[John 070]

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who has ever noticed....there are some "unscrupulous" tolling authorities, who charge the CASH rate to EZPass tagholders, if the tag was not issued by their own authority.

It isn't nothing--for example, $16 instead of $11.08. Meaning, with EZPass, you still pay $16, like people paying cash. Or, people getting their plates snapped by video.

Two examples are in NYC, and in MD.\

I think your "home" EZPass authority should reciprocate by upcharging as well. In my case, it's NJ, and the Turnpike is a gold mine. But it does not surcharge "auslander" EZPass tags. Why wouldn't it do the same?

edit: here's an example in NYC where you pay double because your EZPass is an "auslander" tag" (Henry Hudson electronic tolling)

$2.54 vs. $5.50. And with a rental car, it's possible to take that $5.50 and add a $35 admin fee if you didn't take their toll plan...I'm just trying to say imho it's unethical....but of course legal.

[jtodd_fl]

Wait. Are you saying you think a government monopoly may be abusing its authority over its constituents for their own gain?
(Clutching my pearls Picard - related.)

[AIRPOWER]

So basically all you get is the privilege of not stopping to chit chat with a toll booth operator.

[John 070]

Just putting it into real terms, nobody likes to pay double or an extra $5 per trip or crossing. So why would these be assessed just because someone's EZPass is from another area/region?

I think in a way, this is not any different than merchants wanting to charge extra for credit cards--this has worked with gasoline, but fallen flat elsewhere. But once a Walmart or amazon succeeds in a credit card surcharge, everyone else will follow suit.....(they don't want you earning points that hits them with the interchange fee--note some of the best restaurants that have too little tables for the amount of customers, do not accept credit)

[Mr Tonka]

I choose to get billed by plate pictures the few days a week that I travel the tollroads.

Specifically the days I bring my bike to work for afternoon rides because I found that they give you a 100% discount when you're carrying a bike. It must be due to their appreciation of me contributing to a healthier society. :

That said, I find it very difficult to believe that government entities such as Maryland and New York would have any type of corruption within the ranks whatsoever. I'm appalled to hear of this.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by John 070

Just putting it into real terms, nobody likes to pay double or an extra $5 per trip or crossing. So why would these be assessed just because someone's EZPass is from another area/region?

I think in a way, this is not any different than merchants wanting to charge extra for credit cards--this has worked with gasoline, but fallen flat elsewhere. But once a Walmart or amazon succeeds in a credit card surcharge, everyone else will follow suit.....(they don't want you earning points that hits them with the interchange fee--note some of the best restaurants that have too little tables for the amount of customers, do not accept credit)

I've always assumed that national retailers and large companies like Amazon offer their own branded Visa cards because when Amazon accepts payment from an Amazon branded visa, Amazon doesn't have to pay the credit card fee, no? Or at least a deeply discounted credit card fee.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

I choose to get billed by plate pictures the few days a week that I travel the tollroads.

Specifically the days I bring my bike to work for afternoon rides because I found that they give you a 100% discount when you're carrying a bike. It must be due to their appreciation of me contributing to a healthier society. :

That said, I find it very difficult to believe that government entities such as Maryland and New York would have any type of corruption within the ranks whatsoever. I'm appalled to hear of this.

Dude. If you don't use an emoji, no one knows you are being sarcastic. The forums cause everyone to suffer from Aspergers.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

Dude. If you don't use an emoji, no one knows you are being sarcastic. The forums cause everyone to suffer from Aspergers.

What makes you think I'm being sarcastic?

:

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

I've always assumed that national retailers and large companies like Amazon offer their own branded Visa cards because when Amazon accepts payment from an Amazon branded visa, Amazon doesn't have to pay the credit card fee, no? Or at least a deeply discounted credit card fee.

The Costco one is really interesting (by the way they begin accepting only VISA today, after only accepting AMEX for 16 years).

The new Citi Visa trounces the old Costco AMEX in that now members get 4% on gas and 2% on Costco purchases, a full 1% more in both categories. I could never understand people getting gas at Costco with debit cards (I can only assume they are carrying a balance and are willing to forgo the reward for not paying interest).

But what I had no idea about was that the Costco card bearing interest represented 20% of AMEX's entire portfolio. I also thought Costco members were too smart to carry a balance!

And you are right, Citi basically agreed to no interchange fee, which AMEX could not agree to....

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Mr Tonka

I choose to get billed by plate pictures the few days a week that I travel the tollroads.

Specifically the days I bring my bike to work for afternoon rides because I found that they give you a 100% discount when you're carrying a bike. It must be due to their appreciation of me contributing to a healthier society. :

That said, I find it very difficult to believe that government entities such as Maryland and New York would have any type of corruption within the ranks whatsoever. I'm appalled to hear of this.

From my observation, I have seen some well upholstered people (wasn't sure if this section of the forum observes 100% total political correctness or not) driving vehicles with front and rear bicycle racks, when in fact, these folks neither look healthy nor do they appear to have ridden anything of an exercise nature in the last decade. I suspect that they too are enjoying toll-by-plate and red light camera programs as well...

[jtodd_fl]

Like THIS guy...

[ASAP]

I used to live in the DMV (DC Metro) a few years back... let me tell you a bit about corruption lol...

My recommendation would be not to drive at all in this area because the entire area is essentially a setup for corrupt revenue.

1. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car even if your car is out of a state that doesn't require one.

2. You will get a parking ticket for parking and waiting in your car in a spot with your front out. A friend of mine got blocked in by a cop to get a ticket written.

3. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car, even if you car was registered the day before and you are waiting for your plate holder to come in.

4. You will go to jail for going over 80 mph on the hwy.

5. You cannot use Radar Detectors (VA)

6. There are traffic and speed cameras everywhere.. by traffic, I mean cameras that monitor any sort of slow down or traffic or the blocking of an intersection, even though its impossible to pass thru any other way.

7. There is police virtually everywhere... everywhere...

Honestly, if you own a car with over 200 HP, in this area, I am not sure what you will be using it for, maybe for slight accelerations on hwy on ramps...

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I used to live in the DMV (DC Metro) a few years back... let me tell you a bit about corruption lol...

My recommendation would be not to drive at all in this area because the entire area is essentially a setup for corrupt revenue.

1. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car even if your car is out of a state that doesn't require one.

2. You will get a parking ticket for parking and waiting in your car in a spot with your front out. A friend of mine got blocked in by a cop to get a ticket written.

3. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car, even if you car was registered the day before and you are waiting for your plate holder to come in.

4. You will go to jail for going over 80 mph on the hwy.

5. You cannot use Radar Detectors (VA)

6. There are traffic and speed cameras everywhere.. by traffic, I mean cameras that monitor any sort of slow down or traffic or the blocking of an intersection, even though its impossible to pass thru any other way.

7. There is police virtually everywhere... everywhere...

Honestly, if you own a car with over 200 HP, in this area, I am not sure what you will be using it for, maybe for slight accelerations on hwy on ramps...

Maybe, with DMV having 3 of the top 10 murderous metro areas (Baltimore #3, Richmond City #6 and DC #10), these cops could be doing... something else.

*Also, add one more police to your region - the grammar police. That would be "There ARE police virtually everywhere." You are welcome.

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

Maybe, with DMV having 3 of the top 10 murderous metro areas (Baltimore #3, Richmond City #6 and DC #10), these cops could be doing... something else.

Nah man, pulling people over and throwing them into jail for driving 81 mph is much easier, fk that place lol.

*Also, add one more police to your region - the grammar police. That would be "There ARE police virtually everywhere." You are welcome.

I have read this is debatable... the police is a plural term but when referring to them collectively it is a singular unit... are seems to be the proper form, but reading around, British English accepts both.

[jtodd_fl]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I have read this is debatable... the police is a plural term but when referring to them collectively it is a singular unit... are seems to be the proper form, but reading around, British English accepts both.

I like the way you think... I will allow it! For future reference, you could include some bullshit about it being a holdover from your study abroad days at Oxford. Makes you sound like a pretentious, but really smart, asshole. 50% of what it requires to be a bimmer fan!

[John 070]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I used to live in the DMV (DC Metro) a few years back... let me tell you a bit about corruption lol...

My recommendation would be not to drive at all in this area because the entire area is essentially a setup for corrupt revenue.

1. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car even if your car is out of a state that doesn't require one.

2. You will get a parking ticket for parking and waiting in your car in a spot with your front out. A friend of mine got blocked in by a cop to get a ticket written.

3. You will get a parking ticket for not having a front plate on your car, even if you car was registered the day before and you are waiting for your plate holder to come in.

4. You will go to jail for going over 80 mph on the hwy.

5. You cannot use Radar Detectors (VA)

6. There are traffic and speed cameras everywhere.. by traffic, I mean cameras that monitor any sort of slow down or traffic or the blocking of an intersection, even though its impossible to pass thru any other way.

7. There is police virtually everywhere... everywhere...

Honestly, if you own a car with over 200 HP, in this area, I am not sure what you will be using it for, maybe for slight accelerations on hwy on ramps...

From observation, there is virtually no red light running nor speeding in DC (the area is blanketed with cams), and cars don't even consider beating pedestrians who are taking their time crossing.

When we went to a Skins game, we didn't even consider driving, instead, paying $60 each way to take a taxi from our hotel which was like 3 miles from the stadium (they had warnings about DUI all over the highway).

When I was a Fulbright scholar in England, I nary concerned myself with this nonsense.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by John 070

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who has ever noticed....there are some "unscrupulous" tolling authorities, who charge the CASH rate to EZPass tagholders, if the tag was not issued by their own authority.

It isn't nothing--for example, $16 instead of $11.08. Meaning, with EZPass, you still pay $16, like people paying cash. Or, people getting their plates snapped by video.

Two examples are in NYC, and in MD.\

I think your "home" EZPass authority should reciprocate by upcharging as well. In my case, it's NJ, and the Turnpike is a gold mine. But it does not surcharge "auslander" EZPass tags. Why wouldn't it do the same?

edit: here's an example in NYC where you pay double because your EZPass is an "auslander" tag" (Henry Hudson electronic tolling)

$2.54 vs. $5.50. And with a rental car, it's possible to take that $5.50 and add a $35 admin fee if you didn't take their toll plan...I'm just trying to say imho it's unethical....but of course legal.

Just got back from a trip to CT and NJ. I went thru some EZPass tolls there . I'll have to check to see what they charged me.

Coming from Illinois, I assume corruption to be the norm.


EDIT: Here are the charges. I'm not even sure what these agencies are or what the normal EZPass toll should be. One was a bridge over the Hudson, the other I assume was the NJ toll road I was on.

06/05/16 10:13 AM TOLL ($1.00) DRJTBC Plz O78-Interstate 78-ORT-Ln O78 O78
06/05/16 02:48 PM TOLL ($13.44) PTC Plz -New Stanton-Ln 9

[John 070]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Just got back from a trip to CT and NJ. I went thru some EZPass tolls there . I'll have to check to see what they charged me.

Coming from Illinois, I assume corruption to be the norm.


EDIT: Here are the charges. I'm not even sure what these agencies are or what the normal EZPass toll should be. One was a bridge over the Hudson, the other I assume was the NJ toll road I was on.

06/05/16 10:13 AM TOLL ($1.00) DRJTBC Plz O78-Interstate 78-ORT-Ln O78 O78
06/05/16 02:48 PM TOLL ($13.44) PTC Plz -New Stanton-Ln 9

I do know PTC is the PA Turnpike, and DRJTBC might be the Rt. 1 bridge in Trenton, because that's $1....

On the subject of IL....when we were visiting relatives in Chicago last July I paid $44 for 2 1/2 hours of parking downtown, and felt angry....that was before I had heard of ParkWhiz (I only used something called Icon parking so call me out of it). Had a great experience with ParkWhiz where I paid for an oversize surcharge, but the attendant didn't charge me, i.e. paid more through the app than it would have cost without the app. They put a $10 credit on my sign-on that I had forgotten about, which gave me free parking in DC!

Anyway in Chicago ParkWhiz turns the $44 < 3 hours into $25 for all day, not a bad app....

[R3dliner]

When I picked up my E92 and drove from Houston to NY, I think the DC/Baltimore Maryland tolls seems like I paid regular prices

[ASAP]

Originally Posted by jtodd_fl

I like the way you think... I will allow it! For future reference, you could include some bullshit about it being a holdover from your study abroad days at Oxford. Makes you sound like a pretentious, but really smart, asshole. 50% of what it requires to be a bimmer fan!

I like this, I will have to go grab my diploma from the officd in my $30 million home.

[bimmerfrk]

Originally Posted by John 070

The Costco one is really interesting (by the way they begin accepting only VISA today, after only accepting AMEX for 16 years).

The new Citi Visa trounces the old Costco AMEX in that now members get 4% on gas and 2% on Costco purchases, a full 1% more in both categories. I could never understand people getting gas at Costco with debit cards (I can only assume they are carrying a balance and are willing to forgo the reward for not paying interest).

But what I had no idea about was that the Costco card bearing interest represented 20% of AMEX's entire portfolio. I also thought Costco members were too smart to carry a balance!

And you are right, Citi basically agreed to no interchange fee, which AMEX could not agree to....

I always pay debit for gas..... i don't give a fuck if it saves me 150 dollars a year on gas. I don't have to deal with fucking multiple cards in my wallet.

If i know i'm going to buy something big. i have one credit card with a 25k limit if i need to get something big. Used it only a couple times for vacations...

Not everyone wants a card for every store they shop in to save 50 bucks a year......

[John 070]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

When I picked up my E92 and drove from Houston to NY, I think the DC/Baltimore Maryland tolls seems like I paid regular prices

There you go, that $8 toll is exactly what I mean, it's $6 if you have a MD EZPass...

but you did get the discounted rate ($5.54) on the Bronx Whitestone bridge, so your EZPass is from a NY authority, right? My NJ EZPass would be $8 for that BWB.....