fuck every tollway

[El Diablo 4232]

1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:

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

We are a grateful nation.

[formermav43 4606]

2 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

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.

You’re conflating two different arguments. That’s why some people are confused about what your point is.

[El Diablo 4232]

2 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

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.

I'm a disabled veteran myself and I'm not following. We must continue to pay to keep our freedoms. It's not a one time users fee. Trying to connect military service to how appropriately you think states fund themselves seems odd.

[TwiceHorn 31450]

37 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

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.

Sounds like someone needs to re-title some vehicles.  Or one in particular.

[Rockinruthman 0]

^^^ This. Or is there a tolling entity charging a vehicle with TX DV plates?

[relapse98 634]

1 hour ago, Dr. Beeper said:

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.  

Well, to be fair, I think it was the ex wife that rang up the toll. So I really don't see why the ex wife of a DV should get free tolls. That connection is quite flimsy.

[formermav43 4606]

2 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

Well, to be fair, I think it was the ex wife that rang up the toll. So I really don't see why the ex wife of a DV should get free tolls. That connection is quite flimsy.

She paid for those plates with her body too.

[Texas_Rocks 346]

For some reason I feel really fortunate to live in the present era of toll roads...because I think future Americans are going to be hit a hell of a lot harder on ALL of the roadways in general.

[SHOOTER12 8800]

12 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Is that what she said? 

Who she?  Candi?

[clapclapclap 9000]

2 hours ago, TXSG8R said:

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.  

They're revenue starved and can't even count to potato.

 

[SHOOTER12 8800]

2 hours 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 

Brother....same here, and I love it.

[clapclapclap 9000]

27 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

She paid for those plates with her body too.

"Thank you for your cervix?"

[Fuck Tim Beck 3815]

16 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

"Thank you for your cervix?"

Paid in blood indeed. 

[DanRydell 799]

3 hours 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.

What makes you think we paid for the road already with taxes? At least in the Austin area, the construction costs for toll roads are paid for by selling bonds, which are then paid back with toll revenues.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13510]

Why do we calculate how much a disabled vet is owed and write them a check. Then the obligation is settled. They can leave the money in the bank, take it to Vegas, pay for tolls or whatever.  

[relapse98 634]

6 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Why do we calculate how much a disabled vet is owed and write them a check. Then the obligation is settled. They can leave the money in the bank, take it to Vegas, pay for tolls or whatever.  

Why do you hate veterans?

[El Diablo 4232]

16 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Why do we calculate how much a disabled vet is owed and write them a check. Then the obligation is settled. They can leave the money in the bank, take it to Vegas, pay for tolls or whatever.  

How much for a big toe?

[Nice Guy Eddie 13510]

9 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

Why do you hate veterans?

I started hating them after I stopped beating my wife.

[Quagmire 2147]

Just be happy you get 10% off a Lowe’s and chill out

[Beau Vine 54211]

I kinda like toll roads.  Keeps the poors off the road, which dramatically reduces traffic.  I'll happily pay for less traffic.

[TwiceHorn 31450]

4 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

I kinda like toll roads.  Keeps the poors off the road, which dramatically reduces traffic.  I'll happily pay for less traffic.

Now what's actually a bit of a conundrum are paid express lanes.  The road gets built without reliance on tolls, but the couple of express lanes are paid.  I guess it defrays the cost of the adjacent non-toll roads.  

[SHOOTER12 8800]

20 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

I kinda like toll roads.  Keeps the poors off the road, which dramatically reduces traffic.  I'll happily pay for less traffic.

Poors, unlicensed illegals, uninsured, teenagers, and some wimmenz

Win, win, win, win, win,

[relapse98 634]

23 minutes ago, SHOOTER12 said:

Poors, unlicensed illegals, uninsured, teenagers, and some wimmenz

Win, win, win, win, win,

Was a fuckin wimmenz that started all this.

['stache 21802]

They seem to be popping up mostly in sprawling areas, and to that extent I'm cool with them. If you want your 5000 sq. ft. match stick McMansion 45 minutes from your office downtown, then you should pay for your fancy new road. I live 5 minutes from my downtown office and will not be using your road. I have no need to drive 45 minutes to eat at your fancy strip mall McDonalds or Chilis.

In general, however, all of our roads are underfunded. We need much higher gas taxes and an additional usage (i.e. mileage) tax. There are many ways to impliment a mileage tax, but it'll never happen cause cloak room.  

[BearSchlong 8084]

3 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

"Thank you for your cervix?"

Hey, you will salute his ex-wife by his rank! actually, there's a subreddit for that too.

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

[BearSchlong 8084]

2 hours ago, Quagmire said:

Just be happy you get 10% off a Lowe’s and chill out

After a year in 'Nam my dad left the army and literally never thought that he'd ever ask the guvment for anything. . .no VA medical care, nada.  One morning 5 years ago his breakfast group (Every day, 5:30am at the Whataburger) are discussing senior discounts and the topic of military discounts was broached by one of his pals, who happens to be the main primary care practitioner for the local VA office. Dad says "nope, left the Army after 'Nam, never looked back, wanted to forget that whole time period happened, never took advantage of any programs, but I DO WANT A 10% DISCOUNT AT LOWE'S" 

His buddy the MD says "wait a minute, you served in 'Nam, and you're the only one in your family with diabetes, bazinga, agent orange gave you the diabeetus, you're 100% disabled, stop by the office, we'll begin the process, and you'll get your payment"

My takeaway is that my dad was dumb for thinking that he was shaggy 1% and that he wasn't going to suck the guvment tit because he's a good republican, because he had no way of knowing that A. diabetes would show up unexpectedly and kick his ass, and b. that shaggy 1% life went away after the drama of 2008.  So I'm happy he's getting his checks.  And all the other discounts that come along with his Bronze Star license plate.

I'm finna text him right now to remind him that he can get free tolls in HTown.

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by BearSchlong

[Asithappens 974]

6 minutes ago, BearSchlong said:

After a year in 'Nam my dad left the army and literally never thought that he'd ever ask the guvment for anything. . .no VA medical care, nada.  One morning 5 years ago his breakfast group (Every day, 5:30am at the Whataburger) are discussing senior discounts and the topic of military discounts was broached by one of his pals, who happens to be the main primary care practitioner for the local VA office. Dad says "nope, left the Army after 'Nam, never looked back, wanted to forget that whole time period happened, never took advantage of any programs, but I DO WANT A 10% DISCOUNT AT LOWE'S" 

His buddy the MD says "wait a minute, you served in 'Nam, and you're the only one in your family with diabetes, bazinga, agent orange gave you the diabeetus, you're 100% disabled, stop by the office, we'll begin the process, and you'll get your payment"

My takeaway is that my dad was dumb for thinking that he was shaggy 1% and that he wasn't going to suck the guvment tit because he's a good republican, because he had no way of knowing that A. diabetes would show up unexpectedly and kick his ass, and b. that shaggy 1% life went away after the drama of 2008.  So I'm happy he's getting his checks.  And all the other discounts that come along with his Bronze Star license plate.

I'm finna text him right now to remind him that he can get free tolls in HTown.

 

 

Wanting to "get what's yours" isn't just a lower socio-economic minority thing.

 

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

7 hours ago, Asithappens said:

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? 

 

 

Just a little info about the Hazelwood Act which was amended by Texas Senator Grady Hazelwood in 1944 for returning WWII Vets but actually predates back to a 1923 law for the state to cover tuition for returning veterans of WWI, Nurses, and their children. For the longest time though, the veteran had to have been killed for a spouse or child to receive the benefit.

IIRC, it was changed in 2009 for the Veteran to extend this to their children due to I believe, many Veterans never using the benefit for themselves (it has to be used through a publicly funded state institution). I lived out of state after leaving the service, so it wasn't available to me for 22 years.  I moved back to the state in 2009, my daughter (no pics), moved here in 2010, established residency, and then finished her degree here. That she had credits from out of state that carried over, she didn't use all my hours. So I still have 80-90 available. Maybe after my second retirement check, back to school for me. It is only 150 hrs total per Veteran and cannot be used for multiple children at the same time. My brother in law has twins in school now and only one daughter is eligible to use hrs. at a time.

Not saying you are complaining about Veteran benefits, but it is available to ALL TEXAS residents. You just have to raise your right hand, swear an oath, and hope you don't get killed in some shithole country. 

From the state site below....... 

The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does NOT include living expenses, books, or supply fees.

 

[dingleberryswitzer 2724]

Slightly off topic, but do people with "DV" plates automatically have access to handicap parking?  Or is it just one of those things where they park in a handicap and no one is asshole enough to ticket a DV?

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

4 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Slightly off topic, but do people with "DV" plates automatically have access to handicap parking?  Or is it just one of those things where they park in a handicap and no one is asshole enough to ticket a DV?

Yes. They are allowed in a handicap space.

[relapse98 634]

deleted

Edited July 18, 2019 by relapse98
kindler, gentler

[BillyGoatHill 4312]

41 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

They being a vehicle with DV plates, if the DV is in the vehicle. Which is different than the toll. Those allow any vehicle [372.053(a) ] with DV or the various military specialty plates listed in 504.315(f) and (g) to get free tolls, even if driven by an ex wife.

 

Yep. I get that, but good luck being the PC police on whether or not someone is what "you or others" think are handicapped. 

 

I have more than one funny story regarding friends that are legit......this one is about a co-worker, amputee below the knee (not really a disability/amputation, according to those that have above the knee amputations, "his words from friends" at the CFTI) from an IED in Iraq. He has great sense of humor about it and actually has specialty plates that spoof his "injury". 

While he was in SA at the CFTI, he being a little more mobile than others, was driving a van with 4 other soldiers from the Center. IIRC, for some reason they were going to Home Depot or Lowes for I'm not sure what.

They are in a government van, but without specialty plates. No mirror placard either. He parks in the handicap spot because, well, one guy is a double leg amputee and hasn't adjusted to his prosthetics yet , so he is still wheelchair bound.

A man is walking through the parking lot to the store and looking through the pax windows, he just sees a handful of young, athletic looking men that are parking in the handicap spot. My buddy Ryan doesn't even have his door open yet and he is getting an earful. He is smiling and trying to explain but the guy will have none of it. Other guys take it pretty well too, but procede to all slowly get out of the van and show the guy that between the 5 of them, they might barely have a complete body. Granted, most had their prosthetics on, but Ryan is an amputee below the knee right leg. Dude in passenger seat is missing left arm. One guy in back is missing both legs above the knee and other guy in back is missing right arm and right leg. 

The guy that was harassing them returned to his car without ever even going into the store. 

Edited July 18, 2019 by BillyGoatHill

[Jerry Callo 8700]

When it comes to federal gas taxes, Texas is a donor state - meaning we pay more than we get back.  Some states get more than they pay in gas taxes.  Fuck paying federal taxes for roads.  Toll roads don't bother me, though.  I much prefer user fees than across the board taxes.

It won't be long before people are taxed on the number of miles driven as opposed to, or probably in addition to, gas taxes.  Cars are getting too fuel efficient to raise enough money for building and maintaining road.  The Tesla drivers don't pay anything for roads - with the notable exception of those who paid in blood and body parts.

 

[Hank Scorpio 17729]

You have to pay to drive on certain roads? I've never heard of that. I'll have to ask my driver about this. 

[Paper_jam 831]

Sometimes I have to** drive SH130 and I was fine with that when the traffic was light and the road was good enough to drive fast as shit. At least I felt like i was getting my money's worth. But now there is construction everywhere with reduced speed limits and more traffic, it's just like every other fucked up highway around here. 

** OK, I could take regular 183 to Lockhart but fuck that.

 

 

['stache 21802]

 

[Armybrat 40832]

6 hours ago, SHOOTER12 said:

Poors, unlicensed illegals, uninsured, teenagers, and some wimmenz

Win, win, win, win, win,

And 18 wheelers on 45 North.

[Armybrat 40832]

5 hours ago, 'stache said:

They seem to be popping up mostly in sprawling areas, and to that extent I'm cool with them. If you want your 5000 sq. ft. match stick McMansion 45 minutes from your office downtown, then you should pay for your fancy new road. I live 5 minutes from my downtown office and will not be using your road. I have no need to drive 45 minutes to eat at your fancy strip mall McDonalds or Chilis.

In general, however, all of our roads are underfunded. We need much higher gas taxes and an additional usage (i.e. mileage) tax. There are many ways to impliment a mileage tax, but it'll never happen cause cloak room.  

About 1/3 of Texas’ gas tax revenue is diverted from highways to non- road projects..... and has been for decades. Same with the Federal gas tax.

[UTGrad98 2271]

I dont care much for new cars or big houses but I damn sure dont mind paying $1.80 to get home every day in 15 minutes instead of 40 after working 8-10 hours. Money is time saved for me. That's it. Whether it's tolls or paying some kid 30 bucks every 2 weeks to mow my lawn so I dont have to on my day off, I will gladly do it. I used to hate tolls but not any more....and I am as miserly as they come.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13510]

29 minutes ago, UTGrad98 said:

I dont care much for new cars or big houses but I damn sure dont mind paying $1.80 to get home every day in 15 minutes instead of 40 after working 8-10 hours. Money is time saved for me. That's it. Whether it's tolls or paying some kid 30 bucks every 2 weeks to mow my lawn so I dont have to on my day off, I will gladly do it. I used to hate tolls but not any more....and I am as miserly as they come.

I used to drive “against traffic” on the Katy freeway in Houston.  Hopping on the toll lane for 30 cents to get home 15-20 minutes earlier was the easiest investment I’ve ever made.  I would have easily paid $2 or more.  Time is money and I don’t want to waste life sitting in my car. I would love toll lanes now but my commute is side streets.

Edited July 19, 2019 by Nice Guy Eddie

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

On 7/17/2019 at 11:22 AM, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

Every tollway can eat a goddamn dick. Any road taxes pay for should never EVER have a toll on it. 

Fuck these bastards for charging tolls to disabled veterans. We paid with our goddamn lives and limbs to be able to drive wherever we goddamn well please/need to. There is literally not a single road in this fucking country any disabled veteran should be charged to drive on.

I agree, stay the fuck way from Florida.

[relapse98 634]

7 hours ago, Jerry Callo said:

 I much prefer user fees than across the board taxes.

Yup. I get hating to pay directly for.a toll road, it actually shows you what it costs to build and maintain a road, and skim some from the top. I don't get wanting to pay more taxes to maintain a road ypu may never use. That's very altruistic but meh.

[Fuck Tim Beck 3815]

8 hours ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

Slightly off topic, but do people with "DV" plates automatically have access to handicap parking?  Or is it just one of those things where they park in a handicap and no one is asshole enough to ticket a DV?

They have access. The spots in Killeen are filled with new Corvettes, Maseratis, AMGs, etc. 

[RPM 26318]

5 hours ago, Armybrat said:

About 1/3 of Texas’ gas tax revenue is diverted from highways to non- road projects..... and has been for decades. Same with the Federal gas tax.

DPS is the first dipper in the bucket.

[Updawg 2266]

DPS is the first dipper in the bucket.

They are

How long has the disabled vet home tax break been around? I just heard about it recently from some ridiculous supposed disabled vets getting it. I'm all for the people that need it but these people got that status and are not really disabled at all . pretty crazy to give someone 10k for nothing. Can't we compensate a different way

I appreciate your service and especially the ones harmed in battle. But if you you blow out your shoulder playing volleyball on base that is bullshit there are better ways to compensate

[Asithappens 974]

6 hours ago, Updawg said:

I appreciate your service and especially the ones harmed in battle. But if you you blow out your shoulder playing volleyball on base that is bullshit there are better ways to compensate
 

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but we're not in the draft. If you were "forced" into the armed forces and got injured/disabled that's a little bit different than if you volunteered. 

There should be some medical benefits and things like that for disabled vets (obviously), but free tolls? Homestead exemptions? Come on. People need to stop suckin' at the gubmint teat so much.

[HOOK'EMHOOAH 1610]

I'm not going to neg someone for having an opinion. Even if I disagree with it. I may be a surly asshole, but I'm not that surly asshole.

We did volunteer. We volunteered to step up to the plate so one one else had to. So if any other people who decided to raise their goddamn hand and face shit disagrees, then a conversation we can have. Never the less, everyone who did raise their hand, did so to ensure that any surly asshole in this country can disagree with any other surly asshole.

I still dont agree that anyone should have to pay a toll to drive on a goddamn road in Texas. I will never agree with that position if tax payer money went to build it.

[TXSG8R 3362]

8 hours ago, Updawg said:

They are

How long has the disabled vet home tax break been around? I just heard about it recently from some ridiculous supposed disabled vets getting it. I'm all for the people that need it but these people got that status and are not really disabled at all . pretty crazy to give someone 10k for nothing. Can't we compensate a different way

I appreciate your service and especially the ones harmed in battle. But if you you blow out your shoulder playing volleyball on base that is bullshit there are better ways to compensate
 

You have to be 100% disabled to get the full tax exemption.  A guy at 99% would only get $12k removed from his property's taxable value, not a $12k property tax exemption.  Lots of guys get bullshit disabilities (a neighbor got like 30% for eczema), but generally guys at 100% have to be fairly fucked up.  I shattered my ankle and had to have it reconstructed and have all kinds of recurring problems from that, and Im only at 70%.  

[Asithappens 974]

31 minutes ago, HOOK'EMHOOAH said:

We volunteered to step up to the plate so one one else had to.

Again, thanks for your service (seriously), but "so no one else had to"? Really?

That's a movie line, not a real life line. People volunteer for the armed services for a lot of reasons: vocational, to do something for 4 years, to actually engage in warfare. But to think that by volunteering you're saving somebody else from "having" to do it (and in a volunteer army....) is a bit much, imo.

[TXSG8R 3362]

1 minute ago, Asithappens said:

Again, thanks for your service (seriously), but "so no one else had to"? Really?

That's a movie line, not a real life line. People volunteer for the armed services for a lot of reasons: vocational, to do something for 4 years, to actually engage in warfare. But to think that by volunteering you're saving somebody else from "having" to do it (and in a volunteer army....) is a bit much, imo.

Cheesy line aside, if the pentagon cant make their quotas for a functioning armed service, what do you think would happen exactly?