A morality quiz for you--but do you have any also?

[asianflava]

We have been lucky round here. closest toll road I know of is about 200 miles away. Unfortunatley that will change soon they are commin

Don't worry, they are coming. Pretty soon Austin will be full of toll roads. Some people are pissed because they are turning some existing roads (previously paid for with taxes) into toll roads. They claim that they are not, but they are getting around it by leaving the frontage road as non toll.

[Normspeed]

Ira, I think some unmanned toll booths default to a green light after a certain time elapses, for motorists who just plain forgot they need some quarters to get through. Myself, I'd probably go for the freebies. But, if you get a letter from the state saying oh by the way, we've been photographing your license plate as you made umpteen free runs through our toll booth, and you owe us $$$, that's the time to grit your teeth and pay the man.

I once knew someone who was aware their electric meter had stopped and they just kept running the A/C, pool pump, etc. and didn't question or report the obvious error for months. Sure got mad when they got a back bill from the power co though. I know, everyone hates the derned power company, but just making a point.

Have you got any crab pics yet?

Norm

[TRAIL-OF-TEARS]

We have been lucky round here. closest toll road I know of is about 200 miles away. Unfortunatley that will change soon they are commin

Don't worry, they are coming. Pretty soon Austin will be full of toll roads. Some people are pissed because they are turning some existing roads (previously paid for with taxes) into toll roads. They claim that they are not, but they are getting around it by leaving the frontage road as non toll.

That is exactly what they are doing in SA.

[wentzzee]

About toll roads.............Conn took down its toll booths on I-95 after it was supposedly paid for and so did Virginia..........Now if 2 can do it why not everyone........I forgot KY is turining parkways into freeways

[DestinDave]

That's true - Kentucky does remove the toll booths and open up the roads after they are paid for. But on the Western Kentucky Parkway where I used to live the condition of the road deteriorated after the tolls stopped.

As for the morality issue at the beginning of this thread... in my opinion if the subject creeps into your mind time and time again and you're questioning whether it's "wrong" then it probably is and you're looking for someone else to tell you it isn't. Or searching for a way to justify the action.

On another thought - I had the Sunpass when I lived in Florida because I had to make 4 trips a day over a toll bridge (it saved me $4/day). The way it works is I approach the Sunpass lane, my transponder sends a signal to the booth, is identified, and my account is deducted toll amount. Ira, what if the guy in the other lane passing is approaching the booth and is accidentally being recognized by both lanes - is it possible his account is being charged twice? In this case the system isn't losing any money - just the car who happened to come along and give you a freebie.

I can tell you what I would do but not here, not now... I'll PM you if you'd like. Dave

[wilbour]

IraRat

The basic question was is this ok to continue or not. If you are asking the question then you already know the answer. It is my experiance that these freebees always come back to bite you. We have so many things on our minds today, do we realy need to burden ourselves with getting something for free and then worrying about it. You can set an example and do the "right" thing. That way you can offer it as an example for any time someone needs advise and you can direct them by saying "I remember... and I did what was right" You won't win any awards but you may just save someone from doing something realy wrong. Do you have to pay back what you owe? Nah, that would be kinda goodie-goodie, no?

Dave

[Woody]

I got news for you Ira, I personally know of some one who "thought" they had gotten away from paying tolls and used the Sunpass lane and one day in the mail came a serious fine from the DOT. They have cameras that take pictures of the area all day long just to monitor activity. And the Florida Turnpike Authority is , at best is slow, but they will catch up to you one day and look out when they do. Have you seen all the orange pipe being installed along the Sawgrass and the Turnpike. It is fiber optic cable for remote viewing cameras to monitor traffic flow and provide real time information of every toll booth. Fhp does monitor the toll booths periodically so I would be careful. Besides it is nothing really to brag about by cheating the system. You use the road, pay the toll like everyone else does.

[Bobgorilla]

Ira, sooner or later they'll catch you and then you'll know the answer to your question! On a side note a local city here has a toll bridge that has paid off for years (1 of 3 ways to get there), they have been using the revenue to keep property taxes low. They decided about 3 years ago to upgrade the bridge and approaches, last year they realized they were way short of money and appealled to the state for help. Florida told sure we'll kick in -300 million- just take down the toll booths!

[doug hodder]

Hey Ira...if you get busted you could always blame it on someone else...."It was my upbringing" ...."I have low self esteem" ....you are prejudiced against me as I'm Jewish! etc...I'm on medication...It was too confusing.....lots of angles......seems to work for a lot of people nowadays...just don't get Lionel Hutz (Homers Attny...) doug

[Boodro]

Ira , I don't know if you play golf or not, but for those who do & take it seriously , it all comes down to honor. If you cheat on the golf course & no one sees you do it, you will always know that you did . If you are an honorable person then the game would not mean anything to you , because you KNOW you did not shoot that good score. there have been many a golfer ,both pro & amature that called a penalty on them selves during & even after a game is over & they end up disqualified . So it boils down to an honor system every day no matter what the curcumstance ( over changed , not paying a toll, ) . just me 2 sense worth( No its not a toll. Ya'll be cool!

[madjack]

Hey Ira...if you get busted you could always blame it on someone else...."It was my upbringing" ...."I have low self esteem" ....you are prejudiced against me as I'm Jewish! etc...I'm on medication...It was too confusing.....lots of angles......seems to work for a lot of people nowadays...just don't get Lionel Hutz (Homers Attny...) doug

...heck, just tell 'em you were too drunk to pay the toll to drive on their b-lasted hi-way I am sure they would be real understanding
madjack

[doug hodder]

Boodro is right....it all depends on your own integrity....I only mentioned the previous post as it seems that there are a lot of people finding the "easy way out" of things and not taking on their own responsibilities....For me...I think I'd just pay ....it may just save you a lot of headaches in the future....Life's too short to jack around for a few bucks....and just for grins to make amends...and it'll blow the guy behind you away...pay his toll some time in addition to yours when you go through a cash tollway....the thumbs up he gives you is worth it....I do that when I run over to SF once in a while....and it has been done for me....recently a guy took off and left the gas pump paid for and told me " that one is on me...just don't abuse it"....I got 12 gallons on him....what goes around comes around....Doug

[bledsoe3]

Ira , I don't know if you play golf or not, but for those who do & take it seriously , it all comes down to honor. If you cheat on the golf course & no one sees you do it, you will always know that you did . If you are an honorable person then the game would not mean anything to you , because you KNOW you did not shoot that good score. there have been many a golfer ,both pro & amature that called a penalty on them selves during & even after a game is over & they end up disqualified . So it boils down to an honor system every day no matter what the curcumstance ( over changed , not paying a toll, ) . just me 2 sense worth( No its not a toll. Ya'll be cool!

Ask Michell Wie. It cost her $52K As many have stated, if you have to ask...

[surveytech]

every month we get a bill from E-Pass and every month we have to call them on the phone to remove the incorrect charges.
It seems that the 50 cent tolls are being charged as 3 bucks.
and we dont even use it much.

I wonder how many people that use their epass or sunpass transponders everyday are getting overcharged and they dont even know it?

[IraRat]

"In this case the system isn't losing any money - just the car who happened to come along and give you a freebie."

DestinDave, NOW I feel bad.

"The basic question was is this ok to continue or not. If you are asking the question then you already know the answer."

Wilbour Dave, I really don't.

"Besides it is nothing really to brag about by cheating the system."

Woody, I'm not bragging. I'm confused and looking for moral guidance.

"Ira, sooner or later they'll catch you and then you'll know the answer to your question!"

Bob, thanks for the good wishes, but I'm hoping they'll FIX the damn thing prior to that.

"Hey Ira...if you get busted you could always blame it on someone else...."It was my upbringing" ...."I have low self esteem" ....you are prejudiced against me..."

Well, at least Doug has some CONSTRUCTIVE advice on this! Thanks!

"I don't know if you play golf or not, but for those who do & take it seriously , it all comes down to honor."

Boodro, I don't like golf. And the idea that valuable real estate which could be used to house the poor is instead being used for middle aged guys to chase a little white ball around is totally abhorrent and against everything I hold dear to me. (Just joking--but no, I don't play.)

"Heck, just tell 'em you were too drunk to pay the toll to drive on their b-lasted hi-way."

Some OTHER good advice! Thanks Jack!

"Boodro is right....it all depends on your own integrity."

Integrity in today's political climate, Doug? That's gonna be a tough one.

"Ask Michell Wie. It cost her $52K."

Who is that? Don't know the story.

"Every month we get a bill from E-Pass and every month we have to call them on the phone to remove the incorrect charges. It seems that the 50 cent tolls are being charged as 3 bucks."

Survey, that's why I don't want to use it.

And finally...I have to admit...I did it again yesterday.

HELP ME BEFORE I DRIVE FOR FREE AGAIN!!!!