Garda Checkpoints Dublin‘s latest photo had people commenting in their hundreds but not for the reason that everyone expected.
They shared pictures on their Facebook page of a Garda car in Dublin being clamped while, what looks to be a parking official, takes it off.
There’s white writing underneath where the car is clamped but it’s unclear what it says.
The clamp is on the front tyre on the passenger side.
The picture was posted on Monday morning and the majority of comments were quick to point out the one vital aspect that was wrong with the whole photo…
“Basic common sense tells you that you don’t clamp a Garda car”
“It’s illegal to clamp any emergency or garda vehicle”
“To clamp a Garda vehicle, you would be obstructing them in their course of duty. An offence that carries time.”
People that commented on the post – which you can find here if it’s not showing in the article – felt that it must have been some sort of prank as clamping a Garda car is illegal and they also noticed that the clamp was on the wrong side (the front wheel on the driver’s side is where clamps are normally put on).
The Road Traffic Act 2014 states that:
(1) Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49, 50, 51A, 52 and 53 of the Principal Act, sections 12, 13 and 15 of the Act of 1994 and sections 4, 5, 11, 12 and 14 of this Act, do not apply to—
(a) the driving or use by a member of the Garda Síochána, an ambulance service (provided by a pre-hospital emergency care service provider recognised by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council established by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Establishment) Order 2000 ( S.I. No. 109 of 2000 )) or a fire brigade of a fire authority (within the meaning of the Fire Services Act 1981 ) of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member, or
(b) a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána,
where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.”.
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