w@nker
- Thread starter The Foolish Fellow
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R2D2
Registered user
Are we sure filtering ( not acting the bol88x ) is an offence
once done with respect
for other road users there should be no problem, as for riding on imported plates 
Decster
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Decster, I'm with Nud1e on this one. But you are lucky to live in a country where you can vent your feelings towards the state its politicians & police force. There are countries where this would not be possible. Please do not get offended Decster but your second post seemed quite balanced...... a chip on each shoulder.
I am in agreement with Nudle up to a point. But their is no will in Ireland to change in fact the reverse is happening since we became a wealthy nation. It has become a "I'm alright Jack F**K you and your problems". One of my points about the inheritant/apparent corruption in our society. Yes their are a few decent politicians (minority, I can only think of one) and I am sure their are decent Gardai( i hope Johnny Pan is one) trying to do the right thing, but i imagine our collective experience as two wheel users contradicts this. But as for lucky to be living a country where you can vent this, not so sure about that. I have seen the police videoing the last few Mayday marches in Dublin. That shower are hardly threatening the security of the nation yet the heavy handed tactics employed against them. Two close friends of mine were assualted on Grafton street by Special Branch arrested and charged for nothing. 14 Gardai stood up in court and read the same statement of evidence against them. Judge threw it out. My friends (both female fashion designers) sued and won,justly, €64,000.00 each in damages from who the state(covered by VRT no doubt). Special branch still on duty. No charges have been brought against any Garda. I am sorry that my experience with our Gardai has been such. The family solicitor is ex high ranking Garda. I have heard some stories, but i always thought thats just stories, but what with the shambles in Donegal, my 2 mates on Grafton street etc.. there appears from the outside something is not right.
Og and his Missushave been venting for a long time in MAG, i have been on some of the protest bike parades. Last I heardLuke, there aint no one listening!
I have not found this thread to be a rant at all. I have found the first opening thread to be a comment about a fellow biker getting pulled for what appeared to be little cause. But I was not there, and wished to extend a view point connected to that first post. The Moderator could have edited or moved this to an appropriate section if this was ranting.
This is a forum for bikers, mostly GS owners but not all. If i was going to rant at the Gardai i would not waste my time on an internet forum it would be directed personally at Noel Conroy or Michael McDowell but I agree with Nudle on that Politician.
Again a long and boring reply. I really like this site for the bikes, bike talk, Og's humour and its general positiveness. I will leave it at this. I hope to meet up with Johnny Pan and ask where is his GS and tell him to get rid of all that Plastic and get naked with us real bikers
Again if some moderator wants to edit this out as it not really what this forum is about fine with me.
D.
Keep it between the hedges (and no filtering)
The Foolish Fellow
Registered user
another b---ix
take this bollix's part if you want ,if he thought he needed to pull him over for the vrt then ok, but to add 2 penalty points and a walk to work for an insignificant bit of filtering (that may have been dangerous to other road users if it had been done without due care) is a bit uncalled for. This garda was just acting the bollix.
Accountability is a lovely word , public servants should be accountable, politicians should be accountable, doctors, dentists, nurses, Garda, university employees should be accountable - but God forbid that Joe Public should be made accountable unless it's that gobsh1te who lives over the road.
Your rant is wasted on me, Foolish, apart from the "lucky bag" quote, take that up with the local Superintendent and make a formal complaint against the Guard.
Some of the "filtering" antics that I have witnessed in Dublin have been both lunatic and dangerous, so I have little sympathy with someone being pulled for filtering.
The bike being impounded for having a UK plate is welcome, as I, like any other law abiding citizen, have had to pay VRT on bikes that I've imported or new vehicles that I've bought. It's time that the cute hoors, who think that only mugs pay, are made accountable. They knew the rules and took steps to circumvent them while raising a finger to the rest of us.
It is amazing to what length some people will go to justify their actions. They will blame everyone else to excuse what they know is wrong - the institutions of the State are corrupt, so I can break or bend the rules, the tax is penal, so I won't pay it, that speed limit is stupid, so I break it. And when they get caught, how they do whine.
If you think that VRT is unfair, then campaign to have it revoked. If you think that the whole system is corrupt, then set about doing something to change the system. If you believe that Garda have a quota to fill, then contact the local Superintendent and make him "accountable". He's the guy to contact if you feel that speed traps are being hidden or incorrectly sited.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797) if you believe that something is wrong, then do something to bring about change, join MAG, be active, lobby your local politicians, join any political party and become an active member.
Remember that public servants only implement policy, the Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann make the policy, that is ultimately where the blame fails.
I think that VRT is wrong, that road tolling is wrong, that speed limits are arbitrary and badly policed, that Garda resources are misused, that McDowell is certifiable, that the majority of TD's couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery and that the exceptions are not members of the Cabinet, but that's my bitching to you lot and it is unlikely that any of you are going to do anything, with the exception of Og and is missus.
If you can't put up, then shut up or take it to the Rant Section.
take this bollix's part if you want ,if he thought he needed to pull him over for the vrt then ok, but to add 2 penalty points and a walk to work for an insignificant bit of filtering (that may have been dangerous to other road users if it had been done without due care) is a bit uncalled for. This garda was just acting the bollix.
Never stopped but someone mentioned he was never even waved to by a guard, I was! filter through town every day for the past 10 years and never had any problems. Couple of tax checks, that's it.
My mate was stopped in his land rover about a year ago. No tax, insurance or nct. So he was given the relivent tickets. He happened to be talking to his solicitor the next day and mentioned it. His solicitor asked if he knew the guards name, he did, and the solicitor said you'll be grand i know him. Rang the station and got all the charges dropped.
Also i know a high ranking army officer that got away with drink driving on numerious occasions for using the "Do you know who I am?" line.
My mate was stopped in his land rover about a year ago. No tax, insurance or nct. So he was given the relivent tickets. He happened to be talking to his solicitor the next day and mentioned it. His solicitor asked if he knew the guards name, he did, and the solicitor said you'll be grand i know him. Rang the station and got all the charges dropped.
Also i know a high ranking army officer that got away with drink driving on numerious occasions for using the "Do you know who I am?" line.
nud1e
Registered user
"Excuse me, sir," said the polite Guard, "just checking your tax, insurance and driver licence, all in order I see. Yes I have noted the dead body in the back seat of the vehicle, the 50kg of coke and assorted firearms but since the items I pulled you for are in order, I suppose I'll have to let you go on your way."
a ridiculous and Foolish scenario taken to extremes, I know, but ........
carsqhere
Registered user
Good thread this... Just wanted to add my 2 cent and while there's lots I could say, most of it's been covered, so I'll keep it to this.
In all the years I've been riding/driving on this little island of ours, I've been stopped many a time, and only once have I encountered a Garda who was, as someone put it earlier, acting the b***ix. That Garda made life very difficult & very expensive for me for what was a trivial offense. Against this I have had the benefit of the discretion of many a Garda for equally trivial offenses, particularly the use of bus lanes when on the bike. I've even had Garda bikers instruct me to follow them down bus lanes, and past traffic jams too. It's a thankless job (did someone say McDowell??) and small wonder if the odd one goes offside. I'm not defending those that do, but stand back and look at the big picture. Gardai as a force are a bit like bikers as a community - it takes just a few bad ones to give us all an image problem.
WRT the foreign plates thing, there is an issue there in that some people do blatantly abuse the system, which makes life very difficult for those who maybe have no intent, but are committing an offense nonetheless. That's the sort of situation where a Garda should be able to make a discretionary call on it. Maybe that Garda on duty in the park had just had a foreign plate do a runner, or maybe he was robocop - who knows?
And last but not least I do (frequently) nod to bike Gardai when I'm on the bike. Some nod back, some don't. Just like the rest of the biking fraternity.
In all the years I've been riding/driving on this little island of ours, I've been stopped many a time, and only once have I encountered a Garda who was, as someone put it earlier, acting the b***ix. That Garda made life very difficult & very expensive for me for what was a trivial offense. Against this I have had the benefit of the discretion of many a Garda for equally trivial offenses, particularly the use of bus lanes when on the bike. I've even had Garda bikers instruct me to follow them down bus lanes, and past traffic jams too. It's a thankless job (did someone say McDowell??) and small wonder if the odd one goes offside. I'm not defending those that do, but stand back and look at the big picture. Gardai as a force are a bit like bikers as a community - it takes just a few bad ones to give us all an image problem.
WRT the foreign plates thing, there is an issue there in that some people do blatantly abuse the system, which makes life very difficult for those who maybe have no intent, but are committing an offense nonetheless. That's the sort of situation where a Garda should be able to make a discretionary call on it. Maybe that Garda on duty in the park had just had a foreign plate do a runner, or maybe he was robocop - who knows?
And last but not least I do (frequently) nod to bike Gardai when I'm on the bike. Some nod back, some don't. Just like the rest of the biking fraternity.
The Foolish Fellow
Registered user
AS I SAID
STILL LOOKS LIKE YOU TAKE THE BOLLIX'S PART
"Excuse me, sir," said the polite Guard, "just checking your tax, insurance and driver licence, all in order I see. Yes I have noted the dead body in the back seat of the vehicle, the 50kg of coke and assorted firearms but since the items I pulled you for are in order, I suppose I'll have to let you go on your way."
a ridiculous and Foolish scenario taken to extremes, I know, but ........
STILL LOOKS LIKE YOU TAKE THE BOLLIX'S PART
Only an Observation
In January spent a cracking 4 days 3 nights doing the sightseeing bit touring Dublin What a friendly city Was hopping on and off the buses and on foot Cant wait to go back again plenty to see and do.
Saw quite a number of the Gards about I was very impressed with their duties with regards to the protection of property I know you have some fine Georgian and earlier architecture and it has taken a bit of a pasting through history
But everywhere I looked was a member of that esteem service with his bodyweight strategically placed holding the brickwork up I didnt realise the south west corner of the Post Office in O Connell St was so tricky as well as the Gate Buttress on the Diall for instance ! There were also some dodgy roadsigns in need of support close to the bus lanes
Are some of the caps designed to shrink fit to size in the rain over there as some of the Gards I saw hats were still due to be weathered in ?
As I said only a tongue in cheek observation.
Having seen law enforcement close up and of course not being there I wonder if the soul who had his bike seized, through his attitude talked himself into the extra 2 points.
Frank
In January spent a cracking 4 days 3 nights doing the sightseeing bit touring Dublin What a friendly city Was hopping on and off the buses and on foot Cant wait to go back again plenty to see and do.
Saw quite a number of the Gards about I was very impressed with their duties with regards to the protection of property I know you have some fine Georgian and earlier architecture and it has taken a bit of a pasting through history
But everywhere I looked was a member of that esteem service with his bodyweight strategically placed holding the brickwork up I didnt realise the south west corner of the Post Office in O Connell St was so tricky as well as the Gate Buttress on the Diall for instance ! There were also some dodgy roadsigns in need of support close to the bus lanes
Are some of the caps designed to shrink fit to size in the rain over there as some of the Gards I saw hats were still due to be weathered in ?
As I said only a tongue in cheek observation.
Having seen law enforcement close up and of course not being there I wonder if the soul who had his bike seized, through his attitude talked himself into the extra 2 points.
Frank
2 points for filtering?
The offence doesnt exist. However the 2 points may have been awarded for crossing a continous white line or dangerous overtaking. The option exists for this man to contest what he considers "an insignificant bit of filtering" in a district court. If he feels so strongly about it I urge him to take this course. If the Garda was acting the bollix for doing his job, then I too am a bollix. But then again my bike is out the back in the shed (taxed and vrt'd) and not in a garda compound. I wonder which is the lesser of the 2 evils, you describing the garda as a bollix and a w@nker without giving a chance to reply or defend himself or Dakkarman being asked whether he got his licence in a lucky bag.
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The Foolish Fellow
Registered user
you too
now you sound a more reasonable fellow and probably would do your job and leave it at that, i can understand you taking his part but a lot of the time its not what you do but the way that you do it. your colleague is still a w--k-r.some of you seem to get really peeved about anyone getting away without paying the vrt,and that would be fair enough if it was a legal and just form of taxation.
Anyway a pass was got from the vrt office today and the bike was rescued without any further expense.
"i hope you didnt get your license in a lucky bag"
now you sound a more reasonable fellow and probably would do your job and leave it at that, i can understand you taking his part but a lot of the time its not what you do but the way that you do it. your colleague is still a w--k-r.some of you seem to get really peeved about anyone getting away without paying the vrt,and that would be fair enough if it was a legal and just form of taxation.
Anyway a pass was got from the vrt office today and the bike was rescued without any further expense.
"i hope you didnt get your license in a lucky bag"
I hope to meet up with Johnny Pan and ask where is his GS and tell him to get rid of all that Plastic and get naked with us real bikers
D.
Keep it between the hedges (and no filtering)
D, I sold my GS12 as I could'nt really get on with it.
I want to be a real biker when I grow up.
Likewise I hope to meet up with you one day
On a lighter note there only 2 types of guys that dont fit the description of w@nker.
Those with no hands and those with no c*cks.
Which category do you fall into TFF?
w00kie
Registered user
I nearly replied to this thread a few times today but thought better of it. In the end though, I don't think I agree with the general sentiment so I'd like to moderate it a bit.
I'm guessing that the original poster saw this taking place and maybe talked to the 650 rider after he lost his bike. Since neither the 650 rider nor the Guard are here, we're all guessing on the facts.
Now I'm pretty sure that filtering is a minor offence (if at all) and doesn't give the Guard the ability to impound your bike. So, (I figure) the likely situation is that the bike has been in the country longer than the grace period and was still unregistered. So, he took a chance and eventually got caught. He'll have to pay the tax and a fine and then get his bike back. Sounds fair to me
As for pulling a biker for filtering, I don't particularly have a problem with Guards pulling bikers over 'for a chat' when they do that. If I was a guard, I'd naturally focus on riders/drivers that did any, even slightly, dangerous manouvers. Filtering, like frequent lane changes in cars, is not particularly bad but I'd like to be sure that the guy doing it was properly paying attention, his vehicle was roadworthy and he wasn't intoxicated. I'm sure it wasn't the filtering was the problem, it was just what got the attention of the Guard (since they can't see the foreign plate from the front).
I've been pulled about half a dozen times over the years (all for minor infractions ) and the various Guards have never taken it further than a 'present your license and insurance' level. I filter and use the bus lanes all the time because I think that's the right thing to do. I figure most Guards would agree with me.
I think most of us would prefer that uninsured drivers didn't get away with driving on our roads. I'm guessing that we'd all prefer no VRT but as long as we have to pay it then we should ALL pay it. The guards are asked to check for uninsured and untaxed drivers - I'd expect some leeway if they're a few months out of date but not much more than that.
There are certainly cases where individuals use their judgement unwisely, and the speeding trap locations seem a bit stupid as well but I've had enough experiences with Guards to think that they're no worse (or better) than the rest of us.
I'm guessing that the original poster saw this taking place and maybe talked to the 650 rider after he lost his bike. Since neither the 650 rider nor the Guard are here, we're all guessing on the facts.
Now I'm pretty sure that filtering is a minor offence (if at all) and doesn't give the Guard the ability to impound your bike. So, (I figure) the likely situation is that the bike has been in the country longer than the grace period and was still unregistered. So, he took a chance and eventually got caught. He'll have to pay the tax and a fine and then get his bike back. Sounds fair to me
As for pulling a biker for filtering, I don't particularly have a problem with Guards pulling bikers over 'for a chat' when they do that. If I was a guard, I'd naturally focus on riders/drivers that did any, even slightly, dangerous manouvers. Filtering, like frequent lane changes in cars, is not particularly bad but I'd like to be sure that the guy doing it was properly paying attention, his vehicle was roadworthy and he wasn't intoxicated. I'm sure it wasn't the filtering was the problem, it was just what got the attention of the Guard (since they can't see the foreign plate from the front).
I've been pulled about half a dozen times over the years (all for minor infractions
) and the various Guards have never taken it further than a 'present your license and insurance' level. I filter and use the bus lanes all the time because I think that's the right thing to do. I figure most Guards would agree with me.I think most of us would prefer that uninsured drivers didn't get away with driving on our roads. I'm guessing that we'd all prefer no VRT but as long as we have to pay it then we should ALL pay it. The guards are asked to check for uninsured and untaxed drivers - I'd expect some leeway if they're a few months out of date but not much more than that.
There are certainly cases where individuals use their judgement unwisely, and the speeding trap locations seem a bit stupid as well but I've had enough experiences with Guards to think that they're no worse (or better) than the rest of us.
The Foolish Fellow
Registered user
category;on the same lighter note
possibly , although by no means certainly the same category as yourself
On a lighter note there only 2 types of guys that dont fit the description of w@nker.
Those with no hands and those with no c*cks.
Which category do you fall into TFF?
possibly , although by no means certainly the same category as yourself
(RIP) Bin Ridin
Registered user
Never fallen foul of the law, since I have "grown up".
Generally get a nod back from cops on bikes.
People who have illegal vehicles in the country are taking a bit of a chance, as they well know.
There are bad examples for sure, woman at bus-stop killed by a cop car in Clonskeagh, driver and her mate swore in court they were travelling at a safe speed. I think she should have taken the medecine.
Two things stacked against good policing in Ireland:
Traffic cops and drink driving will always make a group of people anti-cop - quite unfairly.
Garda "management" comes up through the ranks and the risk is they carry baggage from their early years. I suggest a system like d'army where d'occifers come in through a fdifferent door. Would it work?
Bin
Generally get a nod back from cops on bikes.
People who have illegal vehicles in the country are taking a bit of a chance, as they well know.
There are bad examples for sure, woman at bus-stop killed by a cop car in Clonskeagh, driver and her mate swore in court they were travelling at a safe speed. I think she should have taken the medecine.
Two things stacked against good policing in Ireland:
Traffic cops and drink driving will always make a group of people anti-cop - quite unfairly.
Garda "management" comes up through the ranks and the risk is they carry baggage from their early years. I suggest a system like d'army where d'occifers come in through a fdifferent door. Would it work?
Bin
Decster
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D, I sold my GS12 as I could'nt really get on with it.
I want to be a real biker when I grow up.
Looking forward to it
Good mate of mine had 2 Pans, latest and model before. He found the latest fantastic but that the panniers rattled his equipment he carried in them to bits. Now on a GS12. Pity honda dont do more shaft bikes.(blasphemy on this forum, I know).D.
Decster
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There it is in a nutshell. The whole country is badly managed. Personally I think the brain drain is still in effect. Too many of the best go abroad.
Now can we get back to the bikes.
D
the civil one
Registered user
Totally agree. If you had of entered the word Accountability in there
somewhere it would have been perfect.
Corkonian
Registered user
I see that the Garda Siochana - Traffic Division have a stand at the bike show - could be a good chance to get their views on some of the points raised here or to voice ye're concerns?
http://www.irishmotorbikeshow.com/exhibitor_list.htm
http://www.irishmotorbikeshow.com/exhibitor_list.htm
