Why are the Gardai not on bikes?

Tombo2001

sy_flembeck wrote: »

Before I retired I spent many years on a Garda MTB. In fact, it was doing that course that got me back on my own bike. I loved it and it was very popular with my colleagues, as in it was a desirable course to get and a desirable duty to perform.

The bikes generally aren't left idle because nobody wants to use the but as others have said here, with the best will in the world bikes are neither appropriate for adequate for every policing duty.

It's really as simple as that.

I can only talk about what I see - a police car drives through our estate once a fortnight or so, on routine checks.

Never by foot, never on bike. Always by car.

I just see it as a massive opportunity lost, to say hello to people, to integrate.

Doing this type of routine work by car just creates a sense of separateness.


Another thing - when the Gardai are doing a routine call, a police car rocking up outside someones house, the police getting out of the car & walking up to the door.... it attracts a lot of attention - whats going on here, look the police are at so and so's.

A few times we've had break-ins, and the gardai call around afterwards - I'm not saying its a big deal, but a bike would be far more discreet than having the squad car outside the house.

A related issue for me is that they are coming from a station that would be a ten minute cycle away - a journey that I would never ever consider doing by car myself, because apart from anything else the bike gets you there quicker.

Just to reiterate:
- I am not saying they are suitable for every policing duty. What I am saying is that there are a lot of instances where they are superior to the car, for several reasons, and yet not being used.
- In case I havent said enough times already, no i dont mean rural areas.

MojoMaker

If it wasn't already mentioned, it does appear that Gardai on bicycles are just not taken seriously.

columbus_66

I saw 3 Garda on bikes in Lucan at lunchtime, they must have be looking at this forum!

magicbastarder

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I can only talk about what I see - a police car drives through our estate once a fortnight or so, on routine checks.

Never by foot, never on bike. Always by car.

yep, that's probably a scenario where a garda on a bike makes sense.

beggars_bush

07Lapierre wrote: »

AFAIK the cars are hired, not purchased.

Leased

0lddog

@OP, try asking on the 'Emergency Services' forum ? ( https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1023 )

sy_flembeck

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I can only talk about what I see - a police car drives through our estate once a fortnight or so, on routine checks.

Never by foot, never on bike. Always by car.

I just see it as a massive opportunity lost, to say hello to people, to integrate.

Doing this type of routine work by car just creates a sense of separateness.


Another thing - when the Gardai are doing a routine call, a police car rocking up outside someones house, the police getting out of the car & walking up to the door.... it attracts a lot of attention - whats going on here, look the police are at so and so's.

A few times we've had break-ins, and the gardai call around afterwards - I'm not saying its a big deal, but a bike would be far more discreet than having the squad car outside the house.

A related issue for me is that they are coming from a station that would be a ten minute cycle away - a journey that I would never ever consider doing by car myself, because apart from anything else the bike gets you there quicker.

Just to reiterate:
- I am not saying they are suitable for every policing duty. What I am saying is that there are a lot of instances where they are superior to the car, for several reasons, and yet not being used.
- In case I havent said enough times already, no i dont mean rural areas.

All valid points. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dismissing or trying to disprove the legitimate question you asked, I am merely answering it as best as I can (from memory at this stage!)

AndrewJRenko

AGS already have a decent fleet of bikes and spend a fair old whack on gear for cyclists too.

I've seen them in the city centre and at large crowd events. It must be 10 years or more since I've seen them around the burbs.

Every city station should have one cycling officer out on every daytime shift. As well as the community benefits, it would improve Garda perspectives and understanding of the challenges of safe cycling.

Ability to ride should be a mandatory criteria for recruitment campaigns.

fixXxer

It might not be bikes thats the problem but the guards themselves.

punisher5112

They're way too busy at the motorway checkpoints again, causing huge stress and traffic for those working trying to get home after a long days work.

cletus

punisher5112 wrote: »

They're way too busy at the motorway checkpoints again, causing huge stress and traffic for those working trying to get home after a long days work.

In fairness, it's not like that gardai at those checkpoints either chose to be there, or decided themselves to set them up.

They're just out doing a job

Eamonnator

fixXxer wrote: »

It might not be bikes thats the problem but the guards themselves.

They should have deployed stinger

cletus

Eamonnator wrote: »

They should have deployed stinger

It's a ****e situation to be in for that Garda. I've had similar situations, insofar as your dealing with a kid like that, and they don't care about the punishments you can hand out, and they know that you can't give them a punishment that they might care about.

Basically it boils down to them saying "**** you, now what are you going to do about it"

Eamonnator

cletus wrote: »

It's a ****e situation to be in for that Garda. I've had similar situations, insofar as your dealing with a kid like that, and they don't care about the punishments you can hand out, and they know that you can't give them a punishment that they might care about.

Basically it boils down to them saying "**** you, now what are you going to do about it"

I know, he was on a loser, no matter what he did, however, I fail to see how the Garda was the problem.

cletus

Eamonnator wrote: »

I know, he was on a loser, no matter what he did, however, I fail to see how the Garda was the problem.

Probably for the same reason that they're out deliberately holding up poor folks who just want to go home...

breezy1985

cletus wrote: »

Probably for the same reason that they're out deliberately holding up poor folks who just want to go home...

What are the motorway checkpoints checking for ?

CramCycle

Eamonnator wrote: »

They should have deployed stinger

breezy1985 wrote: »

What are the motorway checkpoints checking for ?

I live near the one that is near the end of the M50 (southside). Seems to be tax/insurance/NCT plus a general roadside chat all under the Covid Regs. Weird it was reinstalled again this week, but the Gardai were only stopping one in 100. Better putting an ANPR camera over each lane and just fining people for tax/NCT/Insurance fails but it did stop people bombing through that merge section before Bray at 160kmph

Odyssey 2005

punisher5112 wrote: »

Some rentals never will go back.

I'm pretty sure they bought them all

cletus

breezy1985 wrote: »

What are the motorway checkpoints checking for ?

I've absolutely no idea. I still stand by my earlier comment

punisher5112

breezy1985 wrote: »

What are the motorway checkpoints checking for ?

Your journey, where from and to....

Buddy Bubs

Ridiculous thread. Garda are on foot, on bikes, in big cars, small cars, rapid response high powered cars/suvs, helicopters, vans.....You'd swear this was the entire garda transport fleet in the video. A friend of mine is in city centre on a mountain bike every day.

AndrewJRenko

Buddy Bubs wrote: »

Ridiculous thread. Garda are on foot, on bikes, in big cars, small cars, rapid response high powered cars/suvs, helicopters, vans.....You'd swear this was the entire garda transport fleet in the video. A friend of mine is in city centre on a mountain bike every day.

How many of your Garda friends are on bikes in the suburbs every day?

Etc

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

How many of your Garda friends are on bikes in the suburbs every day?

I don't think you'd be happy with the answer no matter what it was.

AndrewJRenko

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

How many of your Garda friends are on bikes in the suburbs every day?

There's bikes in my local park most days when they have the manpower.

Most stations won't have additional manpower beyond the car crew which is responding to calls. Then there's the lack of training and equipment for the bikes.

There's two bikes in my station and a waiting list of people looking to do the course (yes I know, so you really need a course). Think they have flats at this stage.

0lddog

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

....
There's two bikes in my station and a waiting list of people looking to do the course (yes I know, so you really need a course). Think they have flats at this stage.

Does The Course cover fixing punctures ?




















( who started this dumb thread anyway ? )

0lddog

0lddog wrote: »

Does The Course cover fixing punctures ?




















( who started this dumb thread anyway ? )

Not being elite enough to have done it, I couldn't say.

0lddog

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Not being elite enough to have done it, I couldn't say.

Shall ask Policeman Fox next time I'm talking to him

AndrewJRenko

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

There's bikes in my local park most days when they have the manpower.

Most stations won't have additional manpower beyond the car crew which is responding to calls. Then there's the lack of training and equipment for the bikes.

There's two bikes in my station and a waiting list of people looking to do the course (yes I know, so you really need a course). Think they have flats at this stage.

Why would the bikes be limited to or focused on the park? Are they afraid to ride in normal traffic?

It sounds like a deliberate policy to let them rust away, putting cycling at the bottom of the list, only to be done when all other slots have been covered.

AndrewJRenko

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Why would the bikes be limited to or focused on the park? Are they afraid to ride in normal traffic?

It sounds like a deliberate policy to let them rust away, putting cycling at the bottom of the list, only to be done when all other slots have been covered.

Etc wrote: »

I don't think you'd be happy with the answer no matter what it was.

**** me. He was right, you wouldn't be happy with any answer.

You are complaining about the scenario where bikes are being used because they aren't also bring used in place of the response car.

AndrewJRenko

I'm complaining about Gardai spending the best part of a million euro on bikes and bike gear, which are now left rusting away in the station unused.



It has all the hallmarks of paying lip service, making it look like they're doing great things on bikes, but the reality on the ground is different.

Why are cycling patrols at the bottom of the priority list, only when all other roles are covered do the bikes get considered?