Sir - While homeward bound through Templeogue at 5:20 the other day, I heard the familiar tones of a siren in the distance. I kept an eye on my mirror, with a view to making room for whatever emergency vehicle was trying to negotiate the congested, narrow main street of the village. Eventually, I espied what I was looking for - a single blue light in the distance to the rear - so I dutifully pulled in to leave the way clear.
What sped past? An ambulance? No. A fire brigade? No. A Garda car? Wrong again. It was a Mercedes, with a blue light fixed to its rear-view mirror, and a person, who obviously thought he was Very Important, seated in the back seat. After passing, it went through a red light at a busy crossroads.
This is a blatant abuse of the laws pertaining to emergency vehicles, and the use of "blues and twos", as they're called (blue lights and two-tone sirens). I mean, I don't mind giving way to those who are hurrying to the rescue of a person whose life is in peril, or even to a building in imminent danger. But I do object to so doing for a person out on an ego trip, no matter who he is. Abuse, such as I have mentioned, will inevitably lead to motorists ignoring warning sirens and lights - a typical example of the consequences of "crying wolf" once too often.
Perhaps the Garda Commissioner would like to comment. - Yours, etc.,
D. K. Henderson
Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.