# Being pulled over by the police/garda: is there a standard procedure?



## Bubbly Scot (28 Mar 2007)

I don't actually KNOW what signs you get when the police want you to pull over. I thought it was a blue light and a hand signal, perhaps a siren if you didn't appear to have noticed?

Can anyone enlighten me? I had an unmarked car with a blue light behind me for miles the other day but just when I thought I better pull over, just in case...he did a U-turn at the county border and went back the way we had come. (think he was getting ready to do an ambulance escort).


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## ClubMan (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

I thought that it was only (?) in the _US _that they tailed you and signalled you to pull over and here in _Ireland _they generally did so from in front?


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## Bubbly Scot (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

I'm not sure, I've never been pulled or seen it done. Not in Ireland or the UK.

I was told "if they want you to pull over you'll know about it" but never got any info on HOW they do this.


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## z107 (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

A few years ago I was 'tailed' and had to pull over. I was breaking the speed limit and an unmarked car with a flashing blue light came up behind me.

I thought tail-gating me like this seemed to be far more dangerous than my speeding infraction. They appeared to be inches away from my back bumper.


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## aircobra19 (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

From personal experience, I've no idea if its procedure. If its a car they general turn on the lights or blip the siren. Though I've had one on a bike make vague waving gestures which we though was move on, but in fact was pull in. He wasn't impressed. Its usual for a guards to follow a car for a bit if they think your up to something or that you've done something, even its its just bad driving. It usually provokes a reaction if your up to no good, or if you are bad driver you're likely to repeat your bad driving especially if its a habit, or you haven't noticed the cop car.  

This is another reason why its aways good to watch the mirror.


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## aircobra19 (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*



umop3p!sdn said:


> A few years ago I was 'tailed' and had to pull over. I was breaking the speed limit and an unmarked car with a flashing blue light came up behind me.
> 
> I thought tail-gating me like this seemed to be far more dangerous than my speeding infraction. They appeared to be inches away from my back bumper.



Driving like a moron seems to be another trait. So if you miss the vague signal, watch out for that, if someone tailgates or cuts you up. It seems to be some form of test. If you respond by flashing, or blowing the horn, they've got you!.


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## micamaca (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

Are we not supposed to flash or blow the horn???  

How else do we show our annoyance at careless and dangerous driving that we are subjected to?


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## Bubbly Scot (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*

As a woman who drives alone a lot I don't flash or toot bad driving, you just don't know who's in the other car or what they might do back to you.

I just give them filthy looks and shake my head a lot.

Not nearly as satisfying but potentially safer (and legal by the looks of it too)


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## ajapale (28 Mar 2007)

Ive added "*is there a standard procedure?" *to the title to clarify the question a little.
aj


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## pansyflower (28 Mar 2007)

I rememb er ears ago my mother was driving alone at night. The local guard tried to pull her in by waving a torch around. She, sensible woman, kept going!

 All was sorted out in the light of day.


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## ClubMan (28 Mar 2007)

*Re: Being pulled over by the police/garda*



micamaca said:


> Are we not supposed to flash or blow the horn???
> 
> How else do we show our annoyance at careless and dangerous driving that we are subjected to?


I didn't think that flashing headlights was recommended in any circumstances. And I don't think that the horn is for expressing annoyance but rather for use as a warning in potentially dangerous situations.


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## Bubbly Scot (29 Mar 2007)

Sign of the times that, if someone toots we automatically think they're annoyed, when in fact it's supposed to mean "hello, I'm here, just making sure you know so you don't bump into me"

I like the three blips of hazard lights when someone lets you pass, very courteous.

Thanks for adjusting the topic ajapale, makes it clearer...although I'm still none the wiser *L*


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## Cahir (29 Mar 2007)

I was a in a car with someone who was pulled over on the M50.  We were driving along when the driver said there was an idiot driving close behind him.  The idiot then drove alongside in the overtaking lane.  I looked over and said "It's a really angry man gesturing, I think he wants to race you".

Luckily the driver didn't race, he slowed down and so did the other car.  Then the other car went in front and slammed on the brakes so the driver pulled into the hard shoulder.  The other car pulled into the hard shoulder in front and reversed back.  Then the angry man got out and put on his police jacket and hat.

I stayed in the car but the driver got out and asked what he did wrong.  The policman didn't say anything just asked to see the drivers licence and came over to check the tax and insurance.  

It was really strange.  The car hadn't been speeding at any point and nothing ever happened.


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## Golfer18 (29 Mar 2007)

A friend of mine was pulled over on the M1 going north by an unmarked car with blue flashing lights in the grill. When he pulled over he noticed that when the car pulled in on front of him that it had a tow bar attached. Being  in the car recovery business he does a lot of work for the gardai, and knew this was highly unusual so he put the pedal down and took off. The car followed but took the next exit off the motorway. This friend called the gardai who advised there was a gang of car thieves who stop people in high end new cars and steal the car. This friend was driving a brand new BMW. The gardai advised that if your any way suspect to the validity of such cars to ring 999 and advise your are proceeding to the nearest cop shop.


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## Welfarite (29 Mar 2007)

Golfer18 said:


> The gardai advised that if your any way suspect to the validity of such cars to ring 999 and advise your are proceeding to the nearest cop shop.



Presumably not doing both at the same time


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

Golfer18 said:


> ...he noticed that when the car pulled in on front of him that it had a tow bar attached. Being  in the car recovery business he does a lot of work for the gardai, and knew this was highly unusual...



What has being in the  car recovery biz got to do with the towbar?


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## Welfarite (29 Mar 2007)

Presumably, he knew that cop cars rarely have towbars attached as he had numerous dealings with the GArdai in his work?


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## Golfer18 (29 Mar 2007)

Spot on Welfarite


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## bacchus (29 Mar 2007)

a mobile call?


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

Welfarite said:


> Presumably, he knew that cop cars rarely have towbars attached as he had numerous dealings with the GArdai in his work?



Thats the obvously suggestion. But I'm not in the car recovery biz and I could tell you that, as could most people who pay any tiny bit of attention to the Gardai cars.


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## Welfarite (29 Mar 2007)

aircobra19 said:


> Thats the obvously suggestion. But I'm not in the car recovery biz and I could tell you that, as could most people who pay any tiny bit of attention to the Gardai cars.



I would beg to differ. I didn't know that but now that I do, I'll probably be checking every cop car I see!


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

Welfarite said:


> I would beg to differ. I didn't know that but now that I do, I'll probably be checking every cop car I see!



Maybe you've had no need to keep an eye out unlike some...


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## Bubbly Scot (29 Mar 2007)

Never knew that about the tow bars eithers.

The only time I've ever been "pulled" was when I just moved here and my car didn't have a tax disc for a few days. Three times in one day I was stopped at a check point (twice by the same guy which made us both laugh) and questioned about it.

But they stopped me with just a wave of the hand in slow moving traffic.


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

Why on earth would they need a towbar.  

Unless it was a off duty cop in their own car.  (yes they wouldn't have blue lights)


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## Golfer18 (29 Mar 2007)

Just to clear things up. They dont actually use the tow bar when stealing your car, they get you to step out and drive off in it. This car they were using just happend to have a tow bar which is unusual for a cop car.


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

I dunno you see cop cars towing trailers and caravans all the time.


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## Golfer18 (29 Mar 2007)

probably marked garda cars you see


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## aircobra19 (29 Mar 2007)

Golfer18 said:


> probably marked garda cars you see



I don't see. What is probably marked garda cars?


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## kiwifruit (29 Mar 2007)

just to add my tuppence worth...all guarda cars,marked and unmarked have dublin reg plates no-matter where in the country ....so if your ever stopped by a car that hasnt got d-reg, the driver aint the Irish version of Horatio Cane


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## sonnyikea (30 Mar 2007)

kiwifruit said:


> just to add my tuppence worth...all guarda cars,marked and unmarked have dublin reg plates no-matter where in the country ....so if your ever stopped by a car that hasnt got d-reg, the driver aint the Irish version of Horatio Cane


really? now that is interesting. I shall keep my eye on that one.


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## jmayo (30 Mar 2007)

I have been pulled over twice, once by squad car that flashed his headlights at me, second time by unmarked Subaru Forrester that had pulled out from his little hiding place.   Both times they tailed me for a wee bit.   I presumed it was to contact station and check if car legitimate, but that is assuming they have capabilites that proper foces have in detecting stolen cars or incorrect false plates. Also been pulled over by siren flashing handwaving leather glad village people wantabee motorbike cop.  I was just back from states and had forgotten about the turn on red signal.  He reminded me of course that it wasn't done in this state and handed me contribution form to the bertie waste of money team.  Also have known guards to use private cars to catch people at speedtraps. Thus the lookout for the Dub reged cars doesn't work. Here they tend to use big van with cameras pointed out back window but recently in New Zealand I noticed they had used old Toyota camper van/minbus.  Only obvious thing was it was parked where no tourist would bother stopping.


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## paulfree (24 Apr 2007)

i didn't know that.


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## olddog (25 Apr 2007)

Welfarite said:


> Presumably not doing both at the same time



Calls to 999 and 112 are exempted


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