# Garda Traffic Corps and possibility of speeding fine.



## Suzy (29 Aug 2008)

Hi All,

Just wondering can anyone clarify this for me. Last night on the way home from work I spotted the traffic corps out with the speed gun on a tripod. I was going over the limit by about 10km. Do they have to pull you in on the spot or can they just post a fine to you?

Thanks


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## NOODELS (29 Aug 2008)

*Re: Garda Traffic Corps*

hi Suzy
I am know expert but as far as I am aware it can just come through the mail but the same thing has happen me on  a couple of occasions with the gatso vans and I never received any fine or points .I think 10 km over in a 30 zone yes but maybe 10 km over in a 100 zone might get let away depends on the guard .A friend of mine got caught Tuesday night 120 in a 80 garda was nice to him told him he had know choice had to give him the points and the fine.they were both laughing about it .(my mates first points )and he drives a van every day would not worry on less your on 10 points now.


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## ClubMan (29 Aug 2008)

Moved from Miscellaneous Non-financial Questions.


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## Leo (29 Aug 2008)

If you were in a 100kmph zone with a speedo reading of 110kmpm, chances are you were actually close enough to the 100kmph not to have to worry.


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## Suzy (29 Aug 2008)

I was travelling in a 50km zone. Guess I will just have to wait and see I suppose. I just thought that they had to pull you in.


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## gipimann (29 Aug 2008)

From my own experience a few years ago, the first I knew I'd been caught speeding (50mph in a 40mph zone) was when I got the penalty notice in the post.  Wasn't stopped, didn't even see the Gatso van.

I paid the fine, got 2 points and learned my lesson.


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## theredfox (29 Aug 2008)

same happened to me few years back over for the weekend hired car at dublin airport.
travelling up to sligo got home few weeks later visa bill dropped through the door and noticed extra £60 on the bill when i phoned avis and asked what the extra charge was.
they said that i was caught speeding at naas did not even see the camera 
no points on licence

paul


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## shay24 (29 Aug 2008)

Good news if it was just a gard with a tripod stand and he didnt pull you in then your in  the clear the only find for spedding you get in the post is from the gatso van or the fixed camera


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## Deisce (16 Dec 2008)

shay24 said:


> Good news if it was just a gard with a tripod stand and he didnt pull you in then your in the clear the only find for spedding you get in the post is from the gatso van or the fixed camera


 
I'll second that. My friend is a guard and told me that too. I will add caveat that if tripod is on bridge over road you can still just get fine posted out.


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## Caveat (16 Dec 2008)

*Re: Garda Traffic Corps*



NOODELS said:


> A friend of mine got caught Tuesday night 120 in a 80 garda was nice to him told him he had know choice had to give him the points and the fine.they were both laughing about it


 
A full 40kph - 50% - over the speed limit and they were both "laughing"?!

Very professional.


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## Rigoletto (16 Dec 2008)

*Re: Garda Traffic Corps*



Caveat said:


> A full 40kph - 50% - over the speed limit and they were both "laughing"?!
> 
> Very professional.


 
Ireland's speed limits are woefully low in some cases. there are a number of 6 lane dual carriageways in Dublin that have 80kph speed limits. these roads are perfectly capable of handling speed of 120kph (if we gauge their capabilities in direct comparison with our motorways were 120kph is legal)

so they may well have been laughing at the idiocy of our speed limits.


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## Bob_tg (16 Dec 2008)

Deisce said:


> I'll second that. My friend is a guard and told me that too. I will add caveat that if tripod is on bridge over road you can still just get fine posted out.


 
That is correct.  The Garda has to pull you over and show you either the speed registered on the gun, or a print-out before processing it.  The GATSO doesn't as they have photographic/video evidence on file.


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## nai (16 Dec 2008)

Bob_tg said:


> That is correct. The Garda has to pull you over and show you either the speed registered on the gun, or a print-out before processing it. The GATSO doesn't as they have photographic/video evidence on file.


 

not true - the hand held ones are the ones they have to pull you in - the tripod ones have an integrated camera etc so they can just record and post out the fines.


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## Bob_tg (16 Dec 2008)

nai said:


> not true - the hand held ones are the ones they have to pull you in - the tripod ones have an integrated camera etc so they can just record and post out the fines.



Nai - You are wrong.  Where did you hear that the tripod has 'an integrated camera etc'?

I have just spoken with someone who is a garda and is in the traffic corps.  

The tripod and hand-held are exactly the same things.  Neither has a camera.  In both cases, the garda has to pull you over.


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## deadwood (16 Dec 2008)

The hand held "gun" can also be used with a tripod. This makes it easier to zone-in from a longer distance and you'd be stopped at the time of the offence. It looks like the old hair dryer type.

There is also a tripod mounted unit fitted with a camera which does not require the alleged offender to be stopped on the spot.

The former is by far the most common, but both are in use.


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## nai (17 Dec 2008)

was just looking at them last week.


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## Bob_tg (17 Dec 2008)

deadwood said:


> There is also a tripod mounted unit fitted with a camera which does not require the alleged offender to be stopped on the spot.
> 
> The former is by far the most common, but both are in use.


 
Deadwood - where is your source of this information?  The reference for this information be it opinion or otherwise (or misinformation) should really be identified.

As I said earlier, my source is a very experienced member of the garda traffic corps who actually trains other gardai in the use of such devices.  He quite clearly stated that there is no camera on or with any hand-held or tripod.  To quote him, "the tripod is merely a holding device for the hand-held guns".  

The only cameras are used by the gardai in Ireland are either stationery (these are the permanent fixtures on the sides of roads - not tripods) or in the GATSO vehicles (vans temporarily parked in various places).

May be my source is mistaken, but it is a good source of information.

If this argument goes on, will we have to get an official statement from the Garda Press Office?


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## deadwood (17 Dec 2008)

Bob_tg said:


> Deadwood - where is your source of this information? The reference for this information be it opinion or otherwise (or misinformation) should really be identified.


I've been known to dabble as a guard in my free time!
I'm not in traffic though - my parents are married.


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## CharlieR (19 Dec 2008)

Cameras are never outside a vehicle or camera box


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## Teknon (2 Jan 2009)

I was driving along the north road this morning, admittedly overdoing it on the speed 65kph in a 60kph stretch.  I saw the gatso van camera flash :-( but I think I may have been to close and it was actually catching the car immediately behind me.  The front of my car was parrallel with the back of the van when it flashed.  Could it be that I was ok and it was the car behind me ?


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## johnjoda (2 Jan 2009)

*Re: Garda Traffic Corps*



Rigoletto said:


> Ireland's speed limits are woefully low in some cases. there are a number of 6 lane dual carriageways in Dublin that have 80kph speed limits. these roads are perfectly capable of handling speed of 120kph (if we gauge their capabilities in direct comparison with our motorways were 120kph is legal)
> 
> so they may well have been laughing at the idiocy of our speed limits.


 
Do you not listen to news or read newspapers ? some roads may be capable of handling speed, many drivers are clearly not competent to own a vehicle


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## tosullivan (2 Jan 2009)

I've received a notice in the post saying I was doing 72kmh in a 50kmh on the Portlaosie Rd.  Tried ringing the local station in P'laoise to get more info but no answer.
I'm rightly p'ed off as I need to know exactly where this happened.  Sending a pic of my plate with this sketchy info is rubbish


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## Smashbox (2 Jan 2009)

I'm interested in this thread but have a question.

Today, heading into work, a squad car was on a slip road down onto the bypass (Athlone) on the opposit side to me. 

He was out of the car holding a speed gun to the traffic passing him by and in my forward direction.

I understand that if he registers someone speeding on his side, he can get back into the car to give chase, stop them and show them the evidence.

However, if he was to see someone on my side (the opposit side to him) speeding, what could he do?

I was doing 100kph, and a car overtook me, obviously breaking the speed limit. He seen the guard just after I seen him, and stamped on his breaks. I'm sure the gun would have registered him as being over the limit, and I ended up following the car into town (where I work) but he wasn't stopped by anyone.

So, my question is, would this car have just gotten away with speeding, because the guard was placed on the opposit side?


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## deadwood (2 Jan 2009)

To get the most accurate reading from the laser, the user must point it as "head-on" to the target as possible (front or rear doesn't matter). The reading from the opposite side of the road/dual carriageway would be lower. (to do with cosines, hypotenuse blah blah. . .)

The traffic on your side of the road will see the guard and slow down and they , and other road users, will get home safely to tell their mates how they outwitted the dumbass guard clocking him from the wrong side of the dual carriageway - that's the desired effect really.

The guard can concentrate on stopping offenders on his own side. There's no box of USA biscuits for the most detections in a day.

It's a bit like fishing - you'll never catch them all!

And, yes, the driver on your side probably did get away with it today. He has to be lucky every day though!


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## Smashbox (2 Jan 2009)

Thanks deadwood

I thought in that scenario the origional policeman might have a pal waiting further up, on my side, to catch anyone from the other side.


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## NOODELS (27 Feb 2009)

hi suzy did you ever get that fine ??..are you still a speeder??.


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