I just had to pay the most annoying fine ever!

pixiesis

pixiesis

Cathlete
I got a fine from the Chicago tollway from a "violation" DH and I committed last summer. Apparently, we took an exit where only ez pass cars could pay. There was no way to pay cash. I only vaguely remember this, but we waited and looked around and tried to figure out what to do. No one was around and so we just left. The rep on the phone said there is a "tiny sign" that signals drivers who have to pay manually to go to a certain location to pay (she said most people don't see the sign and agreed that this is totally absurd). So we missed that sign, didn't pay the toll because we didn't know how to, and got a fine for $62! Does this not suck? x(
 
I don't understand how they tracked you down? And if was with cameras taking photos of your license plate, they should have seen you trying to figure out what to do!

Crazy!

Kickie
 
They had cameras. No one there to help, but cameras for fines. It's really the perfect scam, isn't it? And the rep said there was no way to contest the fines.
 
Haa! Classic bureaucracy and an out of town sucker who didn't know the secret rules of the Order of the Elected Overpaid Idiots. And now you have the Chicago blues...
 
>Haa! Classic bureaucracy and an out of town sucker who didn't
>know the secret rules of the Order of the Elected Overpaid
>Idiots. And now you have the Chicago blues...


Oh yes, we certainly were out of town suckers, and we are singing the Chicago blues. But, at least we got to give the government some more money. They're worth it! :p
 
Amy,
About 1 1/2 years ago, I missed the "pay toll" booth and went through the EZ Pass instead. (Well, people wouldn't let me over!) So when I got to the next booth, I told the person there and they gave me an envelope to pay the darn toll. I taped the change on a card and sent it in. It almost cost more for the stamp but now I'm glad I did it! That's ridiculous you got such a big fine.

~~Patti~~
 
>Amy,
>About 1 1/2 years ago, I missed the "pay toll" booth and went
>through the EZ Pass instead. (Well, people wouldn't let me
>over!) So when I got to the next booth, I told the person
>there and they gave me an envelope to pay the darn toll. I
>taped the change on a card and sent it in. It almost cost
>more for the stamp but now I'm glad I did it! That's
>ridiculous you got such a big fine.

That's great that you were able to figure it out Patti. In our case, there literally was no "pay toll" booth. Only one EZ pass booth (it was a tiny exit). And there was no employee there to talk to. We couldn't figure out what to do. The only thing there was was a tiny sign telling us where to go to pay, which we didn't see. It was truly bizarre!
 
Amy, consider yourself lucky that is was only $62!

I live in Chicago, and commute to the burbs daily for work. The system is so broken and corrupt, it's sick.

Apparently there was a month from 2006 where they failed to collect any tolls - the system was down. And so now, they're sending out deliquent payment notices to everyone that they scanned (and THEIR systems didn't catch) telling them that they have to pay.
There are some commuters here that have gotten bills for $2500 because of "missed tolls" and the "accrual" of not paying those fees.

Presumably, the state decided that they could use that money for their pointless construction they have going on, and have decided to try forcing it out of people's pockets.

You're lucky you could even get through to anyone on the 800#. Most people can't when they get these stupid bills as they are trying to dispute them.

Welcome to IDOT!
 
>Amy, consider yourself lucky that is was only $62!
>
>I live in Chicago, and commute to the burbs daily for work.
>The system is so broken and corrupt, it's sick.
>
>Apparently there was a month from 2006 where they failed to
>collect any tolls - the system was down. And so now, they're
>sending out deliquent payment notices to everyone that they
>scanned (and THEIR systems didn't catch) telling them that
>they have to pay.
>There are some commuters here that have gotten bills for $2500
>because of "missed tolls" and the "accrual" of not paying
>those fees.
>
>Presumably, the state decided that they could use that money
>for their pointless construction they have going on, and have
>decided to try forcing it out of people's pockets.
>
>You're lucky you could even get through to anyone on the 800#.
>Most people can't when they get these stupid bills as they are
>trying to dispute them.
>
>Welcome to IDOT!

OMG that is just madness! This is such a betrayal! I'm speechless that they are doing this to people. And yeah, my fine was nothing compared to that. And it is amazing that I got through to someone (it did take 30 minutes but I was determined--and I just ended up paying it anyway). Wow. Just Wow.
 
There has to be a way to contest it. Just has to. I'd make a big fuss. I'd write to the newspaper and local news stations too. They always are looking to do consumer-help stories. That's just a total scam. And $62 is a lot of money. That's two Cathe DVDs.
 
>There has to be a way to contest it. Just has to. I'd make a
>big fuss. I'd write to the newspaper and local news stations
>too. They always are looking to do consumer-help stories.
>That's just a total scam. And $62 is a lot of money. That's
>two Cathe DVDs.

I know. I was totally prepared to contest it. But, according to the rep, this happens all the time and people ALWAYS have to pay. I mean, I didn't pay the toll. And they have proof of that. I think the whole system is so corrupt that that's all they see. I don't know, maybe I'll try to contest it again, even though I already paid the d*mn thing.
 
Ah, Chicago tolls. Weren't they eventually supposed to pay off the roads and tear down the toll booths??? HA!!!! Maybe they're using the toll money to fix the potholes that are bigger than my car. There was an article in the paper the other day about a lady who's IPASS had gotten mixed up with someone w/a similar plate (one was a truck plate, the other a car) and she got a bill for like $2000 or something, and having a heck of a time disputing it. The people told her it took so long because they have a backlog of nonpaid tolls and are now catching up. (apparantly they are also changing accounting companies) So this lady's 50 cent toll or has become a mountain of fees, fines, and late charges. Never mind that the late charges wouldn't be so much if the tollway had their act together. Go Governor Rod!!!!

My favorite is the sign that says "Thank you for using the Illinois Tollway" Like I had a stinkin' choice!!

Nan
 
Check this out: Many years ago I was driving through Pennsylvania (with my Ohio plates) and got pulled over by a State Trooper for speeding. He gave me a ticket for just under $200, then he said "And here's a ticket for the town you just went through. It was for over $300! $500 total! When I got home I called the Ohio State Highway Patrol and asked if that was legal and all I got was "Apparently." I had the pink stubs for both tickets in my file cabinet for ages. When I finally purged my files two years ago I got mad all over again when I really examined them. The Pennsylvania State Trooper had written two separate DATES on the tickets, making it look like I'd been pulled over TWICE! And, on the second date, I was at work. Talk about a scam. To top it all off, it all went into my record because I missed the deadline date for paying, trying to find out how to fight it (two separate towns, each wanting their money and not caring about the ticket for the other town). I used to work second jobs doing telephone customer service and was griping about what happened to a citizen of Pennsylvania and he said "Yea, they love to go after out-of-state drivers here. If you don't drive faster, our drivers will run you off the road. But if you drive faster, to get everyone off your bumper, YOU get busted. But, hey, if it makes you feel any better, the same thing happens to us in Ohio..." Actually, that just makes me angrier. Way to get your freeway repairs paid for!!!
 
Three cheers for government (not!) :p

I'm hearing more and more stories about things like this, and not just with government entities. Corporations are the same way. There's a mess-up (deliberate or a genuine mistake) on their end, and they simply can't or won't fix it. Not to go all apocalyptic but I think it's a clear sign that the system is crumbling.

Get this, DH and I have a home equity loan on one of our rental properties. Since day one the mortgage company has had his social security number entered incorrectly. For over 6 months we've phoned, faxed, mailed, talked to supervisors and done everything we could, and that they told us to, to get it resolved. Still no resolution. DH called last week, ready to throw a blood clot he was so ticked, and you know what the rep said? "Sir, why don't you just use the incorrect social security number from now on?" Can you believe it??? Cause that won't mess things up any for someone who might actually HAVE THAT SS #!!!

Gadzooks.

Sparrow


"The winds of grace are always blowing but it's you who must raise your sail." - Sri Ramakrishna
 
You're absolutely right, Nan! They did put all of the toll plazas up to pay for construction, and then they were going to tear them down.
That's until the state gov't found out how much money they can rake in! Surprsingly, they did actually tear down the Deerfield Toll Plaza several years ago, but that's only because it was creating such a traffic mess that even the state lawmakers took notice (or probably got stuck sitting in it once.)

My favorite part about that concept, is that most of the tolls have just gone up last year, and they just keep finding new construction projects to work on. Right now, they're WIDENING the Tri-State. This is a 10 yr project, where they're adding a lane. 10 yrs of construction. You OCCASIONALLY see someone actually working out there. Meanwhile, the other 26 miles of expressway is down a lane, and we all have to suffer.

You also have the Edens, which is being "resurfaced", whatever that means. This is phase 2 of a project that started last year, and has literally DOUBLED my commute everyday. The papers actually warned that there would be many times when you would not see anyone out there working. And believe me, I have plenty of time to look during my 2 HOUR commute home everyday as a result!!!

Ahhh, not that I'm angry about any of this... :)
 
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