Comments on: WWYD: The Rude Toll Collector

By: selyse

selyse — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:31:03 +0000

I once saw one of the hottest dudes I’ve ever seen in real life working in a toll booth on the NJ Turnpike. He was also really nice! It was a pretty shocking experience, overall.

By: Cup of T

Cup of T — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:34:43 +0000

I have more than once made the drive out of Chicago, through Indiana and on to Wisconsin on a road that has approx. 1000 tolls. No joke, the toll booth operators get friendlier and friendlier the farther you get from the city- from grunting and almost *throwing* your change at you to–I kid you not–taking the time to have a conversation about where to get the best cheese curds (guess which state this was in?)

By: MuffyStJohn

MuffyStJohn — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 04:10:52 +0000

@swampette@twitter Let’s also remember that toll booth operators are public employees who get better pay and benefits than they would receive in a comparable customer service position in the private sector. They are paid handsomely for being bored all day.

(Not that there’s anything wrong with being paid a living wage or receiving benefits, it’s just that if I know you have a pension plan and you’re earning roughly the same hourly wage as me, and you still try to steal my $.40, I am less likely to cut you slack.)

By: selenana

selenana — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 01:34:11 +0000

@swampette@twitter I also try to cut people slack who have shitty jobs, but I draw the line at folks being outright rude with no cause. People don’t owe me a smile or to be especially nice when I go somewhere, but I don’t deserve outright hostility for simply patronizing a restaurant, shop, or tollbooth.

By: Megano!

Megano! — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:43:53 +0000

I would have made her give it back AND report it. WTF?

By: Mary-Lynn Bragg@twitter

Mary-Lynn Bragg@twitter — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:03:44 +0000

That’s a pretty ballsy reaction on her part if she is intentionally trying to shaft people out of their change because it would make me want to report her.

Think about it this way: if you get the $0.40 and throw it in a cup holder (like pretty much people do) and take that route 4x, then the 5th ride through is basically just scooping out the change and handing it over. Practically free!

By: faustbanana

faustbanana — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:58:29 +0000

@werewolfbarmitzvah Totally! She had herself a nice Office Space-style racket going on. Even if she didn’t, she was majorly rude and you were right to ask for your change.

Rest assured if you handed her $1.20 and said you were “only” short 40 cents, you would not have been merrily on your way.

By: josefinastrummer

josefinastrummer — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:57:32 +0000

@EvanDeSimone I agree toll booth workers, like garbage collectors, get paid well, but I wonder if it’s worth it. It’s dangerous, it’s dirty, and it’s not for the faint at heart. The article I read a few years ago mentioned that sometimes people pay their toll by putting the money in their mouth and spitting it at the toll booth worker. Would you take that money? They said a lot of other things that I can’t remember and don’t want to imagine but you are essentially risking your life over someone paying you a dollar. So I agree that this is not a fast food gig; I think it’s worse.

By: lizard

lizard — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:46:02 +0000

what a bitch! I would definitely report her!

By: Slutface

Slutface — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:39:12 +0000

@werewolfbarmitzvah Exactly what I was coming here to say!