Toll Evasion

[Figment]

With appreciation for the work of the great many honorable members of the law enforcement profession, the bad apples and the toxic culture remain.

An explorer was tailgating me, as I changed lanes, I noticed the "blue line" plate in place of the front license plate. Irony of LE violating a law frequently used as a stop-excuse by LE noted.

As I caught up to it in traffic, I noticed the rear plate... EFFING TOLL DODGER! but still with the "hey I'm one of the good guys so don't stop me" sticker.
I paid about $50 in tolls that day, so this particular episode of Law Enforcement Privilege really grinds my gears.

[Paul Pless]

Re: Toll Evasion

i can't make out the photo
how was it defaced?

[Figment]

Re: Toll Evasion

black spray paint.

The MTA has shifted considerable effort recently into catching and collecting on these assholes. They haven't been sneaky or quiet about it, either, anyone still pulling this crap must think they're immune to the consequences.

[Paul Pless]

Re: Toll Evasion

The MTA has shifted considerable effort recently into catching and collecting on these assholes.

yeah i just googled that, if they catch you avoiding tolls the fine is heavy enough but they also impound your vehicle at considerable expense

good on them

[Jim Mahan]

Re: Toll Evasion

I paid about $50 in tolls that day

Can you elaborate on this for someone who doesn't have any tolls to pay? Shirley, you don't pay fifty bucks a day, every day?

[wizbang 13]

Re: Toll Evasion

volunteer firefighter s do not pay tolls ?
its the black spray paint ?
cop sucker sticker to boot....
being boss of the world would be cool but very time consuming

[Figment]

Re: Toll Evasion

CT to Annapolis with a stop in Philly on the return. Not my everyday.

For those who don't regularly encounter toll roads.... The archetypal toll booth is a thing of the past. Almost all tolls are now collected via photoidentification of the license plate, or via a vehicle transponder (less cost).

[Jim Bow]

Re: Toll Evasion

What makes you think the car belongs to a cop?

That flag sticker is available everywhere for $3.95.

[Jim Mahan]

Re: Toll Evasion

Anyone dumb enough to spray paint the license plate to avoid tolls is likely to think that putting that blue line obscenity next to it will be enough for a cop to not pull him over to ticket him for the plate. I would expect the opposite to happen here. The cops would stop him for the plate and then spend extra time looking for other vehicle infractions, which they can easily justify on the grounds that the operator of the vehicle was obviously trying to hide something from the cops. Which will lead to the stupidly indignant driver being told to 'show me your hands! Get down on the ground! Stop resisting! Gun! Gun! Gun!' And the vehicle infraction and the driver's reaction to getting pulled over anyway will be enough grounds for the cops to claim probable cause to search the vehicle and the driver, with guns drawn. And if they find anything, the cops would punish him for making them do all that, and shoot him for making them be afraid for their lives. Unless he's white, then it will be just an expensive ticket.

[Mrleft88]

Re: Toll Evasion

When Wild Dingo was visiting, he rented a car to travel up and down the east coast. He had to use a "local address" while renting so I gave the rental guys my address. Well it seems that Ol' Dingbat never stopped at a toll booth the entire trip. About 3 months after he left I got an itemized bill from the rental co for something like $400 for all the skipped tolls. I called him. He said "No mate, I used the EZ pass lane!" I asked him if he had an EZ pass. "Eh? Wot? Wots that then? you have to buy a pass? I thought you just used that lane if you didn't want to stop!"
The bill was paid in the end, but not in AU dollars.

[Paul Pless]

Re: Toll Evasion

i went for a short ride in that rental

i have never seen so full an ashtray, immediately under the sign on the dash writ large "this is smoke free vehicle"

[Paul Pless]

Re: Toll Evasion

there was like a mound of ashes from the ashtray up to the radio and then an avalanche of them onto the passenger side floor

quite impressive actually

[Todd D]

Re: Toll Evasion

Hmm, I better avoid that place since I never pay tolls. I will go a long way out of my way to avoid paying a toll. For example, although I have lived in Maine for 24 years, I have never driven on the Maine turnpike. I don't recall ever paying a road toll. There were a couple of toll bridges when I was a kid, but there was always an alternate route with no tolls. The only tolls I have ever paid were for the ferry, but that never bothered me since I like ferries. That said, I have not taken the ferry here in Maine because of the outrageous fares.

[Mrleft88]

Re: Toll Evasion

If the guy didn't have the spray can in his car, or black paint residue on his index finger, he could claim that his plate had been vandalized, and he wasn't even aware of it, as he always approaches his car from the front, or driver's side.

[ron ll]

Re: Toll Evasion

Couple years ago I was pulled over here in Ballard. The officer said “I see you don’t have the required front plate on this vehicle.” I dragged out my tired old lie, “It was knocked off at a curb a couple days ago and I just haven’t had a chance to get it back on.”
She walked around to the front of the car, then came back and said, “Then why are there color matched buttons in the screw holes?”
Sighing, ”Just give me the ticket.”