Unbelievable article at the Examiner re: Golden Gate Bridge toll booths (San Francisco: car rental, rentals)

[daddydg]

I'm amazed they are getting rid of the toll booths! I can't believe what this guy at the Examiner said.

Check out his article at:
[url=http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-san-francisco/crisis-at-the-golden-gate]Crisis at the golden gate - San Francisco Conservative | Examiner.com[/url]

[sonarrat]

It's ridiculous. One of the most famous bridges in the world and one of the area's biggest tourist attractions, and they decide to put this boondoggle in it which will help a handful of Marin County commuters get to work faster while perplexing and infuriating millions of tourists and visitors. Unforgivable.

[gone down south]

How is having automated tolls going to perplex and infuriate anyone?

[sonarrat]

Because if you don't have the equipment to pay, you get a ticket in the mail and have to pay it. Or in a tourist's case, the rental agency does and passes it on to you plus a handling fee.

[lmk1707]

Fastrak always dismisses the first violation with an admonition to get the proper equipment.

[sav858]

Won't they have license plate readers that can send you a bill? I read the article on sfgate.com the other week and that is my impression. Not everyone has credit cards and there has to be a way for them to pay. If there aren't license plate readers that will send you bill then I'd imagine they would have to put up machines that take cash, which will take longer than a toll booth operator.

[lmk1707]

Originally Posted by sav858

Won't they have license plate readers that can send you a bill? I read the article on sfgate.com the other week and that is my impression. Not everyone has credit cards and there has to be a way for them to pay. If there aren't license plate readers that will send you bill then I'd imagine they would have to put up machines that take cash, which will take longer than a toll booth operator.

They do take a picture of your license plate if you offend & send you a $35 ticket (not a ticket for the $5 toll) that you can get dismissed the first time it happens. You can also pre-pay your FasTrak at Safeway or similar so that it deducts from the balance, no credit card needed.

Also regarding car rentals, some rental companies already have FasTrak if you call ahead. See Avis Rent A Car: eToll Service for example.

[Joe_Ryder]

Originally Posted by lmk1707

Fastrak always dismisses the first violation with an admonition to get the proper equipment.

And what of tourists? They might as well pay the fine as buy a FasTrak since they may never be going that way again.
Freaking expensive drive across the bridge in my opinion.

[EdJS]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

It's ridiculous. One of the most famous bridges in the world and one of the area's biggest tourist attractions, and they decide to put this boondoggle in it which will help a handful of Marin County commuters get to work faster while perplexing and infuriating millions of tourists and visitors. Unforgivable.

This is the way toll payment is going all over the world. Tourists and visitors are, or will soon be, aware of this method of toll payment, if they have tolls where they live.

Believe me, California is not leading the way here.

[mayorhaggar]

It certainly is unbelievable that the people who own the Examiner think that people in San Francisco actually want to read the annoying right-winger editorials they pack it with.