Garda Traffic Unit

[eamoss]

Has anyone seen the Garda Traffic Unit light bars on the cars I saw them when coming back from Oxegen and I am going to sould like a geek for saying this but they look so cool and futuristic.

[fosterdollar]

d'uh, what's a light bar?

[dahamsta]

It's a bar. With lights on it. Hence the term "light bar". Now where would a "light bar" go on a police car do you think?

(He's talking about the "new" light bars that flicker instead of the old rotating yokes. The ones you've seen on American cop shows since the nineties.)

adam

[fosterdollar]

well you certainly don't sound like a f*cking people person...

[dahamsta]

Ah c'mon Magoo, how much more obvious could it be?

[fosterdollar]

For some reason I was thinking he was coming from a boy racer perspective (because he was apologising in advance) so I thought it was likely to be some sort of glow in the dark, i'm a skobie git object. Suppose I did kinda cringe when I realised I missed it though.

Anywho, topic, back on, etc.... i was driving on the M50 once and noticed the traffic cops' car was a Saab 93! Since when have they been getting them?

[paul_oshea]

well you certainly don't sound like a f*cking people person...

LOL

Ah c'mon Magoo, how much more obvious could it be?

[dahamsta]

Anywho, topic, back on, etc.... i was driving on the M50 once and noticed the traffic cops' car was a Saab 93! Since when have they been getting them?

I get the impression that they try a lot of cars out. Fleet managers probably give them massive discounts to take one or two cars on trial.

It's probably an urban myth but it used to go round before that they were given Cosworths at one stage, but they had to be taken back cos the drivers couldn't handle them.

adam

[fosterdollar]

True enough about them trying cars out. On the Cosworth issue, would they really need high powered cars anyway? Do they not have a 'we don't chase the joyriders' policy?

[soccerc]

I get the impression that they try a lot of cars out. Fleet managers probably give them massive discounts to take one or two cars on trial.

It's probably an urban myth but it used to go round before that they were given Cosworths at one stage, but they had to be taken back cos the drivers couldn't handle them.

adam

The "new" Garda traffic unit/corps are using Saab 93's and have been around the M50/N7 for a few weeks. Very visible and have seen them pull over a number of vehicles. Seem to be very highly spec'd and full of latest cams etc

[WeAreRovers]

It's probably an urban myth but it used to go round before that they were given Cosworths at one stage, but they had to be taken back cos the drivers couldn't handle them.

adam

That maybe an urban myth but here's a true one for you - A work colleague of mine used to work for Screen Producers Ireland. One of her areas of responsibility was training. As part of this she set up a training course for stunt drivers. A couple of stuntmen came over from England to teach budding Irish stunt drivers.

On the day of the course 3 detectives showed up asking could they join in. They'd heard about the course and because they had received ZERO training from the Guards they wanted a go. Needless to say everyone else involved with the course was shocked and just a little disconcerted by this rank amateurism.

KOH

[paul_oshea]

why do guards generally look to get into films?

[dahamsta]

True enough about them trying cars out. On the Cosworth issue, would they really need high powered cars anyway? Do they not have a 'we don't chase the joyriders' policy?

Errah this was 10/15 years ago, might not have been implemented then. It is probably just an urban myth though.

adam

[fosterdollar]

Gardai now do some driving course, or at least those in the Traffic Corps do.

Cousin's a guard and afaik he did high speed driving courses as part of his basic training.

[monutdfc]

The high speed driving course is not part of the basic training.
The scary thing is that the course is done on the open road in an unmarked car.