Ok this is fishy, has this happened to anyone else???

[rie'smom]

Hi,

We have also just received a letter asking us to pay $11.00. Our apparent 'violation' happened 7 minutes before they signed our car off at the airport. As far as I can remember we were waiting to have it checked at that time. As far as I know we paid the tolls on the way to the airport, as we did every time we travelled anywhere (we were very concious about this and always looked carefully at signs etc).

We did not get the original letter the same as the OP but got what looks like a follow up to say we have not paid this. It says Alamo at the top but it looks like a printed or photocopied page, no colour at all. Usually when you get letters like this the logo etc would be colour. There are no email contact details and the Violation Code Descriptor is given as VIOLATOR. It does not tell us why we have been fined or anything else. The Issuing agency is listed as HTA - does anyone know what this is?

I am a bit worried that this may be a con, as it asks to send money to Bank of America (no reference or account details included) or fill in credit card details and send them back. I don't really want to do this as I am unsure if it is legitimate.

Any help or ideas would be appreicated.
Thanks.

Call Alamo and explain. This sounds like a scam. These people will have all of the payees info if they pay by cc,debit, or check. If you want to pay, pay using a money order.

 

[sallycinnamon99]

Thanks,

I tried calling the number given on the letter but it just keeps saying am held in a queue and will take call etc so have not been able to speak to anyone. Have seen that this is the case for others who have tried to call from another discussion board.

I am from the UK so making payment perhaps not as easy as if I lived in the States. However, number on letter not listed on Alamo website but when do a google search it does come up as this and so does PO Box address.

Another thing I am worried about is it affecting me being able to enter the country if I return on holiday because I haven't paid - could this happen?

 

[dp062118]

returned to england from florida in july 09, just received what seems to be the second letter they send out stating that they have sent me one before, same as yours, $1 violation + £10 administration. does not state anything about taking it from credit card they seem to be asking for it. I have sent a note to general Alamo contact address awaiting a response. The amount itself because so small is rather suspicious I am sure they feel people will just pay, well I am going to attempt not to. Will try co-op travel Whom I booked with and see if I can guage how big this is.

Thanks for highlighting this issue.
macker liverpool

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

This does sound strange. I would call Alamo's # from their website, not the # offered in the letter. If that's not really Alamo's #, many people would give up trying to call and just pay it.

I agree with pp that stated if they needed to collect these funds, they already have your cc and would charge that one, not ask for your cc # again.

Sounds phishy.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It seems we have two issues here.

The first issue is that it's genuinely easy to miss a toll booth these days.

In the past, a row of toll booths stretched across all lanes. Now, drivers with toll payment transponders just zip under an overhead bar at freeway speed, while drivers who need cash lanes must essentially exit from the main road.

When people drive, they focus on signs that apply to them and "tune out" other signs. A driver who is focussed on an exit a mile or two later could zip through the transponder lane without even realizing that he or she missed a toll.

The following picture shows a toll plaza on Florida state route 417. It's not state route 528 by Orlando Airport, but it's the same idea.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SR_417_University_Toll_Plaza.jpg

Once you realize what the signs say, it's obvious that drivers who need to pay cash tolls must bear to the right. But when heading down unfamiliar roads at freeway speed and in traffic, the toll plaza to the right may just appear to be an earlier exit than what the driver is looking for.

The second issue is that, from the descriptions in this thread, Alamo does a poor job explaining the violation and Alamo fails to attach a photocopy of the actual violation notice with the date, time, and location. That's terrible service from a company in a service industry.

 

[seashoreCM]

When you dispute you ever committed the violation, for example the date and time are from before you checked out the car, you make the dispute with the rental agency and do not contact the toll agency yet.

The ball is back in the rental agent;'s court and they heed to send you a copy of the actual violation notice in case a mistake was made transcribing the details onto their invoice.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I know next year when we go back to Florida, we will make sure we get receipts! Just don't know how to get one, when there isn't someone there.

All mainline toll plazas around Orlando have an attendant on duty 24/7 if you need change or want receipts. It is true that some toll plazas on exit or entrance ramps are cash/SunPass only. Heading to Disney, if you use the airport's NORTH exit and follow TOLL 528 (Beachline Expressway) there are two mainline toll plazas that cost $1.00 and $.75 respectively. The airport plaza has not been rebuilt and there are numerous booths. The toll plaza closer to the Florida Mall has open road tolling and those paying cash must exit to the toll booths while only those with SunPass/E-PASS remain straight on the road at highway speeds. Those using the airport's SOUTH exit and traveling to Disney via TOLL 417 (Central Florida Greeneway) also have two mainline plazas at $1.25 each. Both have open road tolling meaning those paying cash must exit to pay. Easy to miss. Going to Disney means leaving the 417 at Exit 6 (State Road 536) which goes into Disney as EPCOT Center Drive. If you remain on the 417 and use Exit 3 (Osceloa Parkway) there is an additional toll on the exit ramp that is CASH/SunPass only; no attendant on duty.

It would be much easier too if Sunpass was connected to the fastlane/ezpass that is used in most of the other Eastern states. You can use those down the coast but not in Florida.

Yes, that would be great but unfortunately Florida's SUNPASS and E-PASS systems are incompatible with the E-ZPass system used in the northeast and midwest U.S. The Florida system can't read the E-ZPass transponder and vice versa. Anyone visiting Florida at least annually should really consider buying a SunPass and bringing it with you.


QUOTE=DOOM1001;34417018]I don't understand how the State of Florida is doing it,don't they know there's tourists everywhere you go.There are some exits and roads built and getting built where if you don't have Sunpass you basically can't use it.And I'm even hearing many major roads and exits possibly in 5 years or so will have the toll booths with attendants totally removed,so you either get sunpass or you go through and then get the bill sent to you,hopefully not with a fine.It's been several years since Sunpass started being used all over and even that many years later if you go through one of the most used tolls down here in Miami,probably 60 percent of the cars are using the Sunpass only lanes where they drive through at 60 mph and the transponder charges it as you go through,that still leaves thousands of cars, many tourists using the change booths with an attendant.They'll never get 90-95% of the people to use Sunpass and are they going to be mailing bills to thousands of people,seems easier to keep the attendants.[/QUOTE]

Both Miami and Tampa now have some roads (or lanes within existing roads) where you must have the SunPass transponder to use them. Fortunately they also allow you to pay by your tag number or pay by phone/internet. Many rental car companies now have a PlatePass system where for a fee those without a SunPass can still use the transponder lanes and then get billed for it. This is the future.

BobK/Orlando

 

[IlovePiglet]

I don't know if this would be helpful to any of you but Sunpass offers a "peel and stick" transponder but according to their website it can only be purchased at CVS or Publix.
The cost of it is $4.99.
I didn't see on the website how to fund it, maybe when you purchase it you can add funds to it?
I should be at Publix later or tomorrow, I will try to find out and post the information later.

 

[Targsmom]

The last time we rented a car in Florida (I forgot what company) they had the Sunpass sticker in the window... they just charged our credit card for the tolls.

I'm surprised that all companies aren't offering this.. drat I wish I could remember who we rented from. We got in at 1AM and our ride (darn family!) bailed on us so we got who we got.

 

[IlovePiglet]

I believe some companies do offer it but there is an extra charge. Well worth it to avoid a overpriced ticket but you ending up paying more than if you just got one yourself.

 

[Targsmom]

I believe some companies do offer it but there is an extra charge. Well worth it to avoid a overpriced ticket but you ending up paying more than if you just got one yourself.

Yeah, at 1AM without a ride, I wasn't paying that close attention. I just wanted to get to the hotel to rest up so I could throttle the BIL

 

[IlovePiglet]

Yeah, at 1AM without a ride, I wasn't paying that close attention. I just wanted to get to the hotel to rest up so I could throttle the BIL

LOL - poor guy.

 

[Targsmom]

LOL - poor guy.

Not really... we were visiting them.. We weren't planning on going to Disney.. they happen to live in Orlando. We told them we were going to go for one day if there was time.

"We'll have a car for you to borrow no problem " (he loaned it to someone else)

"Oh sure, I can come pick you up at the airport... 1AM? No problem" (he calls 20 minutes before we get on the plane- oh sorry can't pick you up)

"Do you want to go to Epcot for lunch? Great, lets meet at 11:30" (he showed up at 12:30 and expected to walk into the Rose and Crown for lunch)

We don't visit anymore.. they intentionally sabotage us. I still don't know why...

 

[IlovePiglet]

Not really... we were visiting them.. We weren't planning on going to Disney.. they happen to live in Orlando. We told them we were going to go for one day if there was time.

"We'll have a car for you to borrow no problem " (he loaned it to someone else)

"Oh sure, I can come pick you up at the airport... 1AM? No problem" (he calls 20 minutes before we get on the plane- oh sorry can't pick you up)

"Do you want to go to Epcot for lunch? Great, lets meet at 11:30" (he showed up at 12:30 and expected to walk into the Rose and Crown for lunch)

We don't visit anymore.. they intentionally sabotage us. I still don't know why...

Ah, I see. I'd be a bit ticked myself. Beating is too good......

 

[2binak]

A few years ago when we exited 417 at the unmanned exit on Osceola Pkwy.

We couldn't pay at this very same exit on our recent trip. We had no change on us. We had used our change at the previous tolls because we had no idea this exit was a change only. We didn't want to continue down the highway since we aren't familiar with the roads in FL and weren't sure where we would end up. Guess we'll be getting our letter and request for payment from Avis soon. I agree with a pp who said the FL roads need to become more tourist friendly. The exact change only exits can really trap people.

 

[safetymom]

Florida does allow you one time to go through a toll without penalty. You have no way of knowing if there were other violations on that license plate.

I am sure FL is as tourist friendly as other states. If they manned every booth their costs would rise. Wherever I travel I bring plenty of change when driving in other states if I was not able to find out in advance what the toll costs would be and if the booths would be manned.

 

[2binak]

Florida does allow you one time to go through a toll without penalty. You have no way of knowing if there were other violations on that license plate.

Good to know, but I'm sure we weren't the first ones using that care and we won't be the last, to go through a toll without paying.

I am sure FL is as tourist friendly as other states. If they manned every booth their costs would rise. Wherever I travel I bring plenty of change when driving in other states if I was not able to find out in advance what the toll costs would be and if the booths would be manned.

Stopping every couple of miles to give them money and then paying to get off the road too is not tourist friendly. Paying once when you enter or leave the highway or paying at booths that are space much further apart would be much more friendly.

 

[brergnat]

I typed up the letter, directly from the letter we all received. The letter never stated that the violation was from a toll, it just said violation $1.00.
We just assumed it was a toll because what else would be a dollar. We all have ended up paying the fine, just wondered if anyone else has ever had this problem. Where we live we don't have tolls.

$1 is the cost per hour at our local airport's short term parking. Did you bring the cars back to the terminal and park them for any amount of time before leaving again? I know some people leave family members at baggage claim while they go get the rental, and then come back to pick them up. Did you guys do this?

 

[safetymom]

Good to know, but I'm sure we weren't the first ones using that care and we won't be the last, to go through a toll without paying.



Stopping every couple of miles to give them money and then paying to get off the road too is not tourist friendly. Paying once when you enter or leave the highway or paying at booths that are space much further apart would be much more friendly.

I don't find the toll roads here in FL much different than the toll roads we had in my area when I lived in PA.

 

[vicki_c]

As one who just paid my $11.00 fine through Alamo from our "oops" last summer ...

The newer toll plaza / exits in Florida can be a bit tricky. We only moved out of the area in 2006 and there was a new setup outside WDW somewhere that got us. While I was busy trying to decipher the toll signs that were quickly approaching -- we missed going over to the right through the toll booths -- it looked like an exit. I didn't realize they had put in those automated toll things on the main road. The signage for that type of thing is definitely clearer other places that we travel - I go through one of those in N. Va quite often on the Dulles Toll Road, and also I think when we've traveled to Vermont though NJ as well - so I was totally familiar with the automated toll thing but I still didn't understand that's what we were coming to in Florida this year. (This was heading back to the airport on the Beachline from WDW).

By the time I understood - we had driven right by! They found us though 5 months later.

(PS - we are real scofflaws - the previous year we exited at the unmanned John Young Parkway exit to get groceries -- with no change on us at all -- they've never caught us for that one).