Oklahoma - Get your act together

[Rain Man]

What's the deal with those toll roads? I was driving along and all of a sudden my road announced that it was turning into a toll road. Whatever - that's rude, but I can deal with it.

But here's the thing that annoys me. There's a sign that says, "Exact Coins Required". That's it. That's the extent of the instructions.

First off, I live in the 21st century, so I generally don't have coinage in my pocket at all. Occasionally I may have a few if I just bought something with cash, which in itself seldom occurs.

But second, and most importantly, what exact coinage do I need? I'm more likely to have a quarter in my pocket than to have 88 cents. Is the fee 50 cents or 32 cents or 79 cents? This is really important information to provide to the traveling motorist.

With no other option available to me, I veered off on the alternate route and drove the backwoods for an hour, which was probably more interesting and fun. But come on, Oklahoma. Give me a chance to use a credit card, or at least give me a change machine or something. Things like this are why people choose to vacation instead in California or Hawaii.

(I may have posted about this the last time I was in Oklahoma, but if so, it's still not fixed.)

[Flying High D]

I just drive through those.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Flying High D

I just drive through those.

I assumed that a big net would scoop your car up if you did that. No?

[KCUnited]

Not sure about OK, but in IL you can pay online within 7 days after you just roll through them.

[Flying High D]

Nope, alarms go off and cameras flash. If they can’t pay someone to sit in a booth to take my money can they really pay someone to look at pictures and try to find me?

[carcosa]

Your first mistake was being in Oklahoma

[Flying High D]

If they ever catch you, tell them you have low testosterone that causes brain fog.

[srvy]

Indian Nations toll roads are everywhere in Ok.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Not sure about OK, but in IL you can pay online within 7 days after you just roll through them.

According to the sign, exact coins are required in Oklahoma. I have to think that there are other options, but worry that there are massive squatter cities of people stuck at the tolls because they lacked exact change, and they're living in their cars with no running water or electricity, mining ore from the ground as they attempt to smelt crude coins.

[Naptown Chief]

Originally Posted by Flying High D

Nope, alarms go off and cameras flash. If they can’t pay someone to sit in a booth to take my money can they really pay someone to look at pictures and try to find me?

Where do you think the rude prick that used to work the booth went?

In Maryland they give us like a week or two to pay without an outrageous fine, or so I think.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by dwwataz

Where do you think the rude prick that used to work the booth went?

In Maryland they give us like a week or two to pay without an outrageous fine, or so I think.

I drive frequently in California, and they had a decent system that allowed you to log onto a web site and pay. That must have worked too well, because they the last time I was there, they switched to a system where you cannot pay it and get a $250 fine and then spend three weeks going back and forth with the different organizations that run the tolls trying to explain that there's no way to pay now when you're using a rental car.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

But second, and most importantly, what exact coinage do I need? I'm more likely to have a quarter in my pocket than to have 88 cents. Is the fee 50 cents or 32 cents or 79 cents? This is really important information to provide to the traveling motorist.

Well... the price is prorated depending on the distance you traveled on the toll road. So they can't just slap a single price on the sign. For example, hypothetical people that entered at mile marker 20 will be paying $4.25 while people that entered at mile marker 40 will be paying $2.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fish

Well... the price is prorated depending on the distance you traveled on the toll road. So they can't just slap a single price on the sign. For example, hypothetical people that entered at mile marker 20 will be paying $4.25 while people that entered at mile marker 40 will be paying $2.

The sign says nothing about this. Am I paying when I get off? The sign implies that I need exact coins now when I'm entering the toll road system.

Frankly, if this is representative of the thought and skill at play, I don't trust them to do good road building anyway. I bet if I got on that road it would have Hot Wheels loops and big gaps in the concrete that I have to jump and all sorts of other stuff.

[srvy]

Yes as you exit they have no idea where you will exit till you do. They will have your plate # if you dont pay they will mail the payment and fine. Our office tells us all about it when they receive we have crews working there all over.

[cooper barrett]

just stay the **** away from the Mexicans hauling auction cars ( convoy) through OK.

OK highway patrol has a nasty habit of seizing cash and property.

A 2016 civil asset forfeiture case out of the Muskogee area attracted national attention.

"The Muskogee County sheriff's office seized $53,000 in cash from a Dallas man during a Feb. 27 traffic stop. The deputy contended the money was from drug sales, although no drugs were found.

Eh Wah, the tour manager for Burmese Christian rock band The Klo & Kweh Music Team, said the money was raised for a Thai orphanage and a nonprofit Christian school in Myanmar.

The Muskogee County district attorney's office dropped the case and is returning the money."

"We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee
We don't take our trips on LSD
We don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street
We like livin' right, and bein' free"

And taking money from innocent people to pay cops....

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What's the deal with those toll roads? I was driving along and all of a sudden my road announced that it was turning into a toll road. Whatever - that's rude, but I can deal with it.

But here's the thing that annoys me. There's a sign that says, "Exact Coins Required". That's it. That's the extent of the instructions.

First off, I live in the 21st century, so I generally don't have coinage in my pocket at all. Occasionally I may have a few if I just bought something with cash, which in itself seldom occurs.

But second, and most importantly, what exact coinage do I need? I'm more likely to have a quarter in my pocket than to have 88 cents. Is the fee 50 cents or 32 cents or 79 cents? This is really important information to provide to the traveling motorist.

With no other option available to me, I veered off on the alternate route and drove the backwoods for an hour, which was probably more interesting and fun. But come on, Oklahoma. Give me a chance to use a credit card, or at least give me a change machine or something. Things like this are why people choose to vacation instead in California or Hawaii.

(I may have posted about this the last time I was in Oklahoma, but if so, it's still not fixed.)