Head's up: Oklahoma Highway Patrol in force on the Creek Extension.

[Mike 01Hawk]

For the past several weeks I've noticed a pair of OHP working the Creek Extension.

Last Thursday night I saw not 1, not 2, but THREE OHP either catching or watching drivers by the Olive toll gate.

Then just yesterday I was going east bound on the creek.  We were in the 65 zone on the horribly bumpy overpass over the marsh.  There was a jeep that passed us, I'd guesstimate they were doing about 70ish.  Sure enough we come up to the Olive toll gate and there's a po-po.  And yup, he went after the Jeep.  What's great is right after the Olive toll gate the speed limit rises to 70mph. 

This ticks me off a bit.  1) The extension is practically barren most of the time, very little congestion.  2) Really? Pulling someone over for 5-9mph over the speed limit, right before the limit increases?

Hey OHP, how bout you work the areas that really could use some help.  Oh, let's say.... the BA where people routinely go 80+ (in a 65).  Or how bout 169 north of 244 where people also routinely go 75+ (in a 65).  Or the reckless drivers weaving thru 169, also going 75+. 

Seems like a waste of man power going after the 'minority'.  I bet OHP could run a sting operation on 169/BA and make 5 days worth of Creek tickets in 5 hours.

Anyway, heads up, should probably stay below 75mph on the creek for a while.

[swake]

Hey OHP, how bout you work the areas that really could use some help.  Oh, let's say.... the BA where people routinely go 80+ (in a 65).  Or how bout 169 north of 244 where people also routinely go 75+ (in a 65).  Or the reckless drivers weaving thru 169, also going 75+. 

Why? Because OTA pays OHP millions of dollars a year to patrol the turnpikes.

[Conan71]

I think you also have to assess what constitutes a greater hazard to everyone else: Pulling over cars on a busy BA or I-44 through Tulsa or out on the more desolate Creek.  I agree seems nit-picky but I'd rather not have morons cutting across three lanes of traffic for speeding on the BA or trying to park on the left shoulder to get written up for speeding.

[buckeye]

Post it on speedtrap.org with a good, informative description.

[EricP]

Yep, they are out there keeping people $afe... I know if I am going 72 in a 65 I am worried about my car bursting into flames and killing thousands of people on an empty highway. I like to know that they can pull over every person who goes ever so insignificantly over the speed limit within a 2 mile stretch of road, that makes me feel like my tax dollars are spent well over the holidays!

[TUalum0982]

Yep, they are out there keeping people $afe... I know if I am going 72 in a 65 I am worried about my car bursting into flames and killing thousands of people on an empty highway. I like to know that they can pull over every person who goes ever so insignificantly over the speed limit within a 2 mile stretch of road, that makes me feel like my tax dollars are spent well over the holidays!

and chances are you wont get a ticket, but a warning.  It's not about making money contrary to popular belief.  It is about public safety.  Ask any trooper if they write more tickets or safety contacts and I would bet 85-90% will say safety contacts.  Why?  Because they are supposed to have 10 contacts a day.  If you get pulled over going 5-10mph over the limit, and you don't have a suspended license, can show proper insurance, chances are you are walking away with a written warning. 

And like Swake said earlier, OTA pays these troopers salaries, equipment, etc etc for them to patrol the pikes, not the main highways.  Thats like asking Tulsa Police Officers to patrol in owasso or Glennpool and while Tulsa pays for it.  It doesnt work that way.

[Mike 01Hawk]

So where does the fine goto? OTA or the Oklahoma Tax payer? 

[buckeye]

OHP has spent a lot of time on the IDL in the past couple years.

[TUalum0982]

So where does the fine goto? OTA or the Oklahoma Tax payer? 

cant tell if you are being sarcastic or serious.  Are you asking once the person pays the fine, how are the funds distributed?  And who says they are an Oklahoma taxpayer? they could be from out of state. 

[EricP]

and chances are you wont get a ticket, but a warning.  It's not about making money contrary to popular belief.  It is about public safety.  Ask any trooper if they write more tickets or safety contacts and I would bet 85-90% will say safety contacts.  Why?  Because they are supposed to have 10 contacts a day.  If you get pulled over going 5-10mph over the limit, and you don't have a suspended license, can show proper insurance, chances are you are walking away with a written warning.  

And like Swake said earlier, OTA pays these troopers salaries, equipment, etc etc for them to patrol the pikes, not the main highways.  Thats like asking Tulsa Police Officers to patrol in owasso or Glennpool and while Tulsa pays for it.  It doesnt work that way.

I've never gotten a warning for speeding. 5mph over, 8mph over, it doesn't matter. I have never had a suspended license, always show proper insurance, etc. At SOME level it is ALWAYS about money. I have gotten off with a warning 3 times because in each time the officer either lied about my speed or about my driving in order to make up a reason to pull me over, hoping he could nab a drunk out late. Any time they actually had my speed right = instant ticket every time. A few I deserved...

[Mike 01Hawk]

cant tell if you are being sarcastic or serious.  Are you asking once the person pays the fine, how are the funds distributed?  And who says they are an Oklahoma taxpayer? they could be from out of state. 

Do the funds go back to the state, or a private entity?  I would hope it'd go back to the state.  Serious question too.

Oh and I saw yet another OHP pulling someone over on the Creek this morning on the way to work.

[Hawkins]

They always seem to work the Creek hard.

I got off with a warning one night coming on from the Yale ramp in my Trans Am. The officer liked my car, said that he clocked me at 67 at the end of the ramp.

I told him that meant I wasn't really on it, and he agreed. Still wrote up the warning though.

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Another observation on your story- Although most Tulsa drivers are pretty docile, I've yet to see a Jeep driving at or below the speed limit. Jeep drivers, for some reason, ALWAYS drive about 10-15 over.

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[Conan71]

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Another observation on your story- Although most Tulsa drivers are pretty docile, I've yet to see a Jeep driving at or below the speed limit. Jeep drivers, for some reason, ALWAYS drive about 10-15 over.

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And the need to use turn signals seems to diminish inverse to how much someone paid for their car.  I'm convinced they don't put turn signals in BMW's or Mercedes anymore.

[Red Arrow]

he clocked me at 67 at the end of the ramp.

I told him that meant I wasn't really on it, and he agreed. Still wrote up the warning though.

I would rather follow you on the ramp than most of the drivers I do get to follow.  I don't know how they expect to merge into 65 (+) MPH traffic when they are going 50.

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... I've yet to see a Jeep driving at or below the speed limit. Jeep drivers, for some reason, ALWAYS drive about 10-15 over.
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How many have you seen pulled over?  There may be a method to their madness.

Trans Am, Camero, Mustang, BMW, G35/37 and other sporty cars are generally high speed police catchers.

[Red Arrow]

And the need to use turn signals seems to diminish inverse to how much someone paid for their car.  I'm convinced they don't put turn signals in BMW's or Mercedes anymore.

I told you (or someone) in a previous thread (months ago) that BMWs have turn signals.  There are no instructions on how to use them.

Turn/Lane Change signals also give other traffic a chance to block your move.  The only way to get through the moronic lane hogs and civilian lower speed enforcers is to wait to use your turn/lane change signal until there is no time for the hogs to block your move, ie. turn on the signal as you start your lane change.

I would also base the need for signals on conditions.  If I am catching someone on a 4-lane and there is no one behind me, the likelihood of them seeing me use my turn signal to change lanes is near zero, so why bother.  If another driver needs to know my intentions, I try to make them very obvious, including signals.