The Irish Mitsubishi FTO Owners Club

Was coming back from Dublin today home to Castlebar, when I spotted black Focus on D reg glued to my a*se. I admit i was fed up with the journey (went to Dublin in the morning to collect my passport from the embassy) and was, well, let say not particularly bothered with the rules of the road, but keeping it safe anyway, like overtaking only when it was safe and not speeding through villages, where the danger of somebody jumping into the road is considerable.
After 20 minutes of driving with focus on my back the guy switch on lights and siren, it was undercover Garda car. When I stopped he told me that during last 20 min of driving I earned 8 penalty points and wanted to know why I am in such a hurry. I apologised for speeding and asked why didn't he stop me after first offence and also told him (politely) that I noticed him being behind me for the last 20 min, so he could observe that I was keeping it safe at all times.
Before anybody comment I am not boy racer, I am long past time when I was last called "Boy" and I have rally driving experience so I know a thing or two about driving, and driving safe.
Anyway he gave me a warning and let me go! Sound lad!
I have some questions, I am foreign national and not 100% familiar with rules here in Ireland. What is penalty points limit? What happens if you exceed it? And if the guy was at my back for 20 min and he was telling me that I committed road offence he was committing road offence as well or am I missing something? In my country only vehicles with lights and sound signal are excluded from traffic regulations. Even police car driving without light and sound signal is obliged to adhere to road rules.
Can anyone shed a bit of light on this for me please?

You're allowed 12 penalty points, after that you're off the road for some years, plus you're insurance will go up by a large amount.
Cops do that here, happened me one night too, was stuck to my rear bumper, and I gave him Mivec 4 times before he pulled me in, I hadnt broken the speed limit but the pace of the acceleration he obviously thought I had. Gave me a warning too and I couldnt be bothered explaining to him if I broke the limit he had done too.

Soo, it was my lucky day
I wonder how the penalty point system works if you hold foreign driving license, something worth checking
Thanks Dragonheart

They like to dare you sometimes, make you lose your nerve by tailgating you. Highly illegal what they are doing themselves, so basically, he was being a wanker. Nothing nice about it.

optical illusion wrote:They like to dare you sometimes, make you lose your nerve by tailgating you. Highly illegal what they are doing themselves, so basically, he was being a wanker. Nothing nice about it.

I agree he was pushing you by driving up your ar$e and trying to make you break the rules so he could pull you over but the fact that you challenged him for not pulling you over after the first offence made it more difficult for him to charge you as they are supposed to deal with an offence as it first happens and not try to trap you in this manner ,but the gardai have a habit of bending the rules to suit themselves they are above the law in their heads (not all of them obviously) I had a commercial pajero that i bought of my brother and i got stopped at a check point with two guards and the first guard ask me about the tax and i replied only have it a couple of weeks of the brother just waitin to get the book of him to send it in, he walked over to the second guard who then approached me and asked the same question,which i thought was strange so i went into more detail explaining the cicumstances which led to my bro having to pass the jeep to me and that as his business had just collapsed and amid all the paperwork he misplaced the book but as soon as i had it i was going to tax it before sending of the book and that the insurance on the jeep was still in his name with me as named driver on his policy that guard accepted this excuse but then had a quick chat with the first guard who approached me saying i had just told him that the jeep was in my name and i was just waiting for the book to come back to me and because i lied to the second guard he was seizing the vehicle i was a bit pissed and nearly got arrested myself for challenging him, but the dirty sh1te took the vehicle all the same .i put in a very "pissed off" complaint in writing when i collected the jeep the next day but heard nothing back surprise surprise they probably had a laugh about the time they waisted on me sometimes the guards take their bad days out on ordinary folk because it is so hard to get a prosecution on the real criminals easier to charge you over something minor then charge someone in court. oh by the way sorry for hijacking your post for venting my own frustrations

eamop, some punctuation would make your posts much easier to read....

CJ

The Traffic Corps take the rules of the road very seriously and will prosecute you to the full extent should they feel the need, where as other gardai are more inclined to let you off...well that's my experience anyway. Some of them have been polite as pie and others have been narkey. Same in any job I guess.

Think everybody has a story to tell from both sides, as in a story of bad cops and a story of good cops. The corps however, appear to be a different kettle of fish. I know a few cops and even they spit when they mention the corps.

witcher wrote:I wonder how the penalty point system works if you hold foreign driving license, something worth checking

If you have a foreign license they can't give you points, only the fine. Although you can get disqualified in Ireland with and English license and in England with a an Irish license but that is only for extreem offences. They are talking about bringing in a standard points system in across Europe so points can be accumulated in and EU country but that is'nt gonna happen for a few years.

CJ wrote:eamop, some punctuation would make your posts much easier to read....

CJ

i know ,i know,i was having a bad moment and i just went off on one, sorry lads.I would like to add i have come across some sound guards in my time aswell, just the two i mentioned were the other end of the spectrum,probably out to impress with nonsense convictions.Sorry for having a rant.

Of all the things I miss from living on continent I miss German and Austrian Autobahns the most. On the other hand Atlantic coast drive on Achill island is one of the most spectacular drives I have ever driven. It has got its hazards, mind you, namely you really, and I mean really need to look out for stray sheep.

You havent driven the Healy Pass and tunnel road then I take it. Got everything, turns, danger, tunnels, lack of barriers, even sheep and plenty of cows too.

Not yet Just posted topic on favourite drives, lets leave this one for close encounters with our Guardians of Peace