fuck every tollway

[gernblansten 3196]

2 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

Does the farmer own the farm or does the farm own the farmer?

Pics of farmer's daughter?

[Deej 76761]

If you don't pay your buck o five, who will?

[Nice Guy Eddie 13511]

I don't have a problem with toll roads in theory and I don't fully understand why disabled vets get a free ride but it doesn't keep me up nights.

However the toll road mgmt often funds other govt projects that are unrelated. Tolls are a great way to require direct users to pay for the upkeep of the roads.  But when the revenue exceeds need, the toll amount should be lowered, and the same in reverse if the expenses exceed the revenue.  They should be revenue/expense neutral outside of a small surplus for emergencies.

[Wally Fairway 5544]

I move that we convert the Drunkenstein wreath fund into the Hooah toll fund.
Anyone want to 2nd this motion?

What's left in that fund anyway???? 'bout treefiddy

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4976]

Tolls are the only way to travel across Mexico. But I avoid them at nearly all costs here.

[El Diablo 4232]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

I understand it now, but with respect to tollways, he’s mistaken. 

At what point do toll roads get paid off? There are toll roads and bridges that have been operated as such since their inception many, many decades ago. That said, I will admit I was a bit surprised when they removed the tollbooths between Dallas and Fort Worth years ago. Shocked actually. Probably had something to do with federal funding but who knows.

[Sandman 3403]

When they built the turnpike system in Oklahoma, the legislature said it would charge the toll for the roads until the cost to build the roads had been paid off. Then, once they paid it off and realized how much $$$ they were raking in, they moved the goal posts and now the fees are permanent to cover "maintenance" . It's a fucking racket but I've got no room to complain because I pay those tolls all the time. 

[phdhorn 6224]

Hmmm... title kinda reminds me of a song (apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein...)

♪♫ Fuck every tollway,
Screw every mile,
Eat shit you tax fucks,
Until you turn to bile!♫♪

Edit:  Saw Clap³ did this first, lol dammit, but hey, why not a second verse?

Edited July 17, 2019 by phdhorn

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

2 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I led a rescue mission into Czechoslovakia to save my platoon, who had been captured.  Do I qualify for a toll exemption?

You were driving the EM-50? The super secret squirrel Urban Assault Vehicle (UAV) ? User name does not fit......

Edited July 17, 2019 by BillyGoatHill

[RDCanecutter 26413]

1 hour ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Tolls are the only way to travel across Mexico. But I avoid them at nearly all costs here.

I am more a Camino de los Espantos type of guy.

https://youtu.be/dGA3ro1qcrQ

Edited July 17, 2019 by RDCanecutter

[huge 3793]

My company picks up my toll bill.  I appreciate this more than I let on.

[DanRydell 799]

4 hours ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

Proposition 1 ; hat we all, or most of us voted in favor of by about 79% to 21% In 2014. Not judging anyone who voted against, but fuck you anyway

Hate to break it to you man but Prop 1 didn't even prohibit the creation of new toll roads, let alone say existing tolls must be removed. Prop 1 diverted existing revenues to road building/maintenance but only that newly diverted revenue can't be spent on toll roads.

[BearSchlong 8087]

4 hours ago, 52-80 said:

what about for people who considered joining JROTC once?

https://www.reddit.com/r/JustBootThings/

[RPM 26318]

5 hours ago, phdhorn said:

 

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So he crashed the gate goin' 98, said let them truckers roll, 10-4!

[Pam Cummings 9640]

Toll roads literally should be federally outlawed. This is why we fucking pay taxes. 

 

Leeches. Scum of the earth. The people in charge of our state are not fit to be in office.

[52-80 19150]

9 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

https://www.reddit.com/r/JustBootThings/

Oh lawly lawhd

[RPM 26318]

The northeast is fuckin littered in toll roads and they made it as difficult as possible to avoid them.

[52-80 19150]

I drove from northern border of Italy down to Rome and back up on the autostrada and the tolls totaled north of 100$.  On 1 fucking roundtrip, barely halfway down the length of the country.  Fucking rip off

[Newdoc 3439]

[SoCalHorn 40]

Texas could raise the gas tax instead of toll roads...

[Zepol87 9185]

5 hours ago, RPM said:

The northeast is fuckin littered in toll roads and they made it as difficult as possible to avoid them.

Train it bro

Edited July 18, 2019 by Zepol87

[InkaUtexas 25911]

1 minute ago, Zepol87 said:

Train it bro

Is that what she said? 

[cmontexas 3270]

Somebody's gonna have to go back and get a shitload of dimes!

[RPM 26318]

1 hour ago, Zepol87 said:

Train it bro

Hard to do in an 18 wheeler. 

[TexArcher 37774]

Toll roads can go fuck themselves.

[Jim Tom Pinch 120]

12 hours ago, AUS-97HORN said:

I told this story on the old board a while ago.  I can personally vouch for the demand letter dollar amount I list below as I saw the letter wtih my own eyes.  The rest of the story was told to me by the co-worker who this happened to, so take that part with a grain of salt.  The conversation I had w/ Alex was in 2013

around 2008/09  economy is tanking, my coworker- Alex (and I) are in sales, things havent been going well the last 2 years, Alex has badly missed his quota and getting basically half pay. He lives right near the Lakeline mall, and has the choice of taking Toll 45 to Round Rock, or take the 15 minute detour to not take the toll and take 620 to i35.

So he's been taking the toll and misses a payment one month so they hit him with the extra fees and charges and he says hes got a $500 bill due month 2- and he claims that $400 of that was legit tolls he earned.  But Alex cant pay the $500, as he said, its either pay the toll or pay the car note.

So he calls the Toll people, works out a payment plan, pays $200 up front and manages to pay another $350 over the next 6 months.  He stops using the toll road cold.   And Sales dont pick up for Alex, in fact they get worse and after 6 months so Alex cant afford to make the monthly payments anymore, so he stops.

Toll company keeps harassing him, but he ignores it because 1. he cant pay anymore anyway, and 2. He assumes that he's paid more than the $500 bill, (of which $100 was fee/penalty anyway), plus' he's paid the additional fees to the tune of another $50 over the next 6 months.    Finally as he says, its been a year, Alex hasnt used the toll roads at all, and his wife opens a letter that says that while he's made payments, they didnt cover the $50/month late fee they charged him for each month, plus they have charged him whatever outrageous interest rate they claim is owed, and now, they had an attorney send the demand letter, and they have added the attorney fee into the amount due- and the interest clock is running hard. its over $1500 - he cant pay that, he still is barely making quota.  

So he does what anyone else does who gets a nutso bill and cant even remotely consider paying it.  It goes in File 13.

Now its sometime in late 2013, Alex has had a good run, finally destroyed his number and gotten a decent bonus, getting him out of the debt hole for everything except that pesky Toll bill.  This is where I personally get to see the letter in question.  He finally hits up the toll company and says he wants to work out a final close the books payment and to send him the bill.

Its a no bullshit $23,xxx.xx demand letter   I only remember the $23k part, no idea what the rest of the numbers were.   Which is why Alex and I are talking about it because he's just opened the letter and made a sound like a wounded animal at his desk.   He knew he was getting hit with fees, but now his original $400 actual toll bill, of which he paid more than $550 on more than 3 years ago (maybe 4) has exploded into more than $20k due.   Over the next month or so he calls and works with the toll attorneys to work out a settlement.   I dont remember the exact number but Alex admitted cutting a check for more than $3k to get the toll company off his ass .

 

Even the $500 payday loan scam team dont have a situation where a $500 debt turns into a fake $23k debt in 5 years.   Hell it doesnt even turn into $3k in 5 years, but its perfectly legal for the toll company to do that.

Shit like this is why people get shot at work.

[Jim Tom Pinch 120]

10 hours ago, BillyGoatHill said:

You were driving the EM-50? The super secret squirrel Urban Assault Vehicle (UAV) ? User name does not fit......

Couple of soldiers took it to get it washed, sir.

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

When I was a kid my dad married a chick from Dallas and I went up there from Houston and learned that toll roads existed. I was thunderstruck that such a patently un-Texan concept was allowed to exist and they still puzzle me to this day. 

[Asithappens 974]

Look, thank you for your service, seriously, but where does the entitlement mentality end?

There's nothing about being a disabled vet that should exempt them from paying tolls like the rest of us: those who served but aren't disabled, those who teach, those who teach in underserved areas, those who go into the ministry, etc. 

Pay your tolls and you won't get hit with a big bill (assuming the toll authority doesn't fuck up).

It's like (Hazelton act, iirc) where not only service members but the dependents of service members (or something like that) get free tuition. Why the dependents? 

I'll probably get negged, but the entitlement mentality (as it applies to this aspect) is bogus. 

[DaysOff 7947]

I agree and every 3rd license plate in San Antonio starts with DV. A fly with guys with the air medal license plate which gives them free princess terminal parking at any Texas airport for life. Free tricare for life. Already drawing their pension in their 40s and flying for a major airline.

[Asithappens 974]

19 hours ago, Dr. Beeper said:

We are going to get back to the above in a second. First, this was the second sentence of your OP “Any road taxes pay for should never EVER have a toll on it.“  You’re gonna have to translate that for me. 

Second, why should no disabled vet have to pay a toll for driving on the same road as others that do pay the toll?  What relevance does being a disabled vet have to do with this?

Third, you really want people that have the audacity to operate their business profitably - albeit very very partially at “disabled vets” expense - dead?

Fourth, what is causing this desire of death is $93?  

Fifth, you say nobody needs to thank you for your service, yet, you make that a very big deal in your OP and subsequent posts. You very much want posters to you you’re a vet, yet, are feigning humility when people thank you for your service. 

Sixth, the above - why don’t we have to pay for travel?  Does past blood payment exempt Southwest Airlines from obtaining revenue?  Should I attempt your argument the next time I get on Vonlane or fill my car up at Shell?  Or did you intend that broad comment to be directed only at tollways?

Yeah, the guy (in that post) comes across as a lunatic.

[Nueces River Rat 5538]

17 hours ago, El Diablo said:

At what point do toll roads get paid off? There are toll roads and bridges that have been operated as such since their inception many, many decades ago. That said, I will admit I was a bit surprised when they removed the tollbooths between Dallas and Fort Worth years ago. Shocked actually. Probably had something to do with federal funding but who knows.

Pretty much the whole interstate system in New Jersey has been toll since it was built decades ago.   Which brings up another question of why the citizens of states who have tolls tolerate tolls on Federal Highways such as Interstates which are largely funded with Federal dollars.    

But then again  New Jersey pretty much exists as go between the metro areas of NYC, Philly, and DC.   Kind of like a giant truck stop and warehouse district if you will .   You only live there if you have to live there.  

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1610]

54 minutes ago, Asithappens said:

Look, thank you for your service, seriously, but where does the entitlement mentality end?

There's nothing about being a disabled vet that should exempt them from paying tolls like the rest of us: those who served but aren't disabled, those who teach, those who teach in underserved areas, those who go into the ministry, etc. 

Pay your tolls and you won't get hit with a big bill (assuming the toll authority doesn't fuck up).

It's like (Hazelton act, iirc) where not only service members but the dependents of service members (or something like that) get free tuition. Why the dependents? 

I'll probably get negged, but the entitlement mentality (as it applies to this aspect) is bogus. 

My point is that no one should have to pay tolls. Period. If a road is built by a company without any tax-payer money to fund the project, then fine. But we all paid for the road already, so its essentially double taxation.

[Asithappens 974]

1 minute ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

My point is that no one should have to pay tolls. Period. If a road is built by a company without any tax-payer money to fund the project, then fine. But we all paid for the road already, so its essentially double taxation.

Yeah, that's a fair point.

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21901]

If I’m not mistaken a number of toll roads have been sold to foreign companies so the current politicians can make a quick buck. Of course us Americans are going to get bent over by them.

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13511]

Not only should tolls exist, they should be more expensive.  Nothing says America and Texas like giving the rich an easier path in life. 

[TwiceHorn 31452]

30 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

My point is that no one should have to pay tolls. Period. If a road is built by a company without any tax-payer money to fund the project, then fine. But we all paid for the road already, so its essentially double taxation.

Maybe I'm obtuse, but if taxpayer money isn't used to build a road, how is it double taxation?  Should your existing tax bill cover all your highway needs and wants without reference to how or how often you use them?  You aren't forced to use toll roads.  If not for the toll, the road probably wouldn't even exist.

In some ways, toll roads are ok.  They finance road construction that apparently otherwise would not occur, and do it by "taxing" those who make use of it. A road consumption tax, if you will. On the other hand, the mechanisms for collecting tolls are fairly out of control.  A big part of it is that it isn't governmental, but rather private, so the usual municipal court quasi-criminal procedures aren't available to enforce it.  So it becomes a mostly civil deal.

The biggest issue is when cost recapture is complete, then what happens.  The old DFW Turnpike was paid off, made free, and incorporated into I-30.  The Dallas North Tollway was paid off, about to be made free, then they decided to extend it to Oklahoma and keep the damn tolls in place.  For years. no one really objected to either.  They were also gated and there was pretty much no way to use them without paying the toll, but if you somehow managed not to, you got a pretty conventional traffic ticket with a court appearance and whatnot, IIRC.

Edited July 18, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[Nice Guy Eddie 13511]

I hear you about the cost recapture convert-to-freeway but the ongoing maintenance and the inevitable complete rebuild won’t be free.    Someone has to fund that.

 

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1610]

10 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

A central part of your point was inexplicably bringing up your veteran status. And I doubt in most cases of tollways, we already paid for the road. 

Those who've served and become disabled because of their service have paid many times over for the cost of roads. So yeah, I do think tolls shouldn't be taken from us. We pay our taxes just like everyone else. The difference is that many of us paid a whole lot more than taxes.

[TXSG8R 3362]

I was in Ireland at the end of June, they have toll roads all over, but they are standard toll-booth affairs where you drop coins or cash, except one road, the M50.  The M50 is automated and will read your plates, but it does not provide any kind of notification.  You're expected to count your own tolls and pay them prior to 8PM the next day or you start incurring fees, first day is like 3 euros, after 14 days its 50 euros, etc.  They offer a convenient website to pay with, but even then, it doesn't tell you how many tolls you have after you enter your vehicle plate, you have to input the number of checkpoints you went through and pay and hope you counted right.  Texas tolls suck, but it could be worse.  

[tx 3 putt 76913]

16 hours ago, huge said:

My company picks up my toll bill.

This, i don’t even know what they charge for tolls in Houston 

for that matter, I have no idea how much they charge for gas or how much tires cost 

[RockyMountainHighHorn 890]

Did I teleport back in time to shaggy or am I dreaming? I know I’ve seen this before...

[formermav43 4606]

I didn’t realize toll roads were paved with the body parts of veterans.

Edited July 18, 2019 by formermav43

[relapse98 634]

36 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

Those who've served and become disabled because of their service have paid many times over for the cost of roads. So yeah, I do think tolls shouldn't be taken from us. We pay our taxes just like everyone else. The difference is that many of us paid a whole lot more than taxes.

(knowing full well this won't get answered)

But what makes toll roads different?
Should you pay sales tax?
Property tax?
Income tax?
Water bill?
Electricity?

What makes tolls so different than the others (property tax being the one that is most similar, as DV get property tax reduction)?

[Gene Parmesan 4005]

What's the big deal?  It's not like you're a first responder.

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1610]

2 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

(knowing full well this won't get answered)

But what makes toll roads different?
Should you pay sales tax?
Property tax?
Income tax?
Water bill?
Electricity?

What makes tolls so different than the others (property tax being the one that is most similar, as DV get property tax reduction)?

Toll roads are an ad hoc expense. They aren't necessary for sustained living. I refuse to use the goddamn things regardless of traffic and my ex-wife who drives the other vehicle with my DV plate knows I don't want her driving on them because I will have to pay for them.

She's from the northeast where tolls are everywhere. Largely, she doesn't. There are times though, where she just doesn't want to wait in traffic and does so against whatever I want. This was the case with my current issue.

[formermav43 4606]

That has nothing to do with being a disabled veteran. You just don’t like toll roads. Which is fine, no one does. But everything else is irrelevant.

[El Diablo 4232]

32 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

This, i don’t even know what they charge for tolls in Houston 

for that matter, I have no idea how much they charge for gas or how much tires cost 

Thank you for your service.

[tx 3 putt 76913]

5 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

Thank you for your service.

No thanks needed, my customers pay a premium which they remind of weekly 

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1610]

Just now, Dr. Beeper said:

So, none of us should pay tolls, but especially vets, and disabled vets even more so?  Sounds like that is your point here. 

I’m failing to make the connection. And I haven’t yet, but I’ll tell you now that guys like you should be honored at every opportunity. But, I can’t see the connection between the injustice of a perhaps-bullshit toll authority experience (I have been there too) - to the tune of $93 - and your disabled vet status. 

The connection is that payment has already been made. Whether that was in blood or taxes, it's been paid. So forcing additional payment is abhorrent.