WTH?!! Tolls? I hadn't seen a single toll booth the entire time I was in Monterey aaaand I only have one dollar and some change on me because, quite frankly, I use my card everywhere I go. *sigh* I sure hope this toll plaza accepts cards…so, I pull up to the toll booth.
Me: "Excuse me sir, I'm not from around here and I didn't realize there would be a toll booth on this road until it was too late to take an exit and get to the ATM machine. Do you accept cards?"
Him: "No." He starts to write down the plate number of the vehicle. "You take this and go." He hands me a card that read something to the tune of 'This is a violation; it is against California state law for motorists to drive on a toll-road without sufficient funds to cover any tolls. A fine of $25 will be charged to the individual to whom this vehicle is registered.'
Me: "Sir, I'm sorry—I cannot accept this. Like I said earlier, I am not from here; I did not know this was a toll road because the sign was only posted as I approached this toll plaza. Is there someone else that can help me, since you cannot? Maybe someone up in that building up there?"
Him: "No, we cannot do anything to help you—take paper and go."
Me: "Sir, you don't seem to understand—this is a rental vehicle on my government travel card…I cannot have this fine applied to this vehicle! Please, let me speak to someone else."
<A voice comes over the intercom>
Intercom Lady: "Miss, you need to move on, you should've had money to pay the toll."
Me (with Bonquisha starting to rear her ugly head): "Look, you all don't seem to understand, I didn't know about this toll and just can't have it charged to the vehicle…I'm not moving until we figure this out.
This three way conversation ensued for what would be another 20 minutes. Cars piled up behind mine, but I was pretty much adamant that I was not moving until either: 1) we came to an understanding or 2) I found money on my person to pay the toll. There were even threats by "intercom lady" to call the Cali Highway Patrol.
"Go ahead—call them," was my response.
"Intercom lady's" bluff was called…and the CHP were not.
Me: "Look sir, it's not like I don't have money—you show me an ATM that's not on the other side of that toll booth and I'll give you your money…I just didn't have time to pull up to one before this toll!"
Him: "Okay, okay, you reverse quick to that exit…there is ATM. Go! Go quick, now before more car come."
I start backing up & I see the exit is at least a mile back and around a dangerous curve. I am not ready to get this rental car hit my some speeding motorist. Instead, I back up to the toll plaza building not more than a tenth of a mile away. For a moment, I hope "intercom lady" is scared that I'm about to come pay her a visit next to her stupid intercom button. Anyway, what happened next would probably have been HIL-arious on film. I was ransacking my purse, suitcase & all the pockets of ANYTHING I’d worn since being on this trip! I managed to scrounge up four dollars worth of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters; then drove over to toll booth once more and handed the guy the fistful of change.
I apologized for my outburst and again let him know it was nothing personal…I just couldn't have the charge go to the rental vehicle. I drove off and traveled the mere five minutes to my hotel—I still can't believe I was SO close, yet a half an hour's worth of drama away!
{CLOUD}: Life's toll booths can sometimes sneak up on ya...
SILVER LINING: ...if you dig in your heels, you may just outlast the toll booth attendant and bide some time to scrounge up enough change in your pockets to get past it, too!
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