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To be fair, I wonder how many other turnpike authorities field similar complaints such as these. The Delaware Turnpike booth comes to mind immediately, though in that case, it's probably out of state motorists that are in a state of apoplexy about the size of the toll exacted on them for driving on 20 miles of road.
The Atlantic City Expressway, the forgotten toll road in NJ, that's another one. I wonder how many complaints were fielded after the motorist has gambled his last nickel, then finds a discarded silver dollar from slot machine, and the toll collector takes exception to the form of payment!
The problem is you'd probably meeting them again on the Manhattan side of the Holland Tunnel, where they'd have squeegies. Think about the required intellect to perform these tasks. Really, it comes down to soft skills: just be nice to people. Most can't even muster that up. Toll collectors are at the bottom of the employment barrel. Scrubbing garbage cans might above their capacity. Think of it as passive white collar welfare.
I have had some very nice collectors (before I had EZ Pass) but also some not so nice. The first time I drove to Elizabeth, I got on in Mt. Laurel with EZ pass, but when I got off the exit I wasn't sure which way to go to get to where I was going...so I pulled into a manned booth to get directions. Because I didn't have a paper ticket, he charged me the maximum toll from the beginning of the Turnpike to Elizabeth.
The problem is you'd probably meeting them again on the Manhattan side of the Holland Tunnel, where they'd have squeegies. Think about the required intellect to perform these tasks. Really, it comes down to soft skills: just be nice to people. Most can't even muster that up. Toll collectors are at the bottom of the employment barrel. Scrubbing garbage cans might above their capacity. Think of it as passive white collar welfare.
But at least they have jobs, right? These days, many people don't care about what they are doing, they just want to put food on the table. I'm sure many of those people probably have better personalities than some vapid white-collar type who makes exponentially more money. Think about the required intellect to run a profit-making bank into the ground.
I have had some very nice collectors (before I had EZ Pass) but also some not so nice. The first time I drove to Elizabeth, I got on in Mt. Laurel with EZ pass, but when I got off the exit I wasn't sure which way to go to get to where I was going...so I pulled into a manned booth to get directions. Because I didn't have a paper ticket, he charged me the maximum toll from the beginning of the Turnpike to Elizabeth.
there was a very nice cool guy on the turnpike at 16W who would give out candy, I'd make a point of trying to find his lane when I'd go to that exit (which was frequently). When he died it made the news.
But yup, he was scum, the bottom of the barrel. Way worse than those who ran our country in the ground.
But at least they have jobs, right? These days, many people don't care about what they are doing, they just want to put food on the table. I'm sure many of those people probably have better personalities than some vapid white-collar type who makes exponentially more money. Think about the required intellect to run a profit-making bank into the ground.
but the vapid white collar types don't depend on "taxpayers" or the driving public for their salary, they just depend the hardworking middle class and their money....oh...wait.......what?
Originally Posted by ocnjgirl I have had some very nice collectors (before I had EZ Pass) but also some not so nice. The first time I drove to Elizabeth, I got on in Mt. Laurel with EZ pass, but when I got off the exit I wasn't sure which way to go to get to where I was going...so I pulled into a manned booth to get directions. Because I didn't have a paper ticket, he charged me the maximum toll from the beginning of the Turnpike to Elizabeth.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tahiti
there was a very nice cool guy on the turnpike at 16W who would give out candy, I'd make a point of trying to find his lane when I'd go to that exit (which was frequently). When he died it made the news.
But yup, he was scum, the bottom of the barrel. Way worse than those who ran our country in the ground.
I never said anyone was scum, I said one toll collector was "not so nice", and I prefaced it by saying I had also experienced some who were very nice. Please don't quote my post to make a point about extremist thinking when it clearly wasn't about that.
Originally Posted by ocnjgirl I have had some very nice collectors (before I had EZ Pass) but also some not so nice. The first time I drove to Elizabeth, I got on in Mt. Laurel with EZ pass, but when I got off the exit I wasn't sure which way to go to get to where I was going...so I pulled into a manned booth to get directions. Because I didn't have a paper ticket, he charged me the maximum toll from the beginning of the Turnpike to Elizabeth.
I never said anyone was scum, I said one toll collector was "not so nice", and I prefaced it by saying I had also experienced some who were very nice. Please don't quote my post to make a point about extremist thinking when it clearly wasn't about that.
Oh, I know, I didn't mean to imply you did! I was quoting my good friend Mike. My apologies!
Oh, I know, I didn't mean to imply you did! I was quoting my good friend Mike. My apologies!
Tahiti,
I've encountered some very pleasant toll takers as well, in fact I think I even remember the one you referenced about 16W. Unfortunately, these stand out as the exceptions. Much like full service gasoline attendants: most aren't very pleasant either, but the one's that are pleasant stand out, and I'd direct my business towards those establishments (The Exxon station on Rt 46 West in Totowa comes to mind immediately). I think a lot of it is dealing with the public on a constant basis. The difference is many of those toll collectors jobs are patronage jobs, and I think you know that. You can't pick and choose which ones you can go to. Hence my original remark about bulldozing them down. They shouldn't be there in the first place. Put them out of their misery and let them find other employment. They'd have to straighten out their attitudes, and fast.
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