WOW - some things never change. It always starts as a character attack. Yes, I am a DVC member, I drive all over the place but I don't make it a life mission to keep up with the changes in the Florida Highway system. I have a real JOB and a life. The highway was under massive construction that weekend - new parts had just opened and the speed limit changed while I was there to 70!
I had three sets of guests - my son, my husband and my friends (not that it really makes a difference in my point - sort of like what was SHE wearing) - they all flew in and departed separately - I was there for TWO weeks in a two bedroom. Lots of trips back and forth - lots of times entering the PAY lane. The first night, I missed my "usual" (a.k.a. my first exit - I had paid all along 417) exit due to the sign and construction changes- it was dark - I usually get off at the pink hotel - and go to the grocery store - years ago, it was Publix not I totrute myself at Wal-Mart. I hopped off at Celebration I-4/ 192 somewhere when I realized the error - Change only on one lane. Sunpass on other - Backing up on the exit would have been highly irresponsible. A friend of mine was killed because a truck backed up on I-95/295 after the driver found himself in the wrong lane on the wrong highway several years ago. Decapitated. Ashes only.
Anyone that claims they read the fine print on their contracts is completely UNbelievable. They only thing that I was asked about or initialed at the garage @ MCO but not in MCO was for insurance. I have excellent full coverage through Amica: A top American insurer. I can't state this enough _ I entered and paid for all tolls except the one that was change only - unexpected - not my normal route - could not back up. All of my usual tolls on 417 take dollar bills. I was prepared with dollar bills.
I paid all of my tolls back and forth to MCO - including picking up my last arriving guest a.k.a. my DH.
The toll booth attendant on the highway from the airport to WDW, told me that my Sunpass was active - 10 days into the trip. It had been all along AND he could SEE it was active in the CASH lane. None of the other attendants told me - they happily accepted the cash. Perhaps they pocketed it - knowing that the some of the good ole Dis members would happily give them cover.
BTW - NOBODY stops on the ramp after going through the tolls - it's illegal and highly dangerous, bumbershoot. At first, it didn't register that the alarm went off for me - I had paid the attendant with a stack of quarters obtained after the first night and the nightmare exit. Only later did I realize the bell was for me - I don't know why _ I handed the lady a stack of quarters equaling the amount of the toll. There wasn't any place to "pull over"
@seashore -the answer to your tagline - because the states that did - hired every son, niece and friend-in-law at exorbitant rates to work on the HIE. No, no - don't take my answer for it - go look on the transparency portals for the expenditures. Money was flowing like a river out of control for standalone systems with bad programming and outrageous error rates.
