EZ Pass and the Garden State Parkway

On my way to the in-laws house for a little post-Christmas repast on December 26, I apparently sped under not one, but two, of the new overhead toll runner cameras on the Parkway. As I sped down at 57 mph, (quite below my normal speed limit, thankyouverymuch) the clocked in speed as recorded above me, I looked to the right off the Raritan Bridge and thought "look at those losers all stuck in the toll line to get off on Route 9."

Another 45 minutes or so later, I apparently ran the Toms River toll plaza, clocking in again at 57 mph. You see, this "loser" might move along at a nice clip down the GSP, but she doesn't have EZ Pass and should have paid a few tolls. Imagine what the guy in the Toms River booth thought of my babbling on the way back, "Wow, I didn't have to pay tolls on the southbound side, so I guess I pay double going north?" He said "Ma'am, you pay north and south, or at least, most people do." I thought he was mistaken.

Yesterday I got two fines in the mail for running two toll booths. I called the state to tell them I've never run a toll in my life so I don't know why their malfunctioning camera system took MY picture, and again, they must be "mistaken." The harried clerk said "Lady, you ran them the same as everyone else calling in all day, every day, because no one seems to notice the new signs that say you must stay to the right to pay the tolls." Crap.

They waived the fines and charged me $1.05 for the tolls. Thanks State of NJ.