16 signs now alert drivers to pay new Tacoma Narrows bridge toll

[Redneck_Rebel]

Linda wrote:

When you cross the bridge in one direction and do not pay a toll, it is counter intuitive to look for a toll booth coming back. The signs are not obvious and the fine is too much money. If a person makes an innocent mistake one time, then a small fine should suffice. The fine is currently $52. That is too much money. This is definitely a money making scam for Pierce County. The mitigation hearing is a joke, too. Why bother. I think a class action suit is a great idea!!

I think pulling your head out of ytour ass would be a much better idea. When you're driving you should be paying attention at all times, period.

[memyselfandI]

Alaskan visitor wrote:

<quoted text>
Of course you love it and defend it, you have local knowledge, and you don't mind that visitors are confused and then have the crap fined out to them, just so YOU don't have to slow down at a toll booth. Then you go out of your way to attempt to justify the way it is and blame the visitors for missing the EXIT to the toll booths when they are traveling second lane from the left and can't get over!
By the way, I am north of Seattle spending thousands of dollars shopping and vacationing, but won't waste a minute of my time or penny of my money on this area, and the cheats who try to justify a poor toll system just so they don't have to slow down.

Maybe you should open your eyes when you are driving. How can you miss the 20 signs that are posted that instruct you how to pay the toll at the toll booth? Frankly, I am glad that you are spending your time up north and not in my neck of the woods because I would hate to have someone that is obviously blind or stupid driving anywhere near me.

[memyselfandI]

All these people that are complaining about not seeing a sign must be the same people that complaint to the police that they don't see the stop sign or the speed limit sign. I have one thing to say to all of these people. TURN OFF THE CELL PHONE!!! PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD!!!

[Alaskan visitor]

memyselfandI wrote:

All these people that are complaining about not seeing a sign must be the same people that complaint to the police that they don't see the stop sign or the speed limit sign. I have one thing to say to all of these people. TURN OFF THE CELL PHONE!!! PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD!!!

All these people complaining are wrong, and you are right. Just another paid hack for the bridge authority, who are afraid of the class action suit. All these people, mainly visitors, over and over posting they were confused and too far left and not expecting to have to EXIT to the toll booths. All these people have a lot of previous experience with toll booths, WHERE ALL STOP AND PAY.

HOW MANY PEOPLE MISS THE BOOTHS A MONTH????

YOU ARE THE IDIOT, THE BRIDGE AUTHORITY IS PAYING YOU TOO MUCH TO ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THIS SITE. GET A REAL JOB, LIKE McDONALDS.

I wonder if all the people who were cheated by this will get a lump sum from the class action and the users of the bridge will have to pay them? That will be sweet!

[4CryngOtLd]

Alaskan visitor wrote:
"HOW MANY PEOPLE MISS THE BOOTHS A MONTH????"

If you would look at WSDOT's web site you will see that only 2.7% of all traffic across the bridge misses or doesn't pay the toll. That's VERY LITTLE!!!

The following information taken directly from the WSDOT web site:

"TNB Toll Operations Overview
(July 16, 2007 – September 27, 2009)
• Over 123,000 open Good To Go!
accounts.
• Over 340,000 issued
transponders.
• Nearly 70% of traffic used
electronic toll lanes.
• More than 31.6 million
Good To Go! transactions to date.
• Almost $90 million in revenue to
date.
• Average violation rate about 2.7%
for the past year."

Get your facts straight.

[Alaskan visitor]

4CryngOtLd wrote:

Alaskan visitor wrote:
"HOW MANY PEOPLE MISS THE BOOTHS A MONTH????"
If you would look at WSDOT's web site you will see that only 2.7% of all traffic across the bridge misses or doesn't pay the toll. That's VERY LITTLE!!!
The following information taken directly from the WSDOT web site:
"TNB Toll Operations Overview
(July 16, 2007 – September 27, 2009)
• Over 123,000 open Good To Go!
accounts.
• Over 340,000 issued
transponders.
• Nearly 70% of traffic used
electronic toll lanes.
• More than 31.6 million
Good To Go! transactions to date.
• Almost $90 million in revenue to
date.
• Average violation rate about 2.7%
for the past year."
Get your facts straight.

There you go, attempting to minimize the numbers of people cheated in this confusing scam.

Just using your own numbers 31.6 million x .027 = over 850,000 violations/year /12 months = 71 THOUSAND miss the toll booths each month! This is an ENORMOUS amount of misses, especially when you consider MOST OF THE TRAFFIC ON THIS BRIDGE IS LOCALS WITH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, WHO USE IT FIVE DAYS A WEEK OR MORE FOR WORK AND TRAVEL. Seems to me you are cheating most of the visitors, who like me EXPECT toll booths blocking the road LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE USA and Canada.

I have been through MANY toll booths when driving in Canada and the USA. The booths block the highway, AND EVERYONE STOPS AND PAYS! THIS IS ZERO PERCENT MISSES. THIS IS A SMALL NUMBER.

I guess you might think 2.7% is a small number, when it isn't you being cheated. I DON'T.

I was and am, particularly outraged when 8 or 9 months after I crossed this bridge, I received calls from a COLLECTION agency demanding payment of a ticket I had never (and still never) have been notified of! I have had the same mailing address for more than 25 years, it is on my Alaska registration, and I was never notified! The only excuse I see for this, IS IT IS ABOUT THE FINES AND MONEY! They don't care if they don't notify, JUST JACK THE FINE UP! IT'S A CHEAT AND SCAM AND NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN. QUIT CHEATING YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE TRAVELING IN YOUR AREA AND HELPING TO SUPPORT YOUR ECONOMY.

By the way, you came up with those figures quick, do you work for the bridge authority too?

I am very suspicious of some of the persons posting here, who continually deride and blame those missing this toll EXIT!

HOW MANY EACH MONTH MISS THIS TOLL?

I posted here to attempt to correct a problem and help others. There is NO excuse for this number of excessive fines. Take some of this money and put up MORE SIGNS, PUT FLASHING LIGHTS ON THEM, PUT UP A HUNDRED SIGNS IF THAT IS WHAT IT TAKES. IF THE STATE/BRIDGE AUTHORITY DOES NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS, IT MEANS THEY WANT THE FINES, NOT TO IDENTIFY VISITORS HOW TO PAY THE TOLL.

[4CryngOtLd]

Alaskan visitor wrote:

<quoted text>

By the way, you came up with those figures quick, do you work for the bridge authority too?
I am very suspicious of some of the persons posting here, who continually deride and blame those missing this toll EXIT!
HOW MANY EACH MONTH MISS THIS TOLL?

I got those numbers directly from the WSDOT web. Also, by following the news, I know that toll booths are becoming obsolete. All tolling in the future will probably be electronic, as it is in Europe. Where, if I may, tolling runs very smoothly!

[Alaskan visitor]

4CryngOtLd wrote:

<quoted text>
I got those numbers directly from the WSDOT web. Also, by following the news, I know that toll booths are becoming obsolete. All tolling in the future will probably be electronic, as it is in Europe. Where, if I may, tolling runs very smoothly!

Well, going to copy Europe? Why not just send a bill for the toll then, instead of these excessive fines?

I really don't care what they do in Europe, this toll is a load of crap, fleecing the unsuspecting. Like a speed trap, it should be outlawed.

So, go ahead and admit it, you work for the bridge authority, don't you....

[memyselfandI]

Alaskan visitor wrote:

<quoted text>
All these people complaining are wrong, and you are right. Just another paid hack for the bridge authority, who are afraid of the class action suit. All these people, mainly visitors, over and over posting they were confused and too far left and not expecting to have to EXIT to the toll booths. All these people have a lot of previous experience with toll booths, WHERE ALL STOP AND PAY.
HOW MANY PEOPLE MISS THE BOOTHS A MONTH????
YOU ARE THE IDIOT, THE BRIDGE AUTHORITY IS PAYING YOU TOO MUCH TO ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THIS SITE. GET A REAL JOB, LIKE McDONALDS.
I wonder if all the people who were cheated by this will get a lump sum from the class action and the users of the bridge will have to pay them? That will be sweet!

I don't speak for the bridge authority. As far as I know there isn't one. 45000 people cross the bridge every day and 20% use the toll booths. Obviously 9000 people daily have no problem using the toll booths. Go ahead and file a class action lawsuit... The judges have already said that there are plenty of signs... I have actually sat in on a day in the court room when they were people trying to contest their tickets. The few people that said that they didn't see the signs where told off by the judge. The judge informed them that there are more than enough signs and if they can't see them than maybe they should not be driving.

[Divvad]

This is funny.
I won't make any excuses, but I ended up seeing toll booths way over to my right (in different lanes) and unable to get over to them. I drove under some very bright lights, and knew they had taken a photo, but couldn't do anything about it.
I asked the person with me whether he had noticed signs telling us to change lanes. He hadn't.
So - I was very aware. I knew there were toll booths, I saw them, I noticed they took my picture. I talked about it. Was hardly asleep!
A lack of signs saying "Toll" wasn't the problem. Just, on a dark and rainy night, I didn't end up in the lane with the toll boths.
The sent a ticket and I picked to have a mitigation hearing by mail. A Mail hearing is actually quite thoughtful.

[Alaskan visitor]

memyselfandI wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't speak for the bridge authority. As far as I know there isn't one. 45000 people cross the bridge every day and 20% use the toll booths. Obviously 9000 people daily have no problem using the toll booths. Go ahead and file a class action lawsuit... The judges have already said that there are plenty of signs... I have actually sat in on a day in the court room when they were people trying to contest their tickets. The few people that said that they didn't see the signs where told off by the judge. The judge informed them that there are more than enough signs and if they can't see them than maybe they should not be driving.

Of course you don't "speak" for them. You just hang out at this forum attempting to discredit all who complain because you don't have anything else to do. That must be why you spent the day in court also. It's apparent to all here that you have an interest in this "beyond that of ordinary or currosity". You must work for the bridge or county or whoever opposes this site.

[TickedOffToo]

My husband and I got caught in the toll bridge 'scam' too. Felt quite stupid about it because we saw some signs but did not realize they applied to us, as we had not looked at a map and did not know we were going over that bridge until too late! Once we realized our error, we had just 1/2 mile to change lanes and get over to the right to pay the toll. Traffic did not permit us to do that and the concrete barrier blocked us as well. We called and left a voicemail with police within 1/2 hour asking how to pay toll after-the-fact. Trooper called back next day and told us to contact Good-to-Go and pay to get a transponder. I would think that is why the statistics only show 2+% infractions -- most people would opt to save $10 and get the darn transponder even if they don't need it...
We, however, opted to "mitigate by mail." WARNING: don't bother trying that! We never got a chance to mitigate - received a court ticket 3.5 weeks later instead. 2nd WARNING: Please know that the mail-in address for the fine is INCORRECT on the form! Is this on purpose? The zip code has one digit wrong, so your mail is returned. If you go online for the Pierce County Court, they don't even show a P.O. box mail address like on the form -- instead they show an entirely different street address and zip code. I sent in my $$ again today to the online address. It will be interesting to see if they get it, or delay returning my mail so that I get fined for being late... What a system they have going!
Yes, I think we should have seen the signs, but I do believe there ought to be more time to get over at the last minute if you finally understand your error. The fine should be less for first time offenders too. And what about the wrong address being on the ticket form -- very poor system!

[Angry Oregonian]

This toll is just a scam for money to boom the local economy. I can not imagine this is allowed in the united states. Where can we get together and suite them? They are just shameless people.

[Angry Oregonian]

They plan this scam very well. Almost every one who got the ticket is not from local, and we will not be able to go back for the mitigation. This is almost like a $52 toll for people who are not from local.

[Benecia]

If this bridge was in any other county but Pierce, there wouldn't be a problem.

When something is screwed up in Pierce County, it's considered normal and not worth fixing.

Best thing to do: avoid the hell out of Pierce County.

[Laura]

This was my first time across the Tacoma Narrows. It was raining and dark. I was over to far to get over to the tool booths in time to pay. I new when I went by the bright lights I was screwed. I was so mad I turned around went back over the bridge knowing I would have to pay for a second trip, but they would not accept payment for my first time across. I'm sure I will be receiving my ticket in the mail soon. I will try to appeal by mail. Pissed off in Olympia.

[OIF I Combat Vet]

Redneck_Rebel wrote:

<quoted text>
I think pulling your head out of ytour ass would be a much better idea. When you're driving you should be paying attention at all times, period.

"Yo dawg, I'm a *Redneck_Rebel*. I can't even spell my fucking towns name properly, and obviously require a foam helmet for daily activities, but I will take time between drooling, and timing opening my mouth so my mom can slip in carrots at feeding time, to harass people online."

You make me laugh so hard. I love it when limp-wrist idiots hop onto a thread to act all tough.

I came off of N. Jackson St, after JUST coming into this area from out of state to go to school up here, and somehow found myself on this bridge. There are NO notifications of toll on N. Jackson St.(I was leaving Point Defiance Zoo with the family), and found myself on a god damned bridge, with no turn-around in sight.

I *DID* notice a sign that said "Good To Go", and I *DID* see a sign that said it was a toll bridge, but did *NOT* see any signs indicating where said toll-plaza was at. I only had over $400 dollars in my pocket in bills of various sizes, and am so sure that the $4 toll would have stretched my wallet at this point to the brink, am I right?

Realizing I made a wrong turn (Never, EVER crossed that bridge before), I made an immediate exit after the bridge (24th St.), and U-turned back towards my residence.

Lo and behold, I have a $52 dollar fine for a $4 dollar toll I would have happily paid, had I even SEEN a god damned toll-plaza ANYWHERE.

It's amazing how every other state has Toll-Plazas ON the fucking roadway, but Washington is so god damned special (maybe just Pierce County?) that it can't follow this simple, logical, toll configuration.

Redneck_Retard: Don't even bother replying. Reading your commentary is akin to watching somebody take a nasty shit. Pointless, and fucking disgusting.

Spew your diarrhea elsewhere farmboy.

[OIF I Combat Vet]

4CryngOtLd wrote:

<quoted text>
I got those numbers directly from the WSDOT web. Also, by following the news, I know that toll booths are becoming obsolete. All tolling in the future will probably be electronic, as it is in Europe. Where, if I may, tolling runs very smoothly!

LOL this is the largest statement of fecal matter I have ever seen.

Try being in London midday, and tell me how awesome it is.
Try being in Germany and being caught in a stau.
Maybe we could design tunnels like they do, so that in the event of a fire, hundreds of people die in their cars due to poor engineering.

If you think everything in Europe is better, then shoo, go live over there.

I have to laugh at the majority of you flagrantly bobbing on the knob of "authority" instead of siding with your fellow citizens. Especially when, whether or not you want to admit it, they have an extremely valid point.

Oh and for the tool that saw a Judge "Tell a citizen off". They're job isn't to "tell people off" dumbass. They are to accurately, and with great thought, apply the law in its proper form, while presiding over a session or case. It's not their job to open their gargle hole and give you a tongue lashing.

Government < People.

Don't ever forget that!