Tollway Blues...

[FromTexas]

Woman Has Nearly 3,000 Toll Violations
Nov 02 4:28 PM US/Eastern
DALLAS

The North Texas Tollway Authority says it has a forgiving attitude for Dallas-area travelers who sometimes pass through their booths without anteing up.

"We recognize that sometimes you get in the wrong lane, or you don't have money," said Clayton Howe, director of the authority's toll programs and services. "We don't punish people for that kind of activity."

But Evangelina Gonzalez apparently pressed her luck with nearly 3,000 violations since February 2004. Gonzalez, 41, owes a record $76,039, which includes a $25 administrative fee per violation, The Dallas Morning News reported in Wednesday editions.

A constable was sent to her home last month with an arrest warrant. She was booked into the county jail and later released on the condition she appear in court on the Class C misdemeanors.

Gonzalez could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday by The Associated Press. No phone listing for her could be found.

She stands accused of failing to pay 2,953 tolls on the Dallas North Tollway and Bush Turnpike.

Gonzalez isn't alone. Another violator has a $61,025 bill pending.

Howe said the tollway authority doesn't expect to collect all the fees from Gonzalez, but anticipates a fair assessment from a judge. The authority uses cameras and a database to catch offenders.

Can you imagine that catching up on ya? After the first 20-30 times you probably start to figure there is nothing they do about it. At about 100-200 you never think about it again. At 3,000 you are crapping your pants when they show up at your door.

 

[Larry Gude]

Ok...

Can you imagine that catching up on ya? After the first 20-30 times you probably start to figure there is nothing they do about it. At about 100-200 you never think about it again. At 3,000 you are crapping your pants when they show up at your door.

...but 3,000 violations is, what, a dollar a pop she didn't pay? Seems most of the money is the admin fee per violation.

The real question, as I see it, is, why is the great state of Texas EXTORTING it's fair citizens to the tune of $2,000 a year, or more, just to use a ROAD?

This sounds like some sort of tawdry, petty East Coast thing.

Not very 'Texas' at all.

 

[FromTexas]

...but 3,000 violations is, what, a dollar a pop she didn't pay? Seems most of the money is the admin fee per violation.

The real question, as I see it, is, why is the great state of Texas EXTORTING it's fair citizens to the tune of $2,000 a year, or more, just to use a ROAD?

This sounds like some sort of tawdry, petty East Coast thing.

Not very 'Texas' at all.

Very few toll roads in Texas. They are used as quick routes instead of ways you have to go. They are built to reduce traffic on the major freeways/roadways. Its kind of a perk instead of taking the usual long route. Eventually, they are supposed to go no toll as they are paid off and it should be at the point where those roads will be vital for efficient traffic flow. I have yet to hit one you have to take to get from point a to point b without a huge effort to avoid it like you do on the east coast.

For instance, the Houston Beltway is a second larger loop around the outside of Houston. The old way was drive in to the loop or a cross fwy and go over. Now you can just circle further out on the tollroad. It was easy enough to get around before, but now you could go from NW Houston to NE Houston in about 15-20 minutes when it used to be 40-45 minutes. North Texas Tollway has one that goes through DFW airport. Its free to use to get into and out of the airport, but if you want to use it as a shortcut between the major fwys, it costs ya. It takes payment from those the airport isn't getting paid from for being there... it also discourages heavy airport traffic and impeding those trying to fly (the airports real function).

I have yet to see a currently "necessary" roadway built that was toll.

 

[Dupontster]

Only reason they're going after her is because she's from Texas.....AND....G.W Bush is from Texas....AND....He don't like black people....AND.....he makes hurricanes....AND....Like FT said "At 3,000 you are crapping your pants when they show up at your door." Dayumn....I'm sure she thought she had it made...

 

[sleuth]

Very few toll roads in Texas. They are used as quick routes instead of ways you have to go. They are built to reduce traffic on the major freeways/roadways. Its kind of a perk instead of taking the usual long route. Eventually, they are supposed to go no toll as they are paid off and it should be at the point where those roads will be vital for efficient traffic flow. I have yet to hit one you have to take to get from point a to point b without a huge effort to avoid it like you do on the east coast.

For instance, the Houston Beltway is a second larger loop around the outside of Houston. The old way was drive in to the loop or a cross fwy and go over. Now you can just circle further out on the tollroad. It was easy enough to get around before, but now you could go from NW Houston to NE Houston in about 15-20 minutes when it used to be 40-45 minutes. North Texas Tollway has one that goes through DFW airport. Its free to use to get into and out of the airport, but if you want to use it as a shortcut between the major fwys, it costs ya. It takes payment from those the airport isn't getting paid from for being there... it also discourages heavy airport traffic and impeding those trying to fly (the airports real function).

I have yet to see a currently "necessary" roadway built that was toll.

I was very impressed with the road system in Dallas/Ft. Worth when I stayed down there. I was there for 3 months, and I think I hit one traffic jam after an accident the whole time.

Almost all of the beltways have frontal roads that run parallel, so if traffic gets too crazy, you can just jump over to one of those. It was very efficient.

For a city the size of either one of Dallas and Fort Worth, I was very impressed. I'd say Indianapolis is roughly equivalent to Fort Worth in physical size of the city and downtown, and its traffic isn't nearly as good.