'More DIY than B&Q' - Gardai seize vehicle with screwdriver as a gear stick
Members of the Laois Road Policing Unit were on patrol on Wednesday when they came across a motorist travelling in a Volkswagen vehicle.
Officers ran the vehicle's details though the Irish Motor Insurance Database, which allows gardai to instantly check whether or not a vehicle is covered by insurance, where they discovered that the car was uninsured.
When gardai pulled over the vehicle, they were shocked to discover that the car was not only being driven without insurance but that the gear stick has been replaced with a screwdriver.
The vehicle was immediately seized with the motorist now facing a series of hefty fines.
Sharing the story on the An Garda Siochana Facebook page, a garda spokesperson said: "Just when you think you've seen it all. Laois RPU stopped this vehicle being driven without insurance yesterday.
"The gear stick was replaced with a screwdriver. This Volkswagen had more DIY than B&Q. The vehicle was seized."
The garda spokesperson added that the vehicle was "dangerous, illegal and not even slightly roadworthy," with the driver now facing a court appearance for a series of traffic offences.
Under the rules of the road, you must have motor insurance to drive a car in your own name or as a named driver on someone else's policy. If you don't, Gardaí have the power to impound your vehicle, serve you with a massive fine and penalty points, and you may even be hit with a jail sentence.
Offences for driving without insurance are prosecuted in court. Failure to display an insurance disc carries an initial fixed charge of €60, which rises to €90 after 28 days.
If you drive while uninsured, you could be fined up to €5,000 and get five penalty points. You could also go to prison for up to six months. The judge may also decide to disqualify you from driving instead of giving you penalty points.
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Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'More DIY than B&Q' - Gardai seize vehicle with screwdriver as a gear stick
Gardai made a startling discovery after they pulled over a vehicle in Co Laois earlier this week. Members of the Laois Road Policing Unit were on patrol on Wednesday when they came across a motorist travelling in a Volkswagen vehicle. Officers ran the vehicle's details though the Irish Motor Insurance Database, which allows gardai to instantly check whether or not a vehicle is covered by insurance, where they discovered that the car was uninsured. When gardai pulled over the vehicle, they were shocked to discover that the car was not only being driven without insurance but that the gear stick has been replaced with a screwdriver. The vehicle was immediately seized with the motorist now facing a series of hefty fines. Sharing the story on the An Garda Siochana Facebook page, a garda spokesperson said: "Just when you think you've seen it all. Laois RPU stopped this vehicle being driven without insurance yesterday. "The gear stick was replaced with a screwdriver. This Volkswagen had more DIY than B&Q. The vehicle was seized." The garda spokesperson added that the vehicle was "dangerous, illegal and not even slightly roadworthy," with the driver now facing a court appearance for a series of traffic offences. Under the rules of the road, you must have motor insurance to drive a car in your own name or as a named driver on someone else's policy. If you don't, Gardaí have the power to impound your vehicle, serve you with a massive fine and penalty points, and you may even be hit with a jail sentence. Offences for driving without insurance are prosecuted in court. Failure to display an insurance disc carries an initial fixed charge of €60, which rises to €90 after 28 days. If you drive while uninsured, you could be fined up to €5,000 and get five penalty points. You could also go to prison for up to six months. The judge may also decide to disqualify you from driving instead of giving you penalty points.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Gardai say Volkswagen with screwdriver for a gearstick had more ‘DIY than B&Q'
They added that this was 'dangerous, illegal, and not even slightly roadworthy' alongside the hashtag, 'you can't make this up' The car that was pulled over by gardai Gardai in Laois/Offaly who stopped a car being driven without insurance yesterday had thought they'd 'seen it all'. However, on closer inspection they realised the gear stick was replaced with a screwdriver. 'This Volkswagen had more DIY than B&Q,' they posted on Facebook. 'The vehicle was seized.' They added that this was 'dangerous, illegal, and not even slightly roadworthy' alongside the hashtag, 'you can't make this up'. The car that was pulled over by gardai Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 5th One person commenting said that as a 'mechanic and certified vehicle inspector, if the screwdriver handle was fitted correctly it's not a problem', before quickly adding: 'The insurance or lack thereof is a big problem though.' This is just the latest bizarre discovery gardai have made on the roads recently. Only last month, Mayo Road Policing Unit who stopped a suspicious vehicle discovered a raft of issues. Not only was the rear tyre in an extremely poor condition, they found that the back left brake had been cut off where a vice grips had been clamped to the brake line. Tax had also expired on the vehicle that was seized for further technical examination. In March gardaí seized a dangerously defective car after spotting a forged NCT certificate created by a "budding artist". The driver of the 2005 Volkswagen Beetle had attempted to pass off the car as having a valid three-year NCT by poorly altering the expired 2023 disc to 2025 in a bid to avoid detection. However, during the roadside inspection in Gorey eagle-eyed gardaí quickly spotted the fake NCT cert. On closer inspection, they realised why the car hadn't passed its test. Gardaí found "extensive corrosion" on the body of the car, with a photo of the underside of car showing badly corroded sills. In a post on social media shared by An Garda Síochána, officers joked that the driver was a "budding artist", but warned that forgery is no laughing matter. "This budding artist decided to tamper with an NCT certificate, causing Gardaí to seize the car on the discovery the NCT expired in 2023. "Upon inspection at the roadside in Gorey earlier this month, it became clear the driver had altered the expiration date on the disc in an attempt to deceive. Unfortunately for them, the reason the '05 VW Beetle didn't hold a valid NCT was soon obvious — extensive corrosion was found on the body of the car," gardaí added. "Forging or altering official documents is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution. Driving a dangerously defective vehicle puts lives at risk — including your own, your passengers, and other road users." The car was seized on the spot with the driver facing court proceedings.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Boy, 6, rushed to hospital in serious condition after being hit by car as he ‘entered road between parked vehicles'
A SIX-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital and remains in a serious condition after being hit by a car on a residential street. The Advertisement A Volkswagen Taigo was travelling along the road when cops said it hit the six-year-old. The boy had entered the road from between two parked cars before being struck by the motor. Emergency services raced to the scene and the young boy was immediately rushed to hospital. He remains in a Advertisement Read more in News No arrests have been made with the driver of the Volkswagen staying at the scene. Cops are also looking for any Anyone with any information is asked to Advertisement Most read in The Sun 1 The boy entered the road from between two parked cars Credit: MEN Media
