Your thoughts on the OSP (Columbus, Cincinnati: construction, dangerous, legally)

[EarthBound?]

So.......why is it that you never see the Ohio Revenue Generators out on the roads on bad rainy days? Are they afraid of getting their Nazi looking uniforms wet or dirty.

I wish I was good enough with the computer, I'd like to crop a picture of a Ohio Revenue Generator next to a WW2 Nazi officer and show how closely they look and act alike.

[OhioJB]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

So.......why is it that you never see the Ohio Revenue Generators out on the roads on bad rainy days? Are they afraid of getting their Nazi looking uniforms wet or dirty.

I wish I was good enough with the computer, I'd like to crop a picture of a Ohio Revenue Generator next to a WW2 Nazi officer and show how closely they look and act alike.

Earthbound, you reported someone else's comment to the mods, this one here by you is much worse in my opinion.

While I may not like everything the Ohio State Patrol does, they are highly professional compared to many local police departments, and if I'm ever in an accident I know I'd want them to show up. Oh wait, they did, let me explain:

President's Day, 2011 the area (Toledo) was hit by an ice storm during the night. Local officials didn't deem it necessary to salt the roads. It was not too cold by the way for salt to be effective, so it was either a cost cutting measure, or a decision maker using poor judgement.

On my way to work that morning on US-23 by the entrance and exit to Central Avenue driving 50 miles an hour in the right lane with cars whizzing past me going 60-65 at least, I hit black ice which sent me off the highway totalling my Mercury Grand Marquis. Two other drivers stopped to help, one told me he stopped because his parents have that type of car and he knew how bad they handled on wet or slick surfaces, and he wanted to make sure I was ok. The other guy stayed and called the highway patrol for me and waited until they arrived.

State trooper was there in short order, I explained what happened, how I was the slowest car on the highway, hit black ice underneath the overpass, and how impossible it was to control the skid in that car. Patrolman Rodriguez and I had a nice conversation, he told me he wasn't going to cite me due to the conditions and the type of car I had (said he knew how bad they handled).

Other troopers blocked traffic from entering US-23 so my car could be retrieved by the tow truck. Tow truck driver said he couldn't take me home because he was going in the other direction. Patrolman Rodriguez drove me home about 10 miles or so away, something he didn't have to do.

Patrolman Rodriguez entertained my question about why the State Troopers stopped so many semis during the mornings on US-23 close to the exit I normally got off at when going to work. I mentioned when I was a truck driver other drivers used to complain about the state highway patrol in Ohio having one of the worst reputations for stopping them. He said the reason they stopped so many at the exit I mentioned was because drivers from a certain local company were not using proper procedures (I don't recall exactly what) regarding paperwork and so they were basically playing a cat and mouse game with the State Highway Patrol.

I've seen a lot of complaining in this thread about the Ohio State Highway Patrol, just wanted to balance it out. They put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve, and they do it professionally. Much more so than the local police department in my city which I have major issues with. It's all about training, and the OSHP's training must be much more intensive than what local police departments have.

Now, if you want to start a thread about how too many truck drivers drive and act, and how OTR trucking companies treat their drivers and how they put everyone on the road at risk by not keeping up their equipment, etc., I'll be happy to add my thoughts on that too. Bottomline, truckers need to stay off the bumpers of cars, stop trying to block them, stop being j**** acting like they own the road, stop running cars off the road, stop hauling over the limit loads (it's the driver's responsibility to get the load weighed), and the companies need to stop trying to find ways for drivers to run more hours than allowed by law and having them drive equipment they know is not road worthy. Some of the stuff I came across in the short time I drove was unacceptable. Drivers driving two or three days straight keeping multiple logs so they could show one that looked legal to the police or highway patrol if they got pulled over, for example.

What did it for me was my company giving me equipment that was not road worthy, and them trying to force me to drive more hours than allowed. I once had a bad water pump, when I finally was able to get to one of our terminals after a 5-stop load on the east coast, our mechanic told me the truck had 33 major violations mechanically and he wasn't even close to being done. Finally got back on the road three days later, and when I got back home I decided that was it. I called the company and told them I was quitting because of the equipment I was being given (and the hours I was being forced to drive over the limit) and I wasn't going to kill myself or some family on vacation while driving one of their trucks. He asked if I would drive the load to the terminal in Wisconsin or if they had to send a driver down to pick it up. I agreed to take it and he promised to coordinate with one of the other drivers that was going my way to let me ride along. I held up my end of the bargain, he didn't. Fortunately, there was a kind driver going my way that heard my predicament and offered to let me ride along. Hopefully Millis Transfer has improved since the 90's.....

As for Ohio State Trooper Rodriguez, a young man from Puerto Rico, he went above and beyond on President's Day, 2011, something I'll always be grateful for.

[EarthBound?]

Ohio JB.
The comment the other person made was an attack on me, not good by CD rules. The comment I make is on the Ohio Revenue Generator, big difference. And I stand by my views AGAINST them.

Now, that being said. I'm glad you were able to one of the very few that is an asset to his badge and position. We need many more like this one.

But this new batch seem to only have one thing on their minds and that's "Tickets, tickets, tickets". They are out for points and when they're giving out awards to a ORG for handing out more than 2 thousand tickets for the last two years, that's like given a bully an award for bulling kids in school". This new batch of morons with badges won't talk to ya, won't even show some human responses like robots or NAZI officers. And I'm not the only one who sees this, I'm just the one of very few whos willing to say something about it. Besides, I know some local cops (real Officers of the Law) who can't stand them either. And I call them real cops because they do real investigation about real crimes and put themselves in the line of fire in some bad situations.

Oh by the way, I had an employer who wanted me to drive a truck that was unsafe, so I found a DOT inspector and asked him to inspect the truck and he red tagged it real quick. LOL, made the boss mad as heck. I never drive anything I don't feel safe in and feel that its not safe for the highway or public. My life, my license, my freedom. We as professional truck drivers are responsible for every action of the truck. Oh, and I do like the Michigan State Patrol / Michigan Mounties as some of us call them. Cool guys.

[EarthBound?]

Well.........I Ohio State Revenue Patrol is out in full force for the Memorial Day week-end. Gotta make that revenue no matter the cost to tax payers here in the Buckeye State. Don't hardly ever see them throughout the work week and almost never see them when its raining, but come holiday week-ends, they come out in droves. At $49 and hour, they all want to work. So they have to write extra tickets to off-set what they're getting overpaid too do.

So be careful on Rt 2 and 90 from Sandusky and the way to Avon drivers, we truckers were seeing them all day yesterday, especially because this is bike-week at Sandusky Harley-Davidson on Rt250. And Cedar Point is in full swing, they love busting those young drivers, or more so stopping the young girls.

So remember, (Support The Blue ) and (Never the Grey )

[HPY1]

OSP has a very important and dangerous job to do. If you abide by the law and you shouldn't have any issue with that. You should support them just as much as you support any other LE agency.

[HPY1]

Originally Posted by SWOH

True, but when I see a cop driving a spots car paid for by tax dollars... it makes me mad.

Especially when a Dodge Charger will not only meet the technical specs better but also cost about $10k less. Danger is one thing, sure I respect what they do, but this ain't Grand Theft Auto.

Cops don't need sports cars or AK-47s. Especially when places like Detroit have public schools with rats, mold, asbestos, and who knows what else. The backcountry school I attended was the same way.

Two students in my grade contracted Leukemia, most likely because of the water their or at their home, and one died because of it. All while cops (specifically the OSP) drive cars that cost $20k beyond what was needed for their job...

I've never seen any US LE carry an AK-47. I have seen them with US made M4s. That being said, sadly this day and age they need those long arms. The Andy Griffin days are long past. Way too mass shooting, stabbbing etc attacks going on. Our LE agencies need those weapons in order to respond quickly and stop threats to human lives. I have a feeling that many of you don't completely understand the feeling of leaving home for work, not knowing if you'all come back home safe, be attacked, or have to fight for your life when you are at work. The OSP is the most professional LE agency operating in Ohio at the state level. You'all be hard pressed to find another one with their professionalism. Fact is, the state legislature enacted a law creating them to keep the highways and interstates safe. If you want them to do less motor law enforcement and more "police" work write your state legislatures so they can try to change the law. Otherwise, obey they law and give them support. The entire LE community is under attack these days from all angles, -amd all these men and women are trying to do is keep us all safe.

[Ron61]

How complicated can this be? There is a speed limit,like it or not. Just as there are many other traffic laws,like them or not. Follow the laws and you should be good to go. Don't follow the laws and whatever consequences follow is all on you.

I drive I 75 from Ohio to Florida and I wonder where the Patrol is in EVERY state! With the volume of traffic on the road today the state patrol is way understaffed.

Only time I ever had a problem with the OSP was when they gave me a speeding ticket for doing 20 MPH over the posted limit. Guess who's fault that was?

[ram2]

The speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike used to be 75mph (pre-1974). Notice how that speed limit did not return when the 55 limit was abolished. Underposted speed limits for revenue generation. I have been driving I75 between Detroit and Cincinnati since 1988 at 80mph minimum. Radar detectors and CB radios work great. Not 1 ticket from the OSP for me.

[ibagli]

Is the Highway Patrol really that bad? When I imagine a rapacious speed trap in Ohio, I imagine a village of 200 that treats its small slice of a major highway as an ersatz toll road. I'd get rid of pointless agencies like the Linndale or Empire police before I got rid of the patrol.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by ibagli

Is the Highway Patrol really that bad? When I imagine a rapacious speed trap in Ohio, I imagine a village of 200 that treats its small slice of a major highway as an ersatz toll road. I'd get rid of pointless agencies like the Linndale or Empire police before I got rid of the patrol.

New Rome outside Columbus is one of those villages.