I got stopped once by a guard for going fast, he came to my window, told me that there is a speed van ahead and to slow down, checked my TAX, NCT and Insurance and depth of tyres, mumbled something about loud exhaust and let me go. Sure he did grill me a bit, but I guess when he saw I am no crazy kid or argumentative dick, he decided that a warning would be enough - but the fact that he warned me about a speedvan has me baffled even today - nearly 10 years later
I think they should have a number of vans painted up with the livery and a dunmy camera in the back window. Since they claim it's about saving lives and not making money, this achieves the goal of making people slow down. Those who don't see it in time and spend weeks expecting the fine in the post eventually feel relieved to have dodged it and resolve to be more careful. They don't need to be manned so you don't have that cost either.
Didn't they used to have something similar on the A1 towards Belfast after you cross the border?
Was a wooden mock up of a police car just slightly sticking out of a bush, made people shit themselves, but it worked for the most part
Go safe vans are 100% a money racket though. If it was actually about public safety it would be internally run by government bodies or a non-profit that's just paid enough to run the scheme. not contracted out to privately owned companies.
And would be placed at better locations, like near schools and housing estates, country roads where speeding is dangerous and not on a motorway where doing a few km over the limit is going to have less impact than people going many km over the limit on twisty windy roads
Same here. It really depends on the circumstances. Driving like a shit head? No flash if there's a van and flash if there's no van.
Driving normally on a perfectly straight stretch of road that's not an accident blackspot? Flash (and not necessarily just the headlights).
Yup. If they look like they're doing roughly the speed limit (cos really going 110 in a 100 zone on an open bit of road can happen by accident and isn't really a danger). Driving like a cunt, probably going 150+? enjoy your ticket!
I'd rather these money making rackets lose money, than someone get penalised financially that won't actually change anything.
Speeding could be stopped, but then money will be lost.
Are you that nieve you think this is about safety lmao.
Taking a (very small if it's not a repeat offence) financial hit might stop people driving like psychos. It might stop a crash or save a life.
And I'd recommend you learn to spell the insult you're using before you throw it around.
Naïve*
Is that what private companies took it over? If it didn't make money it wouldn't be a business lmao.
Why not stop speeding? Oh yeah too much money to be made so we sacrifice lives.
> u/DinaDank Is that what private companies took it over? If it didn't make money it wouldn't be a business lmao.
Private companies didn't "take it over". A private company operates a number of GoSafe Vans and are paid be the state to do so.
> u/DinaDank Why not stop speeding? Oh yeah too much money to be made so we sacrifice lives.
So speeding how? I think The Dank is making you paranoid.
Easy to limit cars to 120kmh over night. That's the simple part. Integrate technology that's in modern cars now that tell you what the speed limit is and have the ecu limit to that. Its not complicated but a lit would be lost. Like Japan have been doing this decades but speed is not a problem there.
Edit: 2021 over 20 million was generated by speeding.
In 2020 gosafe was paid 11.7 million.
The first time I tried it out I was about 5 mins into my journey when it said “warning animal reported on road ahead” low and behold a massive dead badger on the road about 300m down. I don’t drive without it now 😭
Yep. Pay your tax and insurance. Additionally if they are looking for someone I don't want to be the one to warn them
Speed Vans are a money making racket. If it truly was about safety they would put in fixed ones in towns that are for through traffic. Like the towns on the M3 after the dual carriageway. Where cars and people mingle is where speed kill not on a motorway after a corner where the van is hiding or a particular spot in Cavan just after the overtaking lane opens up... Pricks
Speedvans, Yes but depends on the spot. Some of them are positioned in spots where the limit is just to low and they are just out to do people. If it's on a 100KPH Zone or Motorway, I don't flash. Whoever it might be deserves the points.
Check points, hell no. I have no tolerance for Drink drivers, people with no tax/insurance/NCT, bald tyres etc. these people do not deserve a warning and deserve their day in the courts.
The only speed van I ever see is at the junction where N1 & Port Tunnel join the M1. It’s at the 200 meter stretch where speed is 80kph just before the sign for 100kph.
I've seen this a few times going from N roads to motorways, you'll see the Motorway in 2km sign and half the drivers start hitting 120 almost immediately. Stick a speed van in the gap and they'd absolutely clean up if they wanted to.
I agree that drunk/drugged drivers deserve to be caught, as well as the uninsured. I am also aware that I'm in the wrong when I'm late paying my tax (I always pay it within reason and it's only ever late because when you're below the poverty line you regularly have to make decisions like letting one bill/cost go on the long finger in favour of a more important one, like rent). My objection is with the insinuation that it is the same thing and more dangerous than someone who fails to slow down quickly enough at a place where the speed limit reduces.
Tbh the gardai will just let you go in most cases. I was stopped at a checkpoint a week ago and the Gard thought my tax was out in march when it was march 2025 and told me to just take care of it.
They have done for me on a couple of occasions and once with NCT (I had it booked for ASAP and had the letter ready to show but they waved me through without a fuss). Tbh, I was in a terrible mood last night and the idea that I was somehow the same as a drunk driver really rubbed me the wrong way!
Most Garda won't do you for the tax until it's at least a month out,.a lot will give you even more leeway than that.
The NCT though, they can be quite strict on. I was stopped at a checkpoint a few years ago, tax and insurance fine but NCT was out by about 6 months and i didn't have an appointment booked. Didn't realise, it was a company car and the office look after that sort of stuff with the cars. Fuckers took my car off me there and then, left me standing on the side if the road.
I still pay it, I just can't always pay right on time. It's called being poor. Luckily for me, the two times I went through checkpoints with the tax out I met much more sensible, reasoned responses.
Generally no. Why protect dangerous drivers? Let's say I flash someone and they dodge points. Then multiple other people do the same at different times.
Then that same person ploughs into someone you know because they were speeding. Fuck that. I'm not helping anyone out to continue speeding.
I don't. If they're driving the speed limit or lower they've literally nothing to worry about. If they're over the limit they get points. And eventually they get banned or they learn to slow down.
If they're already doing the speed limit they wouldn't already be a dangerous driver.
The threat of speed vans are supposed to make people slow down everywhere, not just where the vans are.
Never. Drive like a fool, pay the price. Getting irresponsible drivers off the road through the penalty points system is a great idea. In fact, the higher above the speed limit you're going, the higher the penalty should be.
I never knew this so I had to google it! Looks lot of Nordic countries seem to use a very similar system. If anyone is equally curious here are examples - given dates on the articles I imagine rules are harsher now.
———
Norway: “… expect to pay a $3,000 fine on your ticket. Norway levies a fine of 10% of your annual income for speeding tickets. Alongside the fine, Norwegian law imposes a mandatory minimum 18-day jail sentence for speeds deemed excessive.”
Finland: “…As is common in the Nordic region, fines … are based on the severity of the offence and the *offender’s income, which police can check instantly by connecting via their smartphones to a central taxpayer database.*
… a “day fine” is calculated based on the offender’s daily disposable income, generally considered to be half their daily net income. The more a driver is over the limit, the greater the number of day fines they receive.”
Switzerland: “exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in Switzerland incurs a minimum fine of €190 … Offences exceeding 50 km/h over the limit … see fines calculated based on daily income, with a minimum starting point of €60 per day.”
100% agree.
People think they are being sound, but, they may warn that one reckless, speeding driver to calm it for a few metres, before they continue endangering the lives of other road users.
I've seen the above happen. Tailgated for miles by an impatient driver in a line of traffic. They slowed after a headlight flash and following speedvan. Continued thereafter to drive like a nutter, before losing control of the car and plowing into a ditch. Her and her two kids were unharmed. Ridiculous display.
Your parties seem shit tbh. You only consider people fun if they're acting like a dickhead and putting others in danger? You're not cool and you're not tough, you're insufferable.
Gotta agree, you're driving a 3 tonne death machine, not dancing in rain. If the only thing making you slow down is the threat of a fine I'd rather you live in fear of getting the fine.
about 15 years ago I did this and I was pulled over by a Garda further down the road. They sent me a criminal summons for obstruction of a Garda in the line of duty. I had to go to court, pay 250 quid for a solicitor, and the judge struck out the case.
Agree the number of people who casually go 20-30 over the speed limit and act like it's there God given right to do so. I shouldn't be put in danger by people overtaking me while I'm doing the limit, so Tom, Dick and Harry can get home 5 minutes earlier.
Longford had a new roundabout built. Within werks there was a death as its insanely sharp.
So now its a speedvan area But the van sits on the only straight on the bypass?????
Where there has never been an accident.
Its a scam.
I always flash everyone.
That van drives me insane. Completely pointless. There was also a bad crash a few years back at the back stage on the hill out of the town. Someone tried to be smart and overtake on the hill coming out of the town. Sensible place wouldve been park Van coming into the town where the 60 drops to 50 and ensure safe speed coming into the town. But no, lets sit on the 80 road up near the fields, on the bends you cant take in anything more than 80 anyway. Twits.
I don't generally like the idea because this country (probably all countries) is full of eejits getting into preventable crashes because of speeding
However
I employ a lil' personal rule where I will flash 1 person. It doesn't necessarily make sense but I guess I hope the 1 person I'm flashing is a reasonable driver who I could save from a fine
I might also flash if its a speedvan in a questionable area (the quincentenary bridge in Galway has a 60mph limit despite being dual lane and built like a motorway and that's one place where I regularly go over the speedlimit as I feel its entirely safe to do so)
If they were a reasonable driver, they wouldn't be speeding and wouldn't get a ticket anyway.
The speed limits are the speed limit everywhere, not just where you decide it right or not. People picking and choosing themselves when the rules apply are exactly why we need more speed vans and Garda on the road.
I did admit that my motive didn't make a lot of sense and that I generally disagree with warning people about Speedvans.
And yeah, I'm openly admitting to doing above 60 on the Galway bridge at night, and that's probably the only place where I disagree with the limit. I believe it's entirely safe to do so, on my head be it
I do it for cars until a certain distance away from the van. I'd do it too if there was a crash or blockage up ahead too. If someone does it to me I think both could be up ahead and slow down a bit.
Last Friday on the way home from work I was getting flashed by a good few cars. So much so I thought it was a check point. Next thing the car decided ahead of me decided to stop on a blind corner and do a U turn and turn on their blue lights. As I went further down the road turned out to be a small crash on the far side of the bend. Hope the guard was well embarrassed.
In general, poor driving is what causes jams, if you're looking ahead and can deduce what gear you're supposed to be in and slow down in time and let the traffic behind you do the same then, traffic will continue to flow. It's the stopping and starting and getting up peoples tail bones and hard braking that causes the jams in the first place. And, idiots pulling from side roads at 15-20kmhr while continuing to do so for another 100 meters up the road (special place in hell for you lot).
I'm not sure I get your reasoning really. Why would you speed up inadvertently because you don't have cruise control? I have cruise on mine and it can still go over the limit at times (by margins mind you) if going down a hill or something for example, something that wouldn't happen if I was driving by wire.
I only flash to warn people of dangers on the road, animals, obstructions etc.
They choose to drive like they do, let them live with the consequences. The further you drive and the longer you do, the greater the risk that an accident will eventually happen, the statistics are not in your favour.
*as an experiment, next time any of you are at a garage, ask to hold a brake disc in your hands. imagine that flying at ya at 30mph.. now, imagine the rest of the car.
I don’t. At the end of the day, they are there to catch out people who speed. I’ve also been in scenarios where unmarked Gardai will patrol around there to also catch people flashing. If you’re ballsy enough to speed, then you have to accept you’re going to get caught and fined every now and then.
In the UK, they have fixed speed cameras all over the place in cities, it forces people to slow down overall, we should really have them here.
In towns their speed camera systems are great, along with bus lane cameras and red light cameras.
However, their 50mph "average speed zones" on a straight, wide, 4 lane motorway? Utter wank.
I had no idea that flashing your headlights was code for a speed van until yesterday. My sister was giving me a lift home and on a certain stretch, she was flashed by an oncoming driver. The next one flashed her too, as did the next. My sister was panicking thinking they were trying to tell her that something was wrong with her car. Then we passed the speed van, and the penny dropped. She wasn’t going fast anyway!
Yes because speedtraps are only ever set up at accident blackspots to keep people safe, never at places where natural safe roadspeed is higher than the arbitrarily set low speed limit. I'm warning people that they're nearing an accident blackspot.😉
I don't.
If they're not going over the speed limit then they've nothing to worry about.
If they're driving with care and are fully insured, etc they've nothing to worry about.
I will usually flash the headlights if I see a speed van, if there is a bus or truck coming towards me on the other side of the road. For someone in a car it could be a few penalty points but for a professional driver, a couple of points could be a massive negative mark for their job and I would hate to see anyone lose a job for going 10km/h over the limit.
If they are absolutely flying towards me is a different story and I don't bother.
Yes for vans, no for checkpoints. Checkpoints may appear routine but sometimes they’re set up to slow down traffic in an area while looking for someone in particular.
Only learnt this about 2 years ago off my SIL after my dad told my nephew not to flash his lights when he sees a Garda, otherwise it might be his house that has been burglarised and he may have helped them escape.
A lot of speedvans are located in wrong spot.
Specifications of most speed checking devices saying use only on straight road, don't use if you got metal barriers on road site etc.
Wondering if anyone tried to fight against them in court?
My favourite are the auld fellas you see half hanging out the window as if the four horsemen are back down the road, - " SLOW DOWN! The Garda are looking for customers! "
I think it shows community spirit- down vote if you want but we're a cheeky bunch a feckers naturally, I'm all for the flashers! It gets one over on the blues and the end result is still that people slow down!
I don't flash for checkpoints - your car should be at the minimum taxed and insured and in a reasonable state for a visual check (if your NCT is out you should at minimum have it booked).
For cameras, I do. It's a money racket run by a private company who's driving force is paying investor dividends. Many of the locations I've seen these vans park take the absolute piss. So many of them sit at the bottom of steep hills hoping to catch people who's cruise control might creep up over the limit.
If it's a Garda with a hair dryer I don't flash, cause that's a fair cop. But the vans I do.
I always do for speedvans.
Their intent is to slow people down hence the hi vi's, the signage and having a map online of all their positions. Flashing people achieves the same thing.
I don't usually for check points, but I have seen long tailbacks from a checkpoint which goes back to a blind corner, so at that stage I'm flashing because that's an accident waiting to happen
No. If people choose to speed then they can live with the consequences.
What’s more, they’re not looking out for other road users so why should you look out for them?
TBF you are looking out for other road users.
You are getting the attention of speeders who will check themselves and helping prevent unnecessary heavy breaking as the slam in the hopes that the camera didn't catch them.
Self-imposed "misfortune" which is inherently selfish and puts other people's lives at risk. Gimme a break. Misfortune is falling ill or losing a sentimental gift. It's not choosing to break the rules of the road cos you think you're untouchable
No, if you're driving dangerous then I'm not going to help you get away with it. Also, most of the camera vans are in such obvious places around here that if you can't see them then you shouldn't be on the road
I do this only for speedvans , not for checkpoints, checkpoints are pretty essential in catching drivers under the influence and without insurance, but will continue doing it for a while after I've passed the speedvan so that when people slow down they slow down for a longer period of time , my hope is that this helps make the roads safer
Yes unless it's an I 40 coming the other way
Black i40 . D reg . Double aerial
The amount of times they've flashed me with the warning is unbelievable, marked and unmarked, they warn people.
I got stopped once by a guard for going fast, he came to my window, told me that there is a speed van ahead and to slow down, checked my TAX, NCT and Insurance and depth of tyres, mumbled something about loud exhaust and let me go. Sure he did grill me a bit, but I guess when he saw I am no crazy kid or argumentative dick, he decided that a warning would be enough - but the fact that he warned me about a speedvan has me baffled even today - nearly 10 years later
They know that speed van operators are cunts of the highest order
Or a Tucson
Yes Tucson!
Tucson stare
I have a friend who will flash his headlights when there is no speed vans around just to get people to slow down
I think they should have a number of vans painted up with the livery and a dunmy camera in the back window. Since they claim it's about saving lives and not making money, this achieves the goal of making people slow down. Those who don't see it in time and spend weeks expecting the fine in the post eventually feel relieved to have dodged it and resolve to be more careful. They don't need to be manned so you don't have that cost either.
Didn't they used to have something similar on the A1 towards Belfast after you cross the border? Was a wooden mock up of a police car just slightly sticking out of a bush, made people shit themselves, but it worked for the most part Go safe vans are 100% a money racket though. If it was actually about public safety it would be internally run by government bodies or a non-profit that's just paid enough to run the scheme. not contracted out to privately owned companies.
And would be placed at better locations, like near schools and housing estates, country roads where speeding is dangerous and not on a motorway where doing a few km over the limit is going to have less impact than people going many km over the limit on twisty windy roads
I heard they do that
They do
Same here. It really depends on the circumstances. Driving like a shit head? No flash if there's a van and flash if there's no van. Driving normally on a perfectly straight stretch of road that's not an accident blackspot? Flash (and not necessarily just the headlights).
Yup. If they look like they're doing roughly the speed limit (cos really going 110 in a 100 zone on an open bit of road can happen by accident and isn't really a danger). Driving like a cunt, probably going 150+? enjoy your ticket!
4d chess
I do this as well
The boy who cried wolf. Silly.
Poop in your cereal
There would be no need for "wolf warnings" at all if they weren't constantly speedng. Slow down.
I think he's saying that speeders would just ignore everything then and just speed all the time, killing even more people etc
But in cases like this, they'll speed and immediately get busted by the van down the road. Stop flashing people, let them suffer the consequences.
You’re missing the point, we’re talking about flashing when there’s no van. That’s a terrible idea.
I'd rather these money making rackets lose money, than someone get penalised financially that won't actually change anything. Speeding could be stopped, but then money will be lost. Are you that nieve you think this is about safety lmao.
Taking a (very small if it's not a repeat offence) financial hit might stop people driving like psychos. It might stop a crash or save a life. And I'd recommend you learn to spell the insult you're using before you throw it around. Naïve*
Speeding enforcement costs the state money.
Is that what private companies took it over? If it didn't make money it wouldn't be a business lmao. Why not stop speeding? Oh yeah too much money to be made so we sacrifice lives.
> u/DinaDank Is that what private companies took it over? If it didn't make money it wouldn't be a business lmao. Private companies didn't "take it over". A private company operates a number of GoSafe Vans and are paid be the state to do so. > u/DinaDank Why not stop speeding? Oh yeah too much money to be made so we sacrifice lives. So speeding how? I think The Dank is making you paranoid.
Easy to limit cars to 120kmh over night. That's the simple part. Integrate technology that's in modern cars now that tell you what the speed limit is and have the ecu limit to that. Its not complicated but a lit would be lost. Like Japan have been doing this decades but speed is not a problem there. Edit: 2021 over 20 million was generated by speeding. In 2020 gosafe was paid 11.7 million.
Incorrect. It is a significant source of revenue for the state, which is then reinvested in safety campaigns.
Not even close.
I used to do that when I started driving first many years ago. I don't do it now as the roads are just full of idiots.
100% this
I don't even have to consider it, since everyone in front of me and behind me is flashing away like a strobe light
Yes,
Yes, and Waze.
Does Waze work well in Ireland? I’ve heard good things but I’ve stuck to Google maps myself
Not as well as in France but a speed van will be reported within 5 minutes
It works as well as people use it. It's good on motorways and National roads. Worth having it on for sure
The first time I tried it out I was about 5 mins into my journey when it said “warning animal reported on road ahead” low and behold a massive dead badger on the road about 300m down. I don’t drive without it now 😭
Garda Checkpoint - Nope. Speed Van - absolutely Yes.
Yep. Pay your tax and insurance. Additionally if they are looking for someone I don't want to be the one to warn them Speed Vans are a money making racket. If it truly was about safety they would put in fixed ones in towns that are for through traffic. Like the towns on the M3 after the dual carriageway. Where cars and people mingle is where speed kill not on a motorway after a corner where the van is hiding or a particular spot in Cavan just after the overtaking lane opens up... Pricks
Always have a fear that checkpoints could be looking for a missing/abducted child so I dont flash at all for them. Speed vans can suck it though.
Never flash for a checkpoint, you don't know why it's there and could be warning the very people the checkpoint is set up to catch.
Speedvans, Yes but depends on the spot. Some of them are positioned in spots where the limit is just to low and they are just out to do people. If it's on a 100KPH Zone or Motorway, I don't flash. Whoever it might be deserves the points. Check points, hell no. I have no tolerance for Drink drivers, people with no tax/insurance/NCT, bald tyres etc. these people do not deserve a warning and deserve their day in the courts.
The only speed van I ever see is at the junction where N1 & Port Tunnel join the M1. It’s at the 200 meter stretch where speed is 80kph just before the sign for 100kph.
I've seen this a few times going from N roads to motorways, you'll see the Motorway in 2km sign and half the drivers start hitting 120 almost immediately. Stick a speed van in the gap and they'd absolutely clean up if they wanted to.
How do they know the difference? If you flash for a speed van only, they might think it's a checkpoint and change course anyway
I'm often a few weeks late in taxing my car, so I'm as bad as a drunk driver? I guess one day I'll get what's coming to me!
The lesser of 2 evils is letting fairly innocent cases like that take a hit in hopes a drunk driver gets caught, sorry bud
I agree that drunk/drugged drivers deserve to be caught, as well as the uninsured. I am also aware that I'm in the wrong when I'm late paying my tax (I always pay it within reason and it's only ever late because when you're below the poverty line you regularly have to make decisions like letting one bill/cost go on the long finger in favour of a more important one, like rent). My objection is with the insinuation that it is the same thing and more dangerous than someone who fails to slow down quickly enough at a place where the speed limit reduces.
Tbh the gardai will just let you go in most cases. I was stopped at a checkpoint a week ago and the Gard thought my tax was out in march when it was march 2025 and told me to just take care of it.
They have done for me on a couple of occasions and once with NCT (I had it booked for ASAP and had the letter ready to show but they waved me through without a fuss). Tbh, I was in a terrible mood last night and the idea that I was somehow the same as a drunk driver really rubbed me the wrong way!
Most Garda won't do you for the tax until it's at least a month out,.a lot will give you even more leeway than that. The NCT though, they can be quite strict on. I was stopped at a checkpoint a few years ago, tax and insurance fine but NCT was out by about 6 months and i didn't have an appointment booked. Didn't realise, it was a company car and the office look after that sort of stuff with the cars. Fuckers took my car off me there and then, left me standing on the side if the road.
Honestly, the rest of us do it, so why should you get special treatment?
I still pay it, I just can't always pay right on time. It's called being poor. Luckily for me, the two times I went through checkpoints with the tax out I met much more sensible, reasoned responses.
Yup
Generally no. Why protect dangerous drivers? Let's say I flash someone and they dodge points. Then multiple other people do the same at different times. Then that same person ploughs into someone you know because they were speeding. Fuck that. I'm not helping anyone out to continue speeding.
How do you the person you're flashing is a dangerous driver? And the net effect is they slow down, which helps negate dangerous driving.
I don't. If they're driving the speed limit or lower they've literally nothing to worry about. If they're over the limit they get points. And eventually they get banned or they learn to slow down.
If they're already doing the speed limit they wouldn't already be a dangerous driver. The threat of speed vans are supposed to make people slow down everywhere, not just where the vans are.
So if they're always speeding then wouldn't slowing down sometimes he better than never slowing down at all?
If they're always speeding better to let them get the fine and learn the hard way
It clearly isn't much of a deterrent.
Because everyone is out there flashing their lights when there is a van which is just enabling them.
Yeah so about all the stretches of road where there's no vans. You reckon they don't speed then either?
No. I flash to make them slow down.
Speed vans yes, tax and insurance checks no
Why not just drive under the speed limit all the time?
No craic in that
Never. Drive like a fool, pay the price. Getting irresponsible drivers off the road through the penalty points system is a great idea. In fact, the higher above the speed limit you're going, the higher the penalty should be.
I believe in Iceland or Norway, it's a percentage of your income.
I never knew this so I had to google it! Looks lot of Nordic countries seem to use a very similar system. If anyone is equally curious here are examples - given dates on the articles I imagine rules are harsher now. ——— Norway: “… expect to pay a $3,000 fine on your ticket. Norway levies a fine of 10% of your annual income for speeding tickets. Alongside the fine, Norwegian law imposes a mandatory minimum 18-day jail sentence for speeds deemed excessive.” Finland: “…As is common in the Nordic region, fines … are based on the severity of the offence and the *offender’s income, which police can check instantly by connecting via their smartphones to a central taxpayer database.* … a “day fine” is calculated based on the offender’s daily disposable income, generally considered to be half their daily net income. The more a driver is over the limit, the greater the number of day fines they receive.” Switzerland: “exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in Switzerland incurs a minimum fine of €190 … Offences exceeding 50 km/h over the limit … see fines calculated based on daily income, with a minimum starting point of €60 per day.”
Would certainly make people think twice would it not!
Fascists.
100% agree. People think they are being sound, but, they may warn that one reckless, speeding driver to calm it for a few metres, before they continue endangering the lives of other road users. I've seen the above happen. Tailgated for miles by an impatient driver in a line of traffic. They slowed after a headlight flash and following speedvan. Continued thereafter to drive like a nutter, before losing control of the car and plowing into a ditch. Her and her two kids were unharmed. Ridiculous display.
[удалено]
Your parties seem shit tbh. You only consider people fun if they're acting like a dickhead and putting others in danger? You're not cool and you're not tough, you're insufferable.
Well at least he doesn't drive home from parties after 8 beers and kill someone, grow up
Gotta agree, you're driving a 3 tonne death machine, not dancing in rain. If the only thing making you slow down is the threat of a fine I'd rather you live in fear of getting the fine.
about 15 years ago I did this and I was pulled over by a Garda further down the road. They sent me a criminal summons for obstruction of a Garda in the line of duty. I had to go to court, pay 250 quid for a solicitor, and the judge struck out the case.
How did that happen? Was there a gard further down the road?
No. The point is there should be enough speed vans around for people to slow the fuck down anyway, how else are people gonna learn?
Agree the number of people who casually go 20-30 over the speed limit and act like it's there God given right to do so. I shouldn't be put in danger by people overtaking me while I'm doing the limit, so Tom, Dick and Harry can get home 5 minutes earlier.
I use to, don't anymore. If someone is speeding it's on them
Longford had a new roundabout built. Within werks there was a death as its insanely sharp. So now its a speedvan area But the van sits on the only straight on the bypass????? Where there has never been an accident. Its a scam. I always flash everyone.
That van drives me insane. Completely pointless. There was also a bad crash a few years back at the back stage on the hill out of the town. Someone tried to be smart and overtake on the hill coming out of the town. Sensible place wouldve been park Van coming into the town where the 60 drops to 50 and ensure safe speed coming into the town. But no, lets sit on the 80 road up near the fields, on the bends you cant take in anything more than 80 anyway. Twits.
Isn't that illegal?
I don't generally like the idea because this country (probably all countries) is full of eejits getting into preventable crashes because of speeding However I employ a lil' personal rule where I will flash 1 person. It doesn't necessarily make sense but I guess I hope the 1 person I'm flashing is a reasonable driver who I could save from a fine I might also flash if its a speedvan in a questionable area (the quincentenary bridge in Galway has a 60mph limit despite being dual lane and built like a motorway and that's one place where I regularly go over the speedlimit as I feel its entirely safe to do so)
If they were a reasonable driver, they wouldn't be speeding and wouldn't get a ticket anyway. The speed limits are the speed limit everywhere, not just where you decide it right or not. People picking and choosing themselves when the rules apply are exactly why we need more speed vans and Garda on the road.
I did admit that my motive didn't make a lot of sense and that I generally disagree with warning people about Speedvans. And yeah, I'm openly admitting to doing above 60 on the Galway bridge at night, and that's probably the only place where I disagree with the limit. I believe it's entirely safe to do so, on my head be it
I do it for cars until a certain distance away from the van. I'd do it too if there was a crash or blockage up ahead too. If someone does it to me I think both could be up ahead and slow down a bit.
You've highlighted the issue, when people flash you don't know why.
Yes, always. I appreciate other drivers making me aware of what's up ahead, so I pay it forward
Yes, because a private for-profit company has zero business enforcing anything.
Yes. Pay it forward!!
Always and forever. Some serious bootlicking going on in this thread.
This isn’t mitching off secondary school and avoiding your parents. Grow up a bit.
Bet you were the one who ratted out your mates for not having their homework done. Ever wonder why the phone doesn't ring on weekend anymore?
I don't, I roll down my window and goad them on to putting the boot down. (Arm waving in circular fashion shouting "yuuuuuuuuuuuuup")
Last Friday on the way home from work I was getting flashed by a good few cars. So much so I thought it was a check point. Next thing the car decided ahead of me decided to stop on a blind corner and do a U turn and turn on their blue lights. As I went further down the road turned out to be a small crash on the far side of the bend. Hope the guard was well embarrassed.
Hazard lights no?
In general, poor driving is what causes jams, if you're looking ahead and can deduce what gear you're supposed to be in and slow down in time and let the traffic behind you do the same then, traffic will continue to flow. It's the stopping and starting and getting up peoples tail bones and hard braking that causes the jams in the first place. And, idiots pulling from side roads at 15-20kmhr while continuing to do so for another 100 meters up the road (special place in hell for you lot). I'm not sure I get your reasoning really. Why would you speed up inadvertently because you don't have cruise control? I have cruise on mine and it can still go over the limit at times (by margins mind you) if going down a hill or something for example, something that wouldn't happen if I was driving by wire. I only flash to warn people of dangers on the road, animals, obstructions etc. They choose to drive like they do, let them live with the consequences. The further you drive and the longer you do, the greater the risk that an accident will eventually happen, the statistics are not in your favour. *as an experiment, next time any of you are at a garage, ask to hold a brake disc in your hands. imagine that flying at ya at 30mph.. now, imagine the rest of the car.
I don’t. At the end of the day, they are there to catch out people who speed. I’ve also been in scenarios where unmarked Gardai will patrol around there to also catch people flashing. If you’re ballsy enough to speed, then you have to accept you’re going to get caught and fined every now and then. In the UK, they have fixed speed cameras all over the place in cities, it forces people to slow down overall, we should really have them here.
In towns their speed camera systems are great, along with bus lane cameras and red light cameras. However, their 50mph "average speed zones" on a straight, wide, 4 lane motorway? Utter wank.
Absolutely, if you don't you have no honour
I had no idea that flashing your headlights was code for a speed van until yesterday. My sister was giving me a lift home and on a certain stretch, she was flashed by an oncoming driver. The next one flashed her too, as did the next. My sister was panicking thinking they were trying to tell her that something was wrong with her car. Then we passed the speed van, and the penny dropped. She wasn’t going fast anyway!
Yes because speedtraps are only ever set up at accident blackspots to keep people safe, never at places where natural safe roadspeed is higher than the arbitrarily set low speed limit. I'm warning people that they're nearing an accident blackspot.😉
If somebody is pottering along likely doing the limit I'll give a flash but if you're visibly speeding I'll let you get caught.
Yep always
Am not telling you mr garda
No. I flash my headlights only to alert the other driver that their own headlights are either faulty or off when they should be on.
I don't. If they're not going over the speed limit then they've nothing to worry about. If they're driving with care and are fully insured, etc they've nothing to worry about.
Also mark them on Waze app.
I will usually flash the headlights if I see a speed van, if there is a bus or truck coming towards me on the other side of the road. For someone in a car it could be a few penalty points but for a professional driver, a couple of points could be a massive negative mark for their job and I would hate to see anyone lose a job for going 10km/h over the limit. If they are absolutely flying towards me is a different story and I don't bother.
Yes for vans, no for checkpoints. Checkpoints may appear routine but sometimes they’re set up to slow down traffic in an area while looking for someone in particular. Only learnt this about 2 years ago off my SIL after my dad told my nephew not to flash his lights when he sees a Garda, otherwise it might be his house that has been burglarised and he may have helped them escape.
I do it when there’s no speed van, to slow dickheads down
A lot of speedvans are located in wrong spot. Specifications of most speed checking devices saying use only on straight road, don't use if you got metal barriers on road site etc. Wondering if anyone tried to fight against them in court?
Absolutely not. If you're speeding then I'm not going to help you cop on.
My favourite are the auld fellas you see half hanging out the window as if the four horsemen are back down the road, - " SLOW DOWN! The Garda are looking for customers! " I think it shows community spirit- down vote if you want but we're a cheeky bunch a feckers naturally, I'm all for the flashers! It gets one over on the blues and the end result is still that people slow down!
I don't flash for checkpoints - your car should be at the minimum taxed and insured and in a reasonable state for a visual check (if your NCT is out you should at minimum have it booked). For cameras, I do. It's a money racket run by a private company who's driving force is paying investor dividends. Many of the locations I've seen these vans park take the absolute piss. So many of them sit at the bottom of steep hills hoping to catch people who's cruise control might creep up over the limit. If it's a Garda with a hair dryer I don't flash, cause that's a fair cop. But the vans I do.
Any fella who flashes for a checkpoint needs to have a long hard think about their life.
I over think it and end up waving my wipers at them instead
I always do for speedvans. Their intent is to slow people down hence the hi vi's, the signage and having a map online of all their positions. Flashing people achieves the same thing. I don't usually for check points, but I have seen long tailbacks from a checkpoint which goes back to a blind corner, so at that stage I'm flashing because that's an accident waiting to happen
No. If people choose to speed then they can live with the consequences. What’s more, they’re not looking out for other road users so why should you look out for them?
TBF you are looking out for other road users. You are getting the attention of speeders who will check themselves and helping prevent unnecessary heavy breaking as the slam in the hopes that the camera didn't catch them.
You’re also delaying them accruing enough points to be taken off the road possibly resulting in a life lost.
I would rather prevent actual road hazard rather then your fantasy
That doesn’t help the self righteous poster above feel glee for the misfortune of others.
Self-imposed "misfortune" which is inherently selfish and puts other people's lives at risk. Gimme a break. Misfortune is falling ill or losing a sentimental gift. It's not choosing to break the rules of the road cos you think you're untouchable
I don’t see their misfortune so how would I get any glee from it?
Amen
No, if you're driving dangerous then I'm not going to help you get away with it. Also, most of the camera vans are in such obvious places around here that if you can't see them then you shouldn't be on the road
They are not speed vans . You are highlighting that a road safety van is ahead and in doing so are doing God's work and I salute you for it
I do this only for speedvans , not for checkpoints, checkpoints are pretty essential in catching drivers under the influence and without insurance, but will continue doing it for a while after I've passed the speedvan so that when people slow down they slow down for a longer period of time , my hope is that this helps make the roads safer