Toll roads that mail you a bill

[HarmonicaBruce]

This is a warning for travelers.  I was in southern California in January, following my gps, and the next think I know I'm on a toll road.  There was no toll booth.  I saw a sign that said last exit before toll road, but I kept going.  There was a lane for those who had some special device, and another for those who wanted their toll bill mailed to them.  I had no choice.  When I got the bill, it was for $7, plus $200 late charge.  As far as I'm concerned, I was robbed.  The state of California is a criminal organization.

Something similar happened to me in Texas, just south of Austin, this past month.  The day after I was unintentionally on a toll road, I searched the internet and contacted them.  I was told I would not be billed because I had out of state plates.  I just hope and pray they weren't lying to me.  

I'll avoid all toll roads from now on, you just don't know.  It might take me a little longer to get where I'm going, but that's better than spending hours on the phone trying to not get robbed.

I suspect California does this to out of state people as a way to enhance their revenues.  If you have South Dakota plates, driving in California, prepare to get robbed.  If you're from a foreign country, here illegally and convicted of felonies, no problem, you'll get sanctuary.  I really hate California.  BEWARE!

 

[Van-Tramp]

Colorado is doing the same thing. The E470 around the Denver Metro area is all unmanned tolls booths now. Not easy to get those in time before a late fee, but I imagine if you call and explain they might (just maybe?) let you off the hook on the late fee. Worth a shot... but then it is CA, you are right.

 

[moorejames]

Yeah, and the rental cars all have the toll device built in to them.  They very conveniently tack all your tolls on to your rental bill.  I barely realized I was on toll roads and ended up with a fairly significant extra amount on my bill for tolls...

 

[ccbreder]

If you don't have Ez-pass, Sun-Pass, or what ever pass, You will pay a premium on tolls. My ez-pass gets me a discount on most toll roads and some bridges. I'm not aware of $200 fines if paying by mail, but we are more liberal here on the east coast. You will pay about $5 per day plus the toll if you rely on the rental car toll plate. I use a sun-pass when i rent a car while visiting my family in Fla.

 

[Gunny]

In Ft Worth they have been widening Loop 820 around the city and it has included an "Express" lane.during construction (which is still going on) there were the plate readers at every exit and scattered thru some very poorly marked construction. It is difficult to tell what lane you need to be in to avoid the fees and of course the "Express" lanes were finished first.

I asked a local cop if there was a way to tell which lane was going to feed into the toll road, he sort of laughed and told me even they haven't figured it out yet. The lanes leading into the toll road seem to change daily, or at least weekly as construction goes on and on and on but there is no break if you get stuck on one.

 

[JT646]

I'll avoid all toll roads from now on, you just don't know.  It might take me a little longer to get where I'm going, but that's better than spending hours on the phone trying to not get robbed.

I suspect California does this to out of state people as a way to enhance their revenues.  If you have South Dakota plates, driving in California, prepare to get robbed.  If you're from a foreign country, here illegally and convicted of felonies, no problem, you'll get sanctuary.  I really hate California.  BEWARE!

I hate those damn tolls too!   You can usually go to a web site and pay these on line....no late fee if you pay within   X (?) number of days.

Here's one of the links for Southern Cal:

https://secure.thetollroads.com/violation/payTolls.do

 

[TrainChaser]

Tolls by Trolls. I think that all of the states that have toll roads probably do this. Name a state that isn't criminal -- we'll all move there.

 

[MrNoodly]

So, HarmonicaBruce, it took $207.00 for you to learn to pay attention to road signs and not be too trusting of GPS?

Hey, I had a similar thing happen to me, so I feel your pain. I used to live in San Francisco, so I was used to stopping to pay a toll on the bridges. But I hadn't been there in about 20 years and didn't know they had gotten all modern with scanners and cameras. I was surprised and confused when I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge southbound and traffic just kept rolling through what used to be the toll plaza. I got online afterward to see what the deal was and paid my toll and small fine online. But something went wrong and that payment didn't go through. Then, a month later, when I got my forwarded mail, there was a whopping fine.

 

[cyndi]

Just one more reason to avoid cities, stay off the interstates and on the secondary highways, enjoying the scenery

 

[Gary68]

i have never paid a toll in my life,i am allergic to interstates and anything that resembles a city

 

[ccbreder]

Interstates are mostly free. Bridges not. My world would be too small if I tried to avoid all toll bridges or roads for that matter. The various toll pass devices are well worth the trouble to obtain. At this point I have 4, hopefully someday there will be a national pass.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

The various toll pass devices are well worth the trouble to obtain.

I had an e-z pass for many years as I had to commute over the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge every day.  I kept it when I retired, but was then only using it once or twice a month.  Eventually, I discovered that they expected you to use it 17 times a month, AND WOULD CHARGE YOU A DOLLAR FOR EACH UNUSED TRIP.  So I was paying an extra $15 a month for the privilege of having an e-z pass.

 

[rvwandering]

If this happens again trying calling like Van-Tramp suggests. We ran into the same situation in Florida - no toll booth and a bill with late charges because we didn't get our mail until a few months later. The charges were removed when we explained that we were visiting and did not have access to our mail.

 

[GotSmart]

If this happens again trying calling like Van-Tramp suggests. We ran into the same situation in Florida - no toll booth and a bill with late charges because we didn't get our mail until a few months later. The charges were removed when we explained that we were visiting and did not have access to our mail.

I had te same experience in S. CA,  

On I 70 in Kansas there is a section of toll road.  You can tell it by the clean sides, the lack of holes, and the $3 charge (At a booth) when it ended.     It was well worth the cost for not having to dodge pits and rocks.

 

[ccbreder]

I don't know which state you had your ez pass. They cover most of the mid Atlantic and some of New England. I have mine through New Jersey and I pay $1 per month service charge. A friend says she does not have any service charge. I think with Pa. For the southern states I have sun pass and pay no service fee. I go many months with no toll charges on the passes. I have not seen any other charges. I also had a different tag that is no longer valid, and don't remember any minimum fee. I do keep a small balance of $25 on the tag and have them linked to my credit card. Maybe that is why I have no excess charges.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I don't know which state you had your ez pass. They cover most of the mid Atlantic and some of New England. I have mine through New Jersey and I pay $1 per month service charge. A friend says she does not have any service charge. I think with Pa. For the southern states I have sun pass and pay no service fee. I go many months with no toll charges on the passes. I have not seen any other charges. I also had a different tag that is no longer valid, and don't remember any minimum fee. I do keep a small balance of $25 on the tag and have them linked to my credit card. Maybe that is why I have no excess charges.

Interesting.  I got mine from the New York State Bridge Authority, which runs the 5 bridges across the Hudson River.

 

[MrNoodly]

i am allergic to interstates and anything that resembles a city

There are treatments for that.

 

[DannyB1954]

Need one of those James Bond licence plates. Wonder what the other one might say. Tax2much. Pay2much, cYaa, ChksNmail,

 

[Drewskers]

Anyone travelling to Western WA state needs to know that the SR 520 bridge and Tacoma Narrows bridge collect tolls this way.