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#1
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
Hi,
I was in a situation, or almost in a situation, and just want to know... "What would have happened??" I was crossing from Oakland area to San Rafael, and because there is no toll heading Southbound, I didn't know there was a Northbound toll. Generally this kind of thing isn't a problem, but at the time, I had no US cash on me. I was just heading an hour north of San Rafael to return to my friend's place, to pack everything up and head to Reno, so at the time, I didn't really need the cash. Thankfully, my friend was in the car, and although he didn't know of the toll either (because he didn't drive that way, he only knew of a toll on the Golden Gate), he did happen to have cash and paid it. So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? I'm not exactly in a position to turn around on the bridge, go back to Oakland and get some cash from an ATM. And I'm not intending to rip them off either, but as far as I know, unless I'm wrong on this one... cash is all they take. Just wanted to know... I'm going to be wiser and make sure I keep some small bills for emergencies, just in case this ever happens again. I lasted in the US up until five days before I left with a supply of change and one's for vending machines, tolls and laundry... I guess I should have tried to last longer at that... S. |
#2
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
"Sapphyre" wrote:
So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? You would've been arrested, placed in irons and subject to a full-body cavity search with a hot poker. More likely, you would've received a civil citation with a fine to pay or contest, and sent on your way. =R= |
#3
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
Sapphyre wrote: Hi, I was in a situation, or almost in a situation, and just want to know... "What would have happened??" I was crossing from Oakland area to San Rafael, and because there is no toll heading Southbound, I didn't know there was a Northbound toll. Generally this kind of thing isn't a problem, but at the time, I had no US cash on me. I was just heading an hour north of San Rafael to return to my friend's place, to pack everything up and head to Reno, so at the time, I didn't really need the cash. Thankfully, my friend was in the car, and although he didn't know of the toll either (because he didn't drive that way, he only knew of a toll on the Golden Gate), he did happen to have cash and paid it. So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? I'm not exactly in a position to turn around on the bridge, go back to Oakland and get some cash from an ATM. And I'm not intending to rip them off either, but as far as I know, unless I'm wrong on this one... cash is all they take. Just wanted to know... I'm going to be wiser and make sure I keep some small bills for emergencies, just in case this ever happens again. I lasted in the US up until five days before I left with a supply of change and one's for vending machines, tolls and laundry... I guess I should have tried to last longer at that... S. You would leave some information with the toll collector, an address or something like that, with your photo id to show it's your real address, with a promise to pay. |
#4
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
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#5
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
"Runge" wrote:
and if you just were a foreign tourist? You'd be turned over to INS, your assets would be seized, and you'd be deported to Mexico. |
#6
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
On 8/25/2006 6:49 PM Sapphyre wrote:
Hi, I was in a situation, or almost in a situation, and just want to know... "What would have happened??" I was crossing from Oakland area to San Rafael, and because there is no toll heading Southbound, I didn't know there was a Northbound toll. Generally this kind of thing isn't a problem, but at the time, I had no US cash on me. I was just heading an hour north of San Rafael to return to my friend's place, to pack everything up and head to Reno, so at the time, I didn't really need the cash. Thankfully, my friend was in the car, and although he didn't know of the toll either (because he didn't drive that way, he only knew of a toll on the Golden Gate), he did happen to have cash and paid it. So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? I'm not exactly in a position to turn around on the bridge, go back to Oakland and get some cash from an ATM. And I'm not intending to rip them off either, but as far as I know, unless I'm wrong on this one... cash is all they take. Just wanted to know... I'm going to be wiser and make sure I keep some small bills for emergencies, just in case this ever happens again. I lasted in the US up until five days before I left with a supply of change and one's for vending machines, tolls and laundry... I guess I should have tried to last longer at that... S. Living in New Jersey, I am not familiar with that particular toll bridge. On the Garden State Parkway, a toll road, we have EZ Pass, Exact Change and manned Change lanes. Not known to many motorists in the EZ Pass and Exact Change lanes there's a little dispenser of Parkway Authority self-addressed envelopes. They are big enough for you to insert the appropriate toll in change or write a check and drop in the mail. If you do this in a timely fashion (within the next few days) a traffic summons will not be mailed to the person registered to the plates on the car you are driving. If at the exact change lane you miss the coin basket, or it's malfunctioning blow your horn for two seconds or so before driving on. It's supposed to deactivate the camera that takes pictures of toll cheaters, in most cases it does. If you recognize your dilemma before reaching the toll both, you pull into the manned toll booth. They are equipped to make change of any US tender under $50.00 although I did get change from a C-note once. If you don't have any cash at all, the toll booth attendant will take down your plates, driver license and hand you one of those little envelopes. While things might not work exactly the same, most likely they have some provision in for folks who lack the appropriate tender for the toll. -- ________ To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951 |
#7
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
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#8
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
On 2006-08-26 17:58:21 -0400, Brian K said:
If at the exact change lane you miss the coin basket, or it's malfunctioning blow your horn for two seconds or so before driving on. That is, if the delay doesn't cause the rude Noo Joisey drivers behind you to immobilize your car by smashing into it a few times because you've inconvenienced them! :-) |
#9
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
Car's always a rental... Getting a citation would probably burn, but
hopefully the amount wouldn't be riddiculous. If taking a credit card imprint or some such thing (with ID) were good enough, that would make the most sense if you ask me, then they can be sure to get their money, and perhaps charge some administration fee for dealing with someone who "didn't know". Seriously, it's not like we can just "turn around" on the bridge, go back to the previous city we were in, and hit up an ABM for some cash to cover the toll. Once you're there, with cars in front and behind you, and it's one way... there is no way out of this one. I won't make this mistake twice though, I'm going to be sure to carry a pile of ones and some quarters in the glove box next time I travel to the US, just in case I come across a place with a toll, and "didn't know". I usually have cash, but sometimes "I just used it to fill up the tank", and haven't gotten to a grocery store for cash back, or reached one of my branches for banking yet. Tolls don't occur so much in Canada. We have one on the 407 (but it's well marked, and you don't HAVE to use that highway). Not to mention you don't PAY the toll, they send a ticket to the rental company, who sends a copy to the visitor, who then must repay. I know this because some German Tourists in my town received such a ticket, sent it to their host, who came to buy a money order from me and pay it for them. There are bridge tolls from Canada to the US. Some are for both ways, I think some might be one way (but I'm not sure about this, I thought all International Bridges here had a toll for both directions, I could be wrong). In such case, while thinking about making sure I have my Canadian Passport, or in previous years, PR Card and UK passport, I make sure we can cover the toll. Fortunately they take both currencies at most bridges (in Upstate New York). Aside from that... I don't know of any other tolls here. S. PeterL wrote: Runge wrote: and if you just were a foreign tourist ? They'll send a ticket to the owner of the car. "PeterL" a écrit dans le message de news: ... Sapphyre wrote: Hi, I was in a situation, or almost in a situation, and just want to know... "What would have happened??" I was crossing from Oakland area to San Rafael, and because there is no toll heading Southbound, I didn't know there was a Northbound toll. Generally this kind of thing isn't a problem, but at the time, I had no US cash on me. I was just heading an hour north of San Rafael to return to my friend's place, to pack everything up and head to Reno, so at the time, I didn't really need the cash. Thankfully, my friend was in the car, and although he didn't know of the toll either (because he didn't drive that way, he only knew of a toll on the Golden Gate), he did happen to have cash and paid it. So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? I'm not exactly in a position to turn around on the bridge, go back to Oakland and get some cash from an ATM. And I'm not intending to rip them off either, but as far as I know, unless I'm wrong on this one... cash is all they take. Just wanted to know... I'm going to be wiser and make sure I keep some small bills for emergencies, just in case this ever happens again. I lasted in the US up until five days before I left with a supply of change and one's for vending machines, tolls and laundry... I guess I should have tried to last longer at that... S. You would leave some information with the toll collector, an address or something like that, with your photo id to show it's your real address, with a promise to pay. |
#10
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Bridge Tolls, No Cash?
Hi Brian,
Seems very reasonable if you ask me. I would think that tourists, visitors and new people in the area are the most common violators of tolls, simply because in some countries like Canada, it's not common practice. You'd think since I live near Toronto I'm familiar with them, but our Toll Highway doesn't operate the same way... There's a transponder for frequent users, or some one time fees that you pay when the "ticket" is mailed to you. Tourists have been known to wander onto the Toll Road at times not realizing they took the wrong exit or such, or not known how they were supposed to pay, then got the ticket. The rental agency surcharges the ticket, but for the most part, we all pay the same way to use the road, so the consequences are not that dire. I figured the situation was pretty common, that someone should have an idea on what might happen. I guess I was wondering if there's any difference between a "toll cheater", and someone who "didn't know, thus came unprepared". Had there been a toll on the Southbound trip, I would have known. I figured because there was no Southbound toll, there would be no Northbound toll either. Obviously I was wrong. S. Brian K wrote: On 8/25/2006 6:49 PM Sapphyre wrote: Hi, I was in a situation, or almost in a situation, and just want to know... "What would have happened??" I was crossing from Oakland area to San Rafael, and because there is no toll heading Southbound, I didn't know there was a Northbound toll. Generally this kind of thing isn't a problem, but at the time, I had no US cash on me. I was just heading an hour north of San Rafael to return to my friend's place, to pack everything up and head to Reno, so at the time, I didn't really need the cash. Thankfully, my friend was in the car, and although he didn't know of the toll either (because he didn't drive that way, he only knew of a toll on the Golden Gate), he did happen to have cash and paid it. So what would have happened if neither of us COULD pay the toll? What do they do? I'm not exactly in a position to turn around on the bridge, go back to Oakland and get some cash from an ATM. And I'm not intending to rip them off either, but as far as I know, unless I'm wrong on this one... cash is all they take. Just wanted to know... I'm going to be wiser and make sure I keep some small bills for emergencies, just in case this ever happens again. I lasted in the US up until five days before I left with a supply of change and one's for vending machines, tolls and laundry... I guess I should have tried to last longer at that... S. Living in New Jersey, I am not familiar with that particular toll bridge. On the Garden State Parkway, a toll road, we have EZ Pass, Exact Change and manned Change lanes. Not known to many motorists in the EZ Pass and Exact Change lanes there's a little dispenser of Parkway Authority self-addressed envelopes. They are big enough for you to insert the appropriate toll in change or write a check and drop in the mail. If you do this in a timely fashion (within the next few days) a traffic summons will not be mailed to the person registered to the plates on the car you are driving. If at the exact change lane you miss the coin basket, or it's malfunctioning blow your horn for two seconds or so before driving on. It's supposed to deactivate the camera that takes pictures of toll cheaters, in most cases it does. If you recognize your dilemma before reaching the toll both, you pull into the manned toll booth. They are equipped to make change of any US tender under $50.00 although I did get change from a C-note once. If you don't have any cash at all, the toll booth attendant will take down your plates, driver license and hand you one of those little envelopes. While things might not work exactly the same, most likely they have some provision in for folks who lack the appropriate tender for the toll. -- ________ To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951 |
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