now it's either pass or fail. And if it's a fail, he has to arrest you.

Fighting Irish

Arnold Layne wrote: »

Were you the recipient of a golden shower after your partner's night out?

lol no

MagicSean

kev1.3s wrote: »

Well you've obviously gotten your facts wrong on your new legislation as the machine I used had the ok pass on fail.

There is no zero limit reading anymore because it is so close to pass to be irrelevant. Pass is now the lowest reading.

knotknowbody

frozenbanana wrote: »

Why don't you take your own advice and read my post properly first?

There is no such thing as positive reading below the treshold anymore. On the roadside is either pass or fail now.

Yes PASS or FAIL

FAIL = 50 mg or above.
PASS = zero or any value between zero and 49 inclusive.

You will not get brought to the station for intoxilyzer/blood/urine if you provide a positive reading that is well below the 50mg limit.

dirtyden

44leto wrote: »

We weren't driving as we were staying in the town, (fishing). But I took it as a different type of warning. NEVER drive at 12 to 2 in any small town in Ireland at the weekend, a lot of the drivers are pissed and if you do be wary.

I am not condoning it or excusing it either, but there are no Taxis in these places, but I wonder would these small towns support a few taxis if none of the locals drove to the pub.

Rubbish

cartell_best

I've been breathalysed 3 times so far this year. The last time made me panic as on the previous two occasions I hadn't touched a beer. I was on a main road out of Waterford at 12:45PM on a Sunday morning and deliberatley left it until late to hit the road and I saw a blue sign warning of a checkpoint ahead (sign was on a bend in the road). Thought it was after been left there accidentally. Once I came completely round the bend I saw the cones ahead and the cop cars parked up and first thing that came to my mind was "Oh Christ...shooite...fook"

Of course the cop signalled me to pull over into the lane for checking. So here we go again, blow in the bag time, again! Except this time when the Ban Garda was talking to me without asking any questions I blurted out "Oh jesus Garda I had a few pints last night" and she asked "how many? and when did you finish?" I said I had "6 or 7 but was finished by midnight". She reassured me that "I'd be all right" if it was that long. Into the mouth the tube went and it was what I thought was the longest 10 seconds EVER and it felt like if i had pushed any harder my spleen would have come out my arsse, until the Garda said to me "its taking a while to analyze". At this point I could feel complete and utter panic and working out in my head how I'd get to work etc etc....if I was over the limit. Christ the things that pass through your head when it happens. Eventually it came back as a pass.

Now...I won't even attempt to go near the car the day after....Its not worth it...no way!

Local-womanizer

I don't get why people give out about the Gardai stopping a motorist at a checkpoint, for any reason. We have to abide by the laws of the road if we wish to drive on them, and submitting to a breath test is one.

If a Guard failed to stop a drunk person and that person went on to kill themselves or another member of the public the disruption to the lives of those involved is a hell of a lot more than the few minutes it takes for you to give a sample of breath.

frozenbanana

knotknowbody wrote: »

Yes PASS or FAIL

FAIL = 50 mg or above.
PASS = zero or any value between zero and 49 inclusive.

You will not get brought to the station for intoxilyzer/blood/urine if you provide a positive reading that is well below the 50mg limit.

Any amount of alcohol detected by Draeger (roadside breathalyser) will result in fail. OP claims the guard told him that he had alcohol in his breath, but was still below the limit. In the situation you described above Guard would have no way of knowing whether the reading was zero or say 25 mg.

Look, we are going around in circles - 01 666 98 00 is the number for Dublin Traffic Corp, why don't you ring them, see what they have to say about it?

Luap

I got stopped at a checkpoint and I accidently pressed the button to wind down the back window instead of the drivers one. They must of been thinking we got one lads.

44leto

I was stopped and I rolled down the window and the Guard stuck his head in asking me question after irrelevant question, then I copped, I was eating a mint, I always have them in my car. So he must of thought I was trying to conceal the smell, they had no breathalyser. So I ended up offering the guard one explaining they stop me smoking in the car. He smiled and told me to "go on"..

Local_Chap

dxhound2005 wrote: »

There is extra Garda activity in the South East at the moment.

http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=9076&Lang=1

There were breathalysing Saturday morning in Waterford alright. That was at about 7 or so

AeoNGriM

kev1.3s wrote: »

hi I was traveling on the N11 this morning about 6.45 when I was stopped at a drink driving checkpoint, I'm not a heavy drinker any more but I've got a problem with these early morning checkpoints anyway but that aside I can hand on heart say that it has been a full seven days since I had a couple of pints, anyhow I took the test and low and behold it came up positive, not enough for to be taken in but enough to get a warning from the guard.
I then informed the Guard that I had not had a drink in a week or so and her response was did I have a cigarette this morning which I replied no, I don't know what the **** a fag has to do with it anyway but my question is if these machines are not reliable why the **** are they being used to disrupt our day?
And before anybody asks I didn't use mouthwash this morning!

So?

I'm really struggling to give one quantum of fcuk about you being inconvenienced when this entire process saves lives at the end of the day.

M cebee

was talking to a woman recently

she has asthma so they let her away

byhookorbycrook

Was on the road yesterday and today, stopped both ways near Bunclody, one was an armed checkpoint, the other was traffic corps and customs. (Ddin't get pulled, though)

Guy:Incognito

gurramok wrote: »

Also, has there ever been a checkpoint on the M50 in Dublin? Never saw one before.

Seriously? I hope your taking the piss?