Toll Charges: I drove 470 miles yesterday, with a lot of that on the Mass Pike. Fortunately, all their toll booths have been replaced with overhead transducer readers, so there are no...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I drove 470 miles yesterday, with a lot of that on the Mass Pike. Fortunately, all their toll booths have been replaced with overhead transducer readers, so there are no lines at toll booths. What surprised me is that people from MA pay a lower toll that others. Since they use it more, I would think they would pay more. Of course, having everyone pay the same amount makes more sense. My Fit averaged 47.5 MPG for that trip.

Although the human toll collectors either lost their jobs or gotten transferred, it's common knowledge that toll takers pay a heavy toll in their health as they work. They have cars stopping and accelerating just a couple of feet away from them during their entire shift. Without special respirators, they are breathing in all sorts of undesirable stuff.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I think 47.5 MPG for a non hybrid is excellent!

therwol Loc: USA

jerryc41 wrote:

I drove 470 miles yesterday, with a lot of that on... (show quote)

I used to drive on the Connecticut turnpike in the dark ages. Does anyone else remember having to throw coins in a basket at a toll booth? Invariably, you'd be behind someone who missed the basket and had to get out of the car and look for the coins on the ground and even under their car.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

TriX wrote:

I think 47.5 MPG for a non hybrid is excellent!

Of course, that's what the car's computer is saying. When I top-up the tank, I'll figure it mathematically.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

I remember throwing coins at the toll baskets very well. Glad those days are pretty much gone. Or are they? I don’t drive toll roads anymore.

quagmire Loc: Greenwood,South Carolina

One here in South Carolina(Greenville) still has the baskets.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

therwol wrote:

I used to drive on the Connecticut turnpike in the dark ages. Does anyone else remember having to throw coins in a basket at a toll booth? Invariably, you'd be behind someone who missed the basket and had to get out of the car and look for the coins on the ground and even under their car.

It was quite the game - how fast could you jet through the toll plaza and still hit the basket?!

Stephan G

therwol wrote:

I used to drive on the Connecticut turnpike in the dark ages. Does anyone else remember having to throw coins in a basket at a toll booth? Invariably, you'd be behind someone who missed the basket and had to get out of the car and look for the coins on the ground and even under their car.

My experience was with the Illinois Tri-State years back. We had a little game with those mechanized coin gatherer toll gates. It was discovered that we were able to drop in 9 pennies to make the counter "give up" and open the gate. We carried enough pennies to do that.

Several of the US toll lanes are built by a company from Spain. They are guaranteed a specific annual profit amounts for something like 50 years on several of those toll lanes. If the amount falls below that amount, the states pay the difference from their general funds coffers or land taxes (home owners).

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

NMGal wrote:

I remember throwing coins at the toll baskets very well. Glad those days are pretty much gone. Or are they? I don’t drive toll roads anymore.

Yep! When I was new to motorcycle riding, I saw that I was approaching an out-of-state toll booth that was "Exact change Only." Panic! I had to stop and dig through my pockets to find some money - definitely more than was required. EZPass made that easier and safer.

Looking at my EZPass account, I see the charge in NY for getting on and then getting off the Interstate on Monday, but there are no charges listed for MA. NY and MA use the same, compatible EZPass system. I hope MA troopers don't show up at my door with guns and handcuffs.

Abrown1966

I’ll use that one to avoid morning or afternoon traffic in Greenville.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

sb wrote:

It was quite the game - how fast could you jet through the toll plaza and still hit the basket?!

They used to sell guns that let you shoot the quarter into the basket.

Stephan G

jerryc41 wrote:

Yep! When I was new to motorcycle riding, I saw t... (show quote)

Didn't you have a coin holder on your side bars on the bike? Just curious. One fellow I talked with got exasperated with the ones that got attached on the handlebars. Said something about coins not staying in the slots on some of the rougher lanes.

As for the folks coming up to your door, it may be Guardia Civil, from Spain.

Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.

jerryc41 wrote:

I drove 470 miles yesterday, with a lot of that on... (show quote)

I bought a new Fit in 2009, Jerry. It was one of the best cars I've ever owned (and there have been a lot). I was getting in the low to mid 40's. The storage capacity was incredible and with the stick shift it was a ball to drive. I notice them on the road and they all (pretty much) have held up well. I sold it after 4 years when my granddaughter was born to get an all-wheel RAV4 so that we could get to her in the snow. Great car !

rdemarco52 Loc: Wantagh, NY

jerryc41 wrote:

I drove 470 miles yesterday, with a lot of that on... (show quote)

Most states charge more for out of state drivers. If you use an out of state EZ Pass on NYC bridges, you pay the full toll.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Stephan G wrote:

Didn't you have a coin holder on your side bars on the bike? Just curious. One fellow I talked with got exasperated with the ones that got attached on the handlebars. Said something about coins not staying in the slots on some of the rougher lanes.

As for the folks coming up to your door, it may be Guardia Civil, from Spain.

No, I didn't.