Garda Traffic Division & Traffic Policy

**Macy** · 08/08/2006, 9:22 AM

Not sure whether this should have it's own thread or is better as a continuation of this one....

Anyone want to hazard a guess how many cops I saw enforcing the road traffic laws after doing over 700km's during this supposed bank holiday crack down by the cops? The threat obviously worked, as I'd say much less crazy speeding and overtaking than I'd normally see. However, yet again they've failed to back up the threat with action, so no one will take it seriously the next time a "crack down" is launched.

**dahamsta** · 08/08/2006, 9:40 AM

I saw one Garda, radar gun at the ready, casually leaning against a Garda Transit in a low-limit zone on the way into Inishannon, where there was no danger to anybody. No change there then. I was tempted to get out and photograph him, start a website proving the revenue-generation policy of the Garda�.

Thread split tbh.

adam

**Macy** · 08/08/2006, 9:56 AM

Well I saw one, and as it was this morning I'm not sure it even counts. He was stopping multiple road deaths by doing people for going in the bus lane 20 yards to early.

**sligoman** · 08/08/2006, 10:25 AM

Theirs been a few Gardai at the bottom of a housing estate in Sligo, stopping cars and asking yer name and checking tax/insurance and yer licence. Nothing to do with speeding though cos it's not an area where you can speed much as it's on a bend and low limit zone

**soccerc** · 08/08/2006, 10:42 AM

On Saturday night they blitzed Clondalkin Village with checkpoints simultaneously on every approach road. If you were lucky you were only stopped twice and randomly breath tested .

I know of one person who had to go through the procedure eight times in the space of an hour.

Last evening 7pm I had to head down the Naas Road and mindful tha tthe radar trap is hidden in Harris' I kept it under 60km in the inside lane and had to chuckle at the impatient artic driver who was hauled in after overtaking me. ( This is a graet spot for them to catch fish in the barrel).

On the retun I know the spot they use so again maintained my speed under 80 KM and saw the White Van parked up clocking all those exceeding the limit.

**De Town** · 08/08/2006, 11:01 AM

We were stopped on the bus on the way to Bohs v LTFC just past the Phoenix Park. Dunno if they were doing the whole breath test thingy but seemed like they were just checking for tax and insurance.

**pete** · 08/08/2006, 12:22 PM

I did 500 or so miles & saw i think 1 check point yesterday & 1 speed check although guards were clearly on some sort of break.

I heard they on the Naas 3 lane dualcarraigeway yesterday shooting 70mph turkeys on 60mph zone.

**Billsthoughts** · 14/08/2006, 11:39 AM

They are under pressure to generate revenue to fund traffic policy so yes they do target areas which will generate most cash.

**Billsthoughts** · 16/08/2006, 11:37 AM

Gardai to hit minor roads in blitz on speeding

GARDAI have been ordered by the Government to stop concentrating speed traps on dual-carriageways and motorways.

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has been told the Government wants the speed checks located mainly on the country's back roads, single-lane main roads and other high-risk crash and accident locations.

The move, revealed yesterday, follows sustained criticism of gardai spending too much time on motorways and not putting enough resources to catch speeding drivers on the roads where most of the carnage is occuring.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen revealed he has told Mr Conroy speed checks on motorists must be concentrated on the dangerous blackspots and known high accident stretches.

"I've made it clear to the Garda Commissioner and the National Roads Authority that we want high visibility on the dangerous blackspots," he said.

"It is not good enough to employ all the resources on motorways and on the safer roads."

According to the minister, both the commissioner and the roads authority agreed with him on this.

Research has shown that motorways and modern dual-carriageways, which have no crossing traffic movements, are the safest here and abroad.

Mr Cullen said research here showed that these types of roads accounted for less than 2pc of deaths and injuries arising from crashes.

The minister also hit out at local authorities for not introducing special low-speed limits at vulnerable locations.

He was officially opening the upgraded N7 Naas Road dual-carriageway, a key link in the national road network between Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin.

Motorists have been told they can expect journey time improvements of up to two-thirds on the new road, previously one of the most gridlocked in the country.

Mr Cullen said there would be a major safety dividend, as the risk from the previous dangerous junctions and traffic lights at Kill and Rathcoole, and other places, had been removed and replaced by a series of flyovers and the elimination of crossings in the middle of the road.

The �233.4m road, which has three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 100kph, was built eight months ahead of schedule by Clonmel Enterprises/Laing O'Rourke and managed by engineers Halcrow Barry Consulting.

The minister also revealed that anecdotal evidence had emerged that the new random breath checks by gardai were beginning to change the mindset of drivers.

"People are saying that we knew the day would come.

"They are not now having that one pint or glass or wine," he added.

Mr Cullen said there was hard evidence to show that road deaths fell in any country which introduced random breath testing.

Treacy Hogan

Irish Independent

**pete** · 16/08/2006, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

He was officially opening the upgraded N7 Naas Road dual-carriageway, a key link in the national road network between Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Dublin.

Interesting that almost no cars doing less than 100kph on that stretch as better than most motorways. Gardai speed traps there too of course.

**Macy** · 21/08/2006, 8:02 AM

Originally Posted by Billsthoughts

Gardai to hit minor roads in blitz on speeding

It'd be hilarious if it wasn't so fooking pathetic that Cullen is trying to look good with this kind of announcement. It had always been the case that motorways and duallers are the safest roads, it's not some new revelation.

Hopefully they'll stop quoting figures on number of checks/ convictions to justify their policies, as the only measure of effective policing of the roads is the number of deaths/ injuries/ accidents.

**pete** · 02/02/2007, 10:36 AM

Nice Picture...

**A face** · 04/02/2007, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Nice Picture...

Is that a handbook for Gardai? How to be a Garda for dummies kinda thing?

**pete** · 04/02/2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by A face

Is that a handbook for Gardai? How to be a Garda for dummies kinda thing?

Its the Garda Policing leaflet sent out to all homes. Supposed to inform us about what they do & how to contact/help...

**Block G Raptor** · 04/02/2007, 1:07 PM

Seen one in carlow on saturaday night when he did me for drunk driving

**onceahoop** · 10/02/2007, 11:33 AM

The gatso van seems to be permanently under the M50 bridge at the junction with the M1. Alternating between north and southbound lanes. Northbound has a speed limit of 80kph from the tunnel to the airport turn off while the southbound one is positioned about 100 metres before the 80k limit. It's like picking apples in an orchard in september on the northbound section for them as traffic is on a 3 lane highway approaching the M50 junction. I drove to the Slieve Russell hotel in Cavan last year and all the country roads around it had 100kspeed limits. It's a joke.

**sligoman** · 10/02/2007, 8:50 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Its the Garda Policing leaflet sent out to all homes.

Got that leaflet alright. Load of crap really.

Seen a squad car parked on a flyover on Sligo by-pass last night with the gun pointing ready to get people speeding on the dual carriageway. Wasn't very discreet really, plenty of time to slow down(if you were speeding) before you got near them.

**Macy** · 14/02/2007, 7:45 AM

Originally Posted by sligoman

Wasn't very discreet really, plenty of time to slow down(if you were speeding) before you got near them.

Excellent, I hope it represents a change in tatic from the cops. Prevention rather than convictions.

**Dr.Nightdub** · 15/02/2007, 10:57 PM

On the Naas Road this morning, there was a squad car parked up on the verge on the approach to the Green Isle, with two coppers doing people for driving in the bus lane. Anyone that tried sneaking out of the bus lane into the proper traffic lane got pulled over anyway. Long overdue. How the hell is public transport meant to make any progress if the bus lanes are full of cars? What really takes the p1ss is when artics are at it too.

For weeks now, I've had lurid fantasies of a pair of traffic cops with about 40 or 50 bad boys backed up waiting to be booked, all fuming at the delay, while us legit drivers inch past them, slowly but ticketlessly. So dreams do come true, even if not on the epic scale I'd hoped for.

**soccerc** · 15/02/2007, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by Dr.Nightdub

On the Naas Road this morning, there was a squad car parked up on the verge on the approach to the Green Isle, with two coppers doing people for driving in the bus lane. Anyone that tried sneaking out of the bus lane into the proper traffic lane got pulled over anyway. Long overdue. How the hell is public transport meant to make any progress if the bus lanes are full of cars? What really takes the p1ss is when artics are at it too.

For weeks now, I've had lurid fantasies of a pair of traffic cops with about 40 or 50 bad boys backed up waiting to be booked, all fuming at the delay, while us legit drivers inch past them, slowly but ticketlessly. So dreams do come true, even if not on the epic scale I'd hoped for.

Don't disagree with you but in peak time mornings only one Dublin Bus bus is scheduled on that stretch of road (From Outer Ring to Monastery Road) while there are only 13 commuter services that use it.