starlite68
Registered User
- Messages
- 330
as i said..its all a set-up for the benefit of the cameras....showbiz ect..
as i said..its all a set-up for the benefit of the cameras....showbiz ect..
The uniformed Garda in the drivers seat can be a bit of a giveaway.
One easy way to tell unmarked Garda cars is that they are taxed, but not insured by a private insurance company (as the State carries its own insurance). So tax disc & no insurance disc on the windscreen.
Of course no insurance disc could be a member of the public driving uninsured, but when you couple the above with other information such as the make of the car, presence of aerials and other devices, they are very easy to spot.
Kind of defeats the purpose of an unmarked Garda car if everyone knows that its a Garda car. Always thought they should use immitation insurance discs etc.
If that's the case, surely they would want to be seen to be upholding the law?
I didn't see the program, but I really don't understand the officer letting her drive off (regardless of the fine & points and the likelihood of her not doing it again). Surely by doing so, he is knowingly allowing her to continue breaking the law by driving unaccompanied and with the kids unrestrained?? Is that not aiding and abetting (or something like that !!)
I didn't see it either and I too am offended and outraged by whatever I'm told to be offended and outraged by.
While I'd tend to agree on it being too lenient, I do wonder whether it would have been appropriate to stop the travel and leave the woman with five kids at the side of the road, or drag her (and the kids) off to the local station?
I know it's not really the Gardai's fault, but I think the alternatives for taking more serious immediate action could have opened a can of worms. However, the final punishment was totally inappropriate to the risk involved in that case.
maybe the idiot who was making the film,and therefor would have to have got the womans permission to be shown on tv in the first place.What idiot would permit a woman with no driving license to drive away with 5 unrestrained kids in a small car that was falling to bits.
maybe the idiot who was making the film,and therefor would have to have got the womans permission to be shown on tv in the first place.
You just made my point ,thanks!This is way too harsh. I can imagine how much people would give out if they went into a station and there was no "real" Guard available to deal with their issue
You have taken my post way out of context and I object to that,Look again at what I posted,I did NOT say guards should not be available to deal with issues,Im saying it is a waste of their time and our money to have them signing passport forms..
These forms are supposed to be signed by a Guard - not a reserve who is helping out in the station every couple of weeks.
I am fully aware of that as it stipulates it on the passport forms,my point was and still is that a garda reserve should be doing this.
Guards have a huge amount of paperwork to do - it is part of the job and, for court purposes, every i has to be dotted and every t crossed. By the nature of this work it will mean that there may often be a number of Guards in a station instead of out on the roads.
I can't believe anyone thinks it would be better to let the lady and her 5 kids out of the car on to the side of the road. 80€ is probably a large fine to a women with 5 children so presumable the lesson is learnt.
I dont think anyone was suggesting she be left with 5 kids at the side of the road though..
Whos to know whos kids they were,they may not have been hers..
I don't understand the point about only 2 kids having to be strapped in? Don't all cars have 3 seatbelts in the back and 1 in the passenger seat.
]In relation to the unmarked Garda car at the courthouse, how can you tell an unmarked Garda car? JQ2002 you say you've seen the car around Dublin, did you take down the registration plate or what?[/quote
What other driver would be allowed to travel off at the speed that car did?
So you think the leniency shown on the RTE programme should be allowed?
Five kids not strapped in ,in a car and the driver is allowed to contuinue on,thats not leniency .....thats stupidity.
And yes any idiot can sign a form, the fact that its stipulated on the passport application that a guard/Doctor etc means that they have to do so if asked.
That does not make it brain surgery.
You missed the point . The reserve guards or Civilians should be doing the paper work ,and the guards should be out doing their jobs.
I think you may have missed my point as well as twisted my words. I said leniency is good at times to counter your view that the law is black and white with no grey areas, not that the guards on some tv program were right or wrong.
Where exactly is the grey area?
If you are speeding thats an offence ,if you are driving without insurance thats an offence.etc.whats grey about it?
The reality is the law is there for a reason ,and the guards are there to enforce it.No grey area there .
Or have you some knowledge of a law that exsists to say,sure its only an offence when the guards say it is? And that is the point, it should not be the decision of the guard ,we have these laws for a reason,not for use and abuse and determined by what humour the guard is in,this gives them too much power.
SO we either have these laws that are to be enforced or we dont.
And yes i'm sure that idiots have the ability to sign forms, but seeing as guards are required to carry out this duty they will have to do so until further notice.
Obviously as I said it is stipulated on the passport forms that it should be so,however this needs to change and there is no reason why this duty could not be taken over by the reserves,apart from the fact that the guards dont want to let them.
]It hardly takes up serious time. Reserve guards may be easier to influence to sign forms for people that shouldn't have them and if it is official business then leave it to the officials.[/quote
This is incorrect there is a lot of form filling going on and it does take up to 15 minutes for a family of three.Keeping in mind there were three guards doing this ,so 3x15 mins is 45 minutes of garda time and how much did that cost the taxpayer?
Why do you suggest that the reserve guards may be easier to influence?
The logical conclusion of that is the guards have never been influenced,which brings us back to the original post and what influnced the guards to let the woman drive off with five kids and and L plate???
The woman also showed total contempt for the Gardai. She spat some chewing gum on the ground at the Garda's feet and was asked to pick it up. As soon as the Garda turned his back, she spat it out again at his feet. In most countries in the developed world, she'd have ended up in handcuffs and got a lot more than an €80 fine.
she probably would have...if the cameras had not been there!Exactly. She should have IMO.
61km in a 60 zone, having a headlight go while in transit, staying in the pub half hour after closing. There are loads of little things that if the guards came down on they would be slated for being petty and not solving real crime. With some degree of leniency a better relationship can be formed with the public. Leniency does not equal power, it merely shows that they can use common sense at the right time.Where exactly is the grey area?
And how many families of 3 are there getting signs formed weekly? I just think that it is nit picking to suggest that there is any great waste of garda resources due to form filling for the public.This is incorrect there is a lot of form filling going on and it does take up to 15 minutes for a family of three.Keeping in mind there were three guards doing this ,so 3x15 mins is 45 minutes of garda time and how much did that cost the taxpayer?
Exactly. She should have IMO.
And do what with the kids?
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