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Driving in America
Topic Started: Jun 17 2017, 01:33 PM (346 Views)
Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
What is with the damn toll booths every 5 minutes? Do y'all just have to drive around with a wad of cash all the f*cking time?
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George K
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Finally
You need an EZPass (or Illinois) an iPass. They're free, and they link to your credit card to pay tolls.
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
George K
Jun 17 2017, 01:38 PM
You need an EZPass (or Illinois) an iPass. They're free, and they link to your credit card to pay tolls.
I only cross the border once or twice a year so it's not a huge deal, it's just always strange to me, because here toll highways have cameras at each entrance and exit and they take a pic of your licence plate, and you get a bill once a month.

What happens if you don't realize you're coming up to a toll and you have no cash?
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Rainman
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Fulla-Carp
No toll booths out here! Oh, I guess there is one I can think of, the "Bridge of the Gods" which spans the Columbia river at Cascade Locks.

I was surprised when I was in Boston, and we drove to Portland Maine just for fun. As I recall the round trip cost $12 for tolls.
That really is an unfair tax. I wonder if there is a "pass" for those at the poverty level or on public assistance?
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Rainman
Jun 17 2017, 01:48 PM
No toll booths out here! Oh, I guess there is one I can think of, the "Bridge of the Gods" which spans the Columbia river at Cascade Locks.

I was surprised when I was in Boston, and we drove to Portland Maine just for fun. As I recall the round trip cost $12 for tolls.
That really is an unfair tax. I wonder if there is a "pass" for those at the poverty level or on public assistance?
Most of my US driving is in western New York, (I'm just over a half hour from the border) and it seems like there are toll booths everywhere.
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sue
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HOLY CARP!!!
Do they take your Canadian cash?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
I suspect they have a reciprocity agreement of some sort with Canada. You might want to look into that.
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
sue
Jun 17 2017, 01:51 PM
Do they take your Canadian cash?
Yes, at least the near the border they do take Canadian cash.
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Mikhailoh
Jun 17 2017, 01:52 PM
I suspect they have a reciprocity agreement of some sort with Canada. You might want to look into that.
What do you mean?
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Rainman
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Fulla-Carp
Quote:
 
Riley:
...because here toll highways have cameras at each entrance and exit and they take a pic of your licence plate, and you get a bill once a month.

I would think there are a lot of fake license plates in use, or black tape used to make a 3 into an 8, or other clever ways to fight The Man?
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Copper
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Shortstop
I spent over $1,000 on tolls just going to the airport last year.

It can get crazy around here.

You can pay up to $1 per mile on some parts of the beltway during rush hour.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
George K
Jun 17 2017, 01:38 PM
You need an EZPass (or Illinois) an iPass. They're free, and they link to your credit card to pay tolls.
Actually, just did some googling, and looks like they'll ship the easy passes to Canada free, and it mounts the same way as my 407 Transponder (407 is the Toronto toll highway) so I could just swap them out when I cross the border. Maybe I'll order one, I'm in the US at least once or twice a year.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Riley
Jun 17 2017, 01:46 PM
here toll highways have cameras at each entrance and exit and they take a pic of your licence plate, and you get a bill once a month.
Many of them are like that here, too.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Rainman
Jun 17 2017, 01:57 PM
Quote:
 
Riley:
...because here toll highways have cameras at each entrance and exit and they take a pic of your licence plate, and you get a bill once a month.

I would think there are a lot of fake license plates in use, or black tape used to make a 3 into an 8, or other clever ways to fight The Man?
I think it happens but probably not a lot. The cops watch for obscured licence plates so you would have to cover your licence plate before you get on, uncover it once you're on then repeat the process on the way out.
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Copper
Jun 17 2017, 02:05 PM
I spent over $1,000 on tolls just going to the airport last year.

It can get crazy around here.

You can pay up to $1 per mile on some parts of the beltway during rush hour.
It's about $20 if I want to take the toll highway to Toronto, about 40 miles away, but there are non-toll routes as well, they just take longer. If it's rush hour I'll pay the $20. I'm 45 minutes from downtown Toronto normally but it could be 2 hours plus in rush hour on the "free" highways. However for daily commuters, $20 each way isn't really feasible. However the high price ensures the 407 pretty much never has traffic.
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Rainman
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Fulla-Carp
I would assume (wrongly) that gas is much less expensive in states which have toll roads, as the tax per gallon of gas is much less than out here, where there are no toll freeways.

I would also assume, that the State Dept. of Transportation budget is comparatively smaller in terms of revenue collected via whatever tax mechanism, as opposed to the percentage offset by toll.

Seems like a convoluted system, hard to comprehend for us "outsiders" out west. If a toll is placed on an interstate (federal) freeway, where does the toll $ go, to the state or the feds, which from the feds then help us build our light rail where ticket costs are a fraction of what would actually be needed to pay for it?

Initiating a toll out here is like the continuous argument to instill a sales tax, or to be able to pump your own gas at the gas station. These are always discussed, but the voters never go for any of these.

As to road conditions, the toll freeways from Boston to Maine were excellent. But not around Boston, they were comparatively beat up with potholes and lots of patch work.


Edited by Rainman, Jun 17 2017, 02:44 PM.
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Rainman
Jun 17 2017, 02:43 PM
I would assume (wrongly) that gas is much less expensive in states which have toll roads, as the tax per gallon of gas is much less than out here, where there are no toll freeways.
Well gas is much more expensive here which could explain why toll roads are much less common here. It costs me $40 to fill my tank up here.

I stopped at a gas station in Corfu, NY yesterday and filled up for $22.
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
In Texas, you can purchase the pass, or just drive through the unoccupied toll gate. You'll get a bill in the mail along with a picture of your license plate.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Copper
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Shortstop
Rainman
Jun 17 2017, 02:43 PM

the voters never go for any of these.

Forget the voters, put the right amount of money in the right pockets.

Want millions? Put a few thousand in a local politician's pocket. it's a good return.

I had a local developer explain this to me a few years ago. He bought a bunch of land zoned R1 (1 dwelling per acre). After he bought all the R1 land he spread a few dollars around and just like magic it was all re-zoned 10 or 15 dwellings per acre.

Instant money for nothing.

The developer who did this told me this is exactly what he did.

The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Copper
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Shortstop
Rainman
Jun 17 2017, 02:43 PM
the voters never go for any of these.

Or you could pay attention to the voters like when the toll road from Tyson's Corner to Dulles Airport was built.

The toll road was built by a private company and the deal was that once they made their money back from the construction the toll booths would be removed.

The problem was that they made so much money, so fast they forgot all about removing the toll booths.

Instead they used the money to build even more toll roads.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Tobster
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I live 4 hours from Houston and visit about 4 to 5 times a year. Using the toll roads to get around Houston is so much quicker and easier. We signed up for EZ Pass, since most of the roads are EZ Pass only, very few toll booths remain in use so it is really the only option. I was surprised at how their system works, all you do is provide a description of the vehicle and your license tag number. There is no equipment or device employed. Apparently Houston uses recognition software to analyze the camera image.
Edited by Tobster, Jun 17 2017, 04:12 PM.
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
Riley
Jun 17 2017, 01:33 PM
What is with the damn toll booths every 5 minutes? Do y'all just have to drive around with a wad of cash all the f*cking time?
Yes, I always have cash available in my car to pay tolls. Though they do also accept credit cards. Or if you have no way to pay, they'll take down your license plate and send you a bill.
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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Copper
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Shortstop
The toll road here is not open for cash during the night. EZPass or self-seve credit card only.

I don't know what you do if you don't have credit, the booth is unattended.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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brenda
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..............
Riley, come to Minnesoooooooota. We don't have no stinkin toll roads where I live. :)

There are a few special lanes in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area that require a toll fee during high traffic times, but that's it. The rest of the state is smooth sailing.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Jolly
Jun 17 2017, 03:24 PM
In Texas, you can purchase the pass, or just drive through the unoccupied toll gate. You'll get a bill in the mail along with a picture of your license plate.
Henry hudson bridge (Bronx to Manhattan on the west side) works that way now.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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