[GiGi603]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

A lot of people don't carry cash anymore.

I get that. I barely carry cash. I taught my sons from a very young age to always have a few dollars on them. I am an experienced traveler--always have some cash on me. In my car console I have coins---least when I go to vacuum my car I have a few quarters for the machine! Or get air in my tires...

As for Europe--yes, I carry coins. How else do you tip the lavatory people?! I learned that very quickly! Or gosh forbid some of the stores you still need a coin to get into the lavatory!

Best to keep a few coins on one when traveling!

[Alonso Gil]

I always carry at least $200. Carrying just a few dollars is not a great idea, and carrying no cash at all is a horrible idea.


I like paying cash at a toll. The amount of time it takes to pay a toll in cash is far less than the time it takes to deal with paying a bill sent to me in the mail, which is at best, only a bit more. If the toll road doesn't have your address easily available, by the time they find you, they add late charges, even though it's their fault they didn't send you a bill the next month!


What is wrong with a transponder option and a cash option? I used to live in Oklahoma and I drove on the turnpike a few times and paid cash. Other people drove through without slowing down because they have a pike pass.


Eliminating the cash option will force people like myself to drive another way. Today, in the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex, you can't drive on any of the toll roads and pay cash, so I have to take the old freeways like US 75 and 635 which takes twice as long. Ridiculous!

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by Alonso Gil

I always carry at least $200. Carrying just a few dollars is not a great idea, and carrying no cash at all is a horrible idea.


I like paying cash at a toll. The amount of time it takes to pay a toll in cash is far less than the time it takes to deal with paying a bill sent to me in the mail, which is at best, only a bit more. If the toll road doesn't have your address easily available, by the time they find you, they add late charges, even though it's their fault they didn't send you a bill the next month!


What is wrong with a transponder option and a cash option? I used to live in Oklahoma and I drove on the turnpike a few times and paid cash. Other people drove through without slowing down because they have a pike pass.


Eliminating the cash option will force people like myself to drive another way. Today, in the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex, you can't drive on any of the toll roads and pay cash, so I have to take the old freeways like US 75 and 635 which takes twice as long. Ridiculous!

I can't afford to lose $200 if I lost my wallet. Oh well.

Probably nothing wrong with using both the transponder system and cash. We had that for a while before we got a transponder and it was fine. I think one reason could be that it saves the state money to just have the transponders. Otherwise, they need to maintain toll booths and pay toll takers. It's been argued and fought about but it does come out cheaper to ditch the toll takers, at least where I live.

Actually, one advantage of having a toll taker was that if you were lost or had some other problem, there was a human to help you.

The bill? I can choose when to pay it online, maybe at night in my pjs, but with the toll I have to dig around and find the money in the moment. I guess it's just me, but I've been known to drop some change on the floor of the car, have to fumble around trying to find it, idiots honking their horns behind me.

The state of CT is trying to implement the transponders on some of their roads. The only reason they did away with tolls was because of a horrible fatal traffic accident at a toll booth. The states need the revenue. They charge less if you're from IN-state and they get more from the out-of-state drive throughs. Seems fair to me. Safer because no one has to stop to pay and risk getting hit.

Probably there are pros and cons to each. I'm enjoying whizzing through with the transponder though.
Why can't you drive Dallas Ft Worth area? Don't they just take a picture of your plate/tag and send you a bill? A transponder isn't a requirement here. Without one, they'll still take your money just the same!

[Alonso Gil]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Why can't you drive Dallas Ft Worth area? Don't they just take a picture of your plate/tag and send you a bill? A transponder isn't a requirement here. Without one, they'll still take your money just the same!

It takes them months to figure out where you live if you are from out of state, and then they insult you with late fees. It took three angry letters from me to get them to wake up.


I would rather pay twice as much in cash than deal with that nonsense!

[Threestep2]

What does how toll systems in CT/NE or DFW work or do not work in the eyes of some users have to do with will OK track down a toll evader?
On the humerous side - I see toll evasion misdemeanors as first offense on criminal back ground checks.

[Alonso Gil]

Originally Posted by Threestep

What does how toll systems in CT/NE or DFW work or do not work in the eyes of some users have to do with will OK track down a toll evader?
On the humerous side - I see toll evasion misdemeanors as first offense on criminal back ground checks.

The point is that OP should be happy to drive through Oklahoma and pay cash instead of DFW where you can't.

[Oklazona Bound]

Originally Posted by teakboat

Not sure I understand. You can't just carry a few bucks with you? There are attendants. There are also free roads, but it usually does not really pay to take them. You could take old 66 all the way down to I40. I've seen toll roads in other states, Kentucky, Kansas, etc. It's not just Oklahoma. They are kind of a pain but nothing to get worked up over.

In Oklahoma there are lots of unattended toll booths. And you need change they don't take paper money. Often the on ramp to the toll road does not state that change is required and once you get to the spot where you have to pay there is no way to turn around.



Solution is simple. Bring a roll of quarters or use google maps and select the setting AVOID TOLLS and you wont encounter them. Take I-40 or I-35 and you won't run into any tolls.

[teakboat]

He would just be passing down the Will Rogers turnpike, and then the Turner Turnpike. There are lots of attendants, unless he decided he had to leave the turnpike midway for some reason. But yeah, bring some quarters. I don't see what is so puzzling about it.

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

A lot of people don't carry cash anymore. Or they might not have enough on them. I like getting money from out of state drivers but cash on toll roads is a thing of the past. The DMV takes a picture of the license plate. Even if it's a rental car, they will still find them. But most cars have a transponder that electrically records the transaction. It either comes off your cc automatically or they will send you a bill.

We did away with the stupid cash tolls that slow everybody down. (I think it was after the governor got stuck in a massive traffic jam, LOL)

Most everyone I know carries cash. Nobody wants to put a $2.50 purchase on a credit card. I have a ziplock bag in my car with at least $10 in assorted coins strictly for tolls. Cash is king. Right now I have $1723.00 in my money clip in my left front pants pocket. You never know when you're going to come across a good deal that you can flip for a profit. Cash talks, plastic walks. Never be a slave to convenience and technology.

[Roadwarriors79]

The OP could have just searched the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority website for answers:

https://www.pikepass.com/

It looks like Oklahoma wants to eventually go on the all-electronic-tolling path at some point:

https://www.platepay.com/