Foo - question for the cops on here

I was going to email the Ohio State Patrol this question but they have no email address so I thought I would rant here instead. Not a big deal but this really bothers me. I am heading westbound on the Ohio Turnpike about 8:00pm last night. Traffic was moderate and I was traveling in the center lane at about 65mph. A highway patrol car passes me at what I have to guess is in excess of 100mph. He is going so fast that the wind blast made my car swerve hard. I watch his tail lights as he continues on. I see him hit his brake lights as he stops and backs into the median to shoot radar. My question is what gives these guys the right to drive at such speeds and put my life in jeopardy when it is a non emergency? Are there any rules that apply to officers in this situation?

He was probably drunk. Ne need to get all fussy.

Let it go.

Let it go.

yep,
not worth the trouble on here, maybe it you would of taken his tag # and call the appropriate authorities then you would of felt somewhat heard.

I've done the same thing but without the lights or badge.

Let it go.

Didn't say I was going to make a big deal out of it. My question was does anyone know if there any rules or laws that apply.

Didn't say I was going to make a big deal out of it. My question was does anyone know if there any rules or laws that apply.

Not allowed unless valid reason. Like you have to take a leak or to see how fast the new cruiser can go.

Didn't say I was going to make a big deal out of it. My question was does anyone know if there any rules or laws that apply.

who knows what was going on gary? maybe he did get called on an emergency and then got told someone else was closer ect and then decided to get back to what he was doing. there is no way of knowing this.

yep,
not worth the trouble on here, maybe it you would of taken his tag #

LoL...If I was going fast enough to get his tag I probably would not be home today talking to you :)

LoL...If I was going fast enough to get his tag I probably would not be home today talking to you :)

true but you also said this "I see him hit his brake lights as he stops and backs into the median to shoot radar."
so I assumed you could of had a look at his tag # as you passed by :)

true but you also said this "I see him hit his brake lights as he stops and backs into the median to shoot radar."
so I assumed you could of had a loof at his tag # as you passed by :)

Nope.....I was going 65. My old eyes are just not that fast.



who knows what was going on gary? maybe he did get called on an emergency and then got told someone else was closer ect and then decided to get back to what he was doing. there is no way of knowing this.

Then all I ask is to use the flashing lights so I have some advance warning and get move over.....

Nope.....I was going 65. My old eyes are just not that fast.




Then all I ask is to use the flashing lights so I have some advance warning and get move over.....

Okey dokey!

that's not too much to ask!
hope the rest of your day gets better!
:)

hope the rest of your day gets better!
:)

:) Awesome day here!!!!!!! Honestly my original question had more to do with basic knowledge. It takes A LOT more than that to make me have a bad day.

What you should have done was got the license plate or the car number, then made a written complaint.

Here is a very interesting thread concerning a similar situation-
http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81103

I like this response--
It's none of anyone's business judging whether he was right or wrong going that fast. The cars are designed to go that fast and as long as the road is straight, I disagree it's unsafe. If it was so unsafe, the officer "chasing" him must have been going even faster than that to catch him. At 110 MPH the siren is almost worthless.

There is an OHIO section there if you cant find any other good info from searching, create a userID and just ask them.

Or, you could have pulled over and made a citizens arrest, used his radio to call it in and helped his LT. push him in the back seat. Just sayin. :)

Here is a very interesting thread concerning a similar situation-
http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81103

I like this response--
It's none of anyone's business judging whether he was right or wrong going that fast. The cars are designed to go that fast and as long as the road is straight, I disagree it's unsafe. If it was so unsafe, the officer "chasing" him must have been going even faster than that to catch him. At 110 MPH the siren is almost worthless.

There is an OHIO section there if you cant find any other good info from searching, create a userID and just ask them.

by that logic, it should be o.k. if i drive 110 on the freeway for no reason. 'cause the road is straight and my car is designed to do it.

and the "high speed driving training" argument i hear so often doesn't wash, either. i doubt the majority of police officers have as much track time or driver's training as i do.

a badge does not absolve one of responsibility to and under the law.

i've got no problem with them "running silent" if they've got a call, though. there's plenty of reasons why that situation might be valid.

Most police departments require policecars to use lights and siren if they have to break
traffic laws. The only exception I know of is if they are trying to arrive unannounced at
a crime in progress. Obviously that wasnt the case for you.

Here is a very interesting thread concerning a similar situation- .

Interesting forum Slag......What I got out of it was basically that laws do not apply to us.

Interesting forum Slag......What I got out of it was basically that laws do not apply to us.

Yes, I get the impression that you would go farther with your complaint if you made it funny, by dropping off a case of beer at the Commanding Officer's desk with a note that said, "for the Officer that pased me doing doing 120 on I80 last night. My kids and I got a real laugh from it when we saw you wern't in persuit.

Just bring a rental or a friends car when you drop it.

Professional Courtesy?
http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36403
"Dont ticket your own..Remember all we have is each other"

Or, you could have pulled over and made a citizens arrest, used his radio to call it in and helped his LT. push him in the back seat. Just sayin. :)

Exactly!!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wECusN2BUqI)

So at lunch, I watch a motorcylce cop blow a stop sign leaving the Whataburger parking lot. Was not running hot, did not pass cars, just blew the sign and went on his merry way.

Here is a very interesting thread concerning a similar situation-
http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81103

I like this response--
It's none of anyone's business judging whether he was right or wrong going that fast. The cars are designed to go that fast and as long as the road is straight, I disagree it's unsafe. If it was so unsafe, the officer "chasing" him must have been going even faster than that to catch him. At 110 MPH the siren is almost worthless.

There is an OHIO section there if you cant find any other good info from searching, create a userID and just ask them.

You couldn't be more wrong. A cop is a citizen and bound by the laws just like the rest of us. What does that mean? Let's look at the Ohio law:


4511.24 Speed limits not applicable to emergency or public safety vehicles.

The prima-facie speed limitations set forth in section 4511.21 of the Revised Code do not apply to emergency vehicles or public safety vehicles when they are responding to emergency calls and are equipped with and displaying at least one flashing, rotating, or oscillating light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle and when the drivers thereof sound audible signals by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle. This section does not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the street or highway.

Effective Date: 01-01-1975


So, if the cop car went by without lights AND siren, he was breaking the law. Period. No exceptions, no judging. Do you think a cop would hesitate to give you or me a ticket if we were going 110? What about if you pulled out and followed him at that speed? How do you think he'd react?

Problem is, this is the fox guarding the henhouse. The cops aren't going to ticket each other. And, if the cop in question were to cause an accident, you can bet that the investigator would find a way to blame it on the other guy.

The cop was wrong, pure and simple. Justice in this case is another matter.

Thanks for the very informative post Skiahh. I did shoot an email off to the State Police Head Quarters earlier today. I may be able to use some of your info if they feel the urge to write me back.......which I sorta doubt.

So at lunch, I watch a motorcylce cop blow a stop sign leaving the Whataburger parking lot. Was not running hot, did not pass cars, just blew the sign and went on his merry way.

That stop sign may have been on private property which makes it not a real, legal stop sign.

Hey Gary,

If he didn't have his light bar going, he was in violation of the law. Just because he's a cop doesn't mean he can disregard the law If he needs to get someplace in a hurry (could have been an Amber Alert, BOLO or something in this case) he is required to use his emergency lighting at minimum, siren if possible.

Until you know all the facts, its hard to say whether its right or wrong. I know a few cops and know people who personally know state troopers. They'll go as fast as possible when being called for backup (to backup not only a coworker, but in most cases a friend).

Obviously their lights should have been on, but then again, what was really going on? But, it could have been just another gov't official abusing their power. Sucks. I know.

It also depends on the department. I know of a number of departments which require officers to drive at high speeds once every defined period of time.

Like all driving skills, practice is necessary to perfect the skill and to be comfortable doing it.

It also depends on the department. I know of a number of departments which require officers to drive at high speeds once every defined period of time.

Like all driving skills, practice is necessary to perfect the skill and to be comfortable doing it.

So putting the darned lights on somehow prevents them from getting everything out of their speed?
You don't endanger the public in the name or training or otherwise - period.

I am a cop and I would never speed like that. We have general orders that we are to follow. They pretty much say that if your just driving to drive you have to follow the speedl limit. But if your responding to a serious call you can go above the speed limit but only so fast so as to get to the call quickly and not put the public in harms way.

It also depends on the department. I know of a number of departments which require officers to drive at high speeds once every defined period of time.

Like all driving skills, practice is necessary to perfect the skill and to be comfortable doing it.

Not buying this one. PDs have driving ranges they use to qualify. Requiring officers to drive at high speed, on a public highway just to do it is a huge lawsuit just waiting to happen.

That would be like the military requiring it's soldiers to practice shooting in any old place every so often. Or for aviators to practice high speed, low level runs wherever they feel like it rather than defined and published routes.

But, giving you the benefit of the doubt, the law would still require the "emergency vehicle" to be displaying lights and, in most places, a siren in order to exceed the posted speed limits legally and safely.