Tolls - to pay or not to pay!

[florry]

Just checking the route from Sanford and came across this quote regarding tolls on the Florida Greenway:-

"If a motorist finds themselves at an unmanned, exact-change only toll Plaza without change, they should pass through the Toll Plaza. The vehicle tag will be recorded as a violation, but it is only following repeat violations that the driver will receive a citation in the mail"

Has anyone tested this out?

I have always paid tolls in the past but it looks as though this is a real "dodge" for visitors!

I am a cautious type of person and always try to keep the right side of the law - is this breaking the law or an acceptable tourist diversion?

 

[DisneyDotty]

Most rental car companies state in their contract that the renter is responsible for all fines/tolls/tickets incurred during the rental. Why not pay a couple dollars (okay, sometimes it's more, but your pound is still strong against the dollar ) instead of risking a fine?

 

[Aceman88888]

Doesn't your carhire agreement and subsequent credit card swipe cover the rental company in case of any traffic indiscretions?

Or put it this way the nightmare scenario- Your toll skip could trigger several past skips by previous renters..... Im sure dollar would charge your card even with several fines and ask questions later!..... Wouldn't want the hassle just to skip $3-5 worth of tolls!

 

[snookhams]

i agree that you should just pay it - the car hire company may also add an admin fee so it would therefore cost you alot more.

 

[mrs-mac]

Hello

When we went in March we came across a exact money toll near 192 and didn't have any change so we threw in a one dollar bill which didn't register

So we drove straight through and set the alarm off , l was so worried that we would get a fine from the car hire people but when we dropped the car off - nothing

So l think what you have read must be true!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

You are on holiday so why take any chances, always pay.

Actually we had an 'incident' earlier this year, on our way from the Airport we passed a toll that had 2 gates, one was quite clearly a special one that you needed a pass for, the other was the exact change variety - both were unmanned - had plenty of dollar bills for the tolls, however, this was 50 cents and whilst I did have the change, couldn't really get access to it(keep our change in a little kiddie purse)
Anyway I just threw a dollar bill in and drove on, an alarm went off , flashing red lights and eveything.
I mean we paid double so wasn't that worried, and haven't heard anything - touch wood - but it was a bit scary at the time, especially after a long flight.
Not quite sure what you are supposed to do if you do not have a pass, the right change and there is nobody there either?

Do not have to drive through this toll in August but I would be ready if needed.

One question, you know when you throw the coins in the 'basket thingy' - cannot think of what else to call it - has anybody ever missed?

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Oh yes.

And here's the warning. Typically, it was my turn to drive and my excuse is I only have little arms.

However, when I went to get out of the car to pick up the change (cos we didn't have enough spare change to make it up), an attendant popped up from the little kiosk thing, even thought it looked as though it was unmanned.

So you never know, there might be someone there watching you as you speed off without paying

 

[martina857]

Always pay if you can, this relaxation of the rule is for the unfortunate few who find they do not have the correct change or completly new people who do not know what to do. If everyone starts "not paying" then it will not be long before every incident produces a $50 ticket.

M

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Oh yes.

And here's the warning. Typically, it was my turn to drive and my excuse is I only have little arms.

However, when I went to get out of the car to pick up the change (cos we didn't have enough spare change to make it up), an attendant popped up from the little kiosk thing, even thought it looked as though it was unmanned.

So you never know, there might be someone there watching you as you speed off without paying

Actually, nearly missed once , one of the coins just hit the top but fortunatley just bounced downwards, my wife put her hands over her eyes at the time.
When I had the incident with the 'dollar bill' as I said earlier, there was another car in the other gate who obviously had a pass - as I drove through having paid twice (in effect anyway) he shook his head as the alarms were going off etc almost in disgust.
My wife was like giving him dirty looks back and shouting "we paid double actually", oh dear - laugh about it now though. In the country for a couple of hours and already we are 'criminals', a police squad car drove past us about 10 minutes later, my wife went white as a sheet.

 

[marias]

We had similar incident last year - alarms blazing and the likes. Apparently it was broken and had been for a while. Luckily a kind local stopped to tell us - we had already thrown in as many dollar bills as we could - so we had well overpaid to say the least. DD was hysterical in the back seat thinking her Dad was about to be carted off. Not quite the start i had imagined - still there were no problems when we dropped the car back.

 

[jns]

you use the road so pay the toll

 

[Frances999]

you use the road so pay the toll

Exactly. Why "dodge" the couple of dollars toll??!!

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

I am a cautious type of person and always try to keep the right side of the law - is this breaking the law or an acceptable tourist diversion?

The law is that you pay the toll. Therefore, if you don't pay you're breaking the law.

Think of it another way, if you were in a shop and thought you could get out without paying, and went through the doors with something in your bags, would you say to the security guard that catches you "I thought this was an acceptable tourist diversion"?

 

[Mr-D]

But shop's don't insist you have the correct change though.

 

[Netty]

what we do is put all our loose change in the compartment between the front 2 seats. and as the toll is coming up i just get the right amount out. never had a problem with tolls, well only the once....
when we had left the airport and got near a unmanned toll that needed correct change, and suddenly it dawned on us that the change we always have, was in the boot of the car amongst the hand luggage found it in the end though...

 

[florry]

Oh dear Oh dear Oh dear!!!!

I seem to have opened a real can of worms here!!!

Like I said in my original post - we have always paid.... the quote came from the Disboards tips page - Orlando maps - page two of the route from Sanford Airport to Disney via the 417 - see the link marked "tolls".

I have no intention of "not paying for the use of the road" - I was merely enquiring if anyone had more information on the subject rather that peoples opinions!

If I have offended anyone that may have thought that I was TRYING to "dodge" the payment then - SORRY!!!! That was not the intention.

Blimey - anyone would have thought that I was criticising Travel City Direct....LOL........

Opps - sorry - were going with them too....LOL.....

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Florry - I love your posts, I look forward to them because I know there's going to be your humour coming through and making me smile

 

[florry]

Thanks Mrs. Dazzle - I don't mean to offend anyone.

I just thought it was part of the "tips on travelling"!!!!!

 

[mrs-mac]

I don't think anyone is saying that they wouldn't pay a toll on purpose but sometimes with the amount of tolls that there are in Florida then you may come across the chance of not having the exact money to pay with.

Majority of people don't break the law intentionally and perhaps it would be a good idea if on the unmanned tolls they have a change machine.

 

[wicket2005]

No offence taken here either, I presumed you were just asking out of interest. The thread highlights the need to have correct change, just wish I could remember where I put it from our last holiday.

Going back to your question definitely 'to pay'. I worry too much already without thinking that I might have a possible outstanding traffic violation under my name, preventing me from entering the country, if I didn't pay.