The Random Thread

[vc commodore]

On Brisbane's Gateway bridge in 2002, there was still a basket that you threw the coins in.
I remember it well because I had a habit of throwing the coins in and letting the vehicle roll until the boom came up, but one particular day in 2002 I forgot I had pipe on the ute racks and of course when the boom came up it was between the bonnet and the pipe so it got caught under the pipe, and I propped.

Well all hell broke loose with old mate behind on the horn and old mate in the booth going into complete panic mode.
So I started to reverse which panicked old mate behind me to the point he and the bloke behind him were both now on the horn
with the booth operator jumping out to try and stop more traffic piling up, so I kept reversing with horns going until the boom popped out from under the pipes with a resounding booing, and I drove off..

I still do it today at shopping centres with the boom almost touching the windscreen until it comes up.
Just my bit of old fart fun.

The gateway bridge is the one that caught me out......And of course the place I have to leave the motorway is the next exit

 

[vc commodore]

Get a visa/mastercard debit card.

I could but at the time I went through I didn't know they'd changed the system....

I also don't see why I should if it is only going to be used for that....Kind of pointless

 

[UTE042_NZ]

The tolls here in NZ are paid online, no toll booths at all, just cameras.

The last time I remember coins and toll booths was in the US circa 2001, haven't been there since.

The Auckland harbour bridge used to have 20 cent toll each way for cars (2 shillings when I was a kid, before we went decimal) hand collected by males in a booth who would then raise the barrier arm. The toll was extended for several years longer than originally proposed to pay for the 2x two-lane Nippon Clip-on extensions hung off each side.

 

[Immortality]

The Auckland harbour bridge used to have 20 cent toll each way for cars (2 shillings when I was a kid, before we went decimal) hand collected by males in a booth who would then raise the barrier arm. The toll was extended for several years longer than originally proposed to pay for the 2x two-lane Nippon Clip-on extensions hung off each side.

That's well before my time

 

[keith reed]

I also remember a story of an ex Counselor here who had racked up something like $36,000 in tolls and simply kept telling the toll operator to let him know where he could pay in cash and he would be happy to do so to clear the debt.
Don't know what ever happened to that one.

There was also someone in Brisbane who refused to pay tolls. He claimed that all roads should be toll free and he was quite happy to go to court over the issue. I haven't heard what the outcome was on that.

 

[VS 5.0]

No toll roads in Perth.

 

[wildfiremaint]

At one point in Sydney on the M4 you had to use a token ( like a bigger USB STICK) that you had to insert in a slot at the booth. You had to stop at exactly the right spot so you could reach out to the slot.

 

[JRNZER]

The toll on the Logan highway was originally put there to recoup the cost of building the road, Govt said once they had the money back they would remove the toll.
Guessing the road must be paid for by now, But the toll is still there.

I go over the gateway bridge for work each day, Sometimes have to use the airport link tunnel if traffic is really bad.
$5.45 to go over the bridge.
$5.03 for a short trip through the tunnel

 

[OldBomb]

Toll roads are a complete scam. everyone knows that. Governments build them using tax payer money, then charge people to use it. Finally, they're sold off to the private sector who subsequently charge motorists to "maintain them".

 

[losh1971]

Toll roads are a complete scam. everyone knows that. Governments build them using tax payer money, then charge people to use it. Finally, they're sold off to the private sector who subsequently charge motorists to "maintain them".

I thought to have a toll road, the private sector had to invest funds (even if in part) and that's why they got to charge a toll because a portion of the road is privately owned.