Saturday, July 12, 2008

A Dollar More To Do San Francisco

They finally did it. The Santa Rosa Press- Democrat reports they've raised the toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco by one dollar, effective September 1. Now it will cost you $6.00 and they might raise it a dollar more.

I can imagine how this could screw up a number of people. You're normally not told of the bridge fee on that bridge until you're just about on it and there's no way to turn back. I've always wondered what happens if someone finds themselves on the bridge and doesn't have $5.00? There's not much you can do at that point.

I asked the gal at the toll booth one time what they would do if I didn't have $5.00. She just said something along the line of, "We'd get it from you sooner or later...". I would think this could be quite the problem for the first week or so after this fee increase takes place.

1 Comments:

At 1:38 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The bridge toll on the Golden Gate is a funny thing....

Years ago I was in the passenger seat of a friends truck, when halfway across we realized we had no cash. He decided to go outlaw about it and punched the gas as we flew through the tollbooth! I ducked my head anticipating flying bullets as the cops would surely mow us down like the criminals we were, but......nothing. Until two weeks later when he received a bill in the mail for 5 bucks along with a picture of his license plate as he drove through.

I also remember reading an article in SF Weekly or Guardian about the history of the bridge. It said that years ago when the toll was enacted people were in a tizzy about just this issue, so a clause was added to the rules stating you had to pay the toll or give the tollperson something of "equal value". Apparently this is still in effect. There was a funny list of all the things people had given up over the years. Watches, books, CD's, art, even a bag of pot one time.

It seems they have to let you through, think about trying to turn around right there during heavy traffic!

 

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