Illinois Tollway Ticket -What to do?

[Freed Roger]

I accidentally ran past one of Illinois stupid-$hit toll booths in May of 2007 - which was an honest mistake considering the cluster-eff of construction and their switching the toll system to all these Rodney Blagojevich lanes, with only an inconvenient exit lane for cash payors. I recall saying back then to Mrs. Freed "I think we were supposed to exit and pay a toll". Oh well.

The computer sent sent me a ticket that summer which promptly got lost in the shuffle at our house. So time lapsed and we never paid. Thus it got bumped up to the next level with additional fines penalties (past the court/administrative process). I sent them a much-belated "I'm sorry" letter and check for $5 (a tidy profit for them). Of course I put the old useless "paid in full" in the memo area of the check.

BTW- we are from MO. And we don't own that car nor that license plate # anymore.

We've exchanged correspondence twice and they won't back down and fees total about $250.

they hit me with another letter recently - about turning me over to collectors and/or taking my license away.

Whats my next step with these [expletive]? Pay it?. crank out another letter? will it go away safely with us being outstate?

[tothebeach08]

I drove to Cooperstown last summer and drove through a toll booth on the NY State Thruway. We don't have those here, I didn't know what I was doing, I got in the wrong lane and drove through with all these speedpass people.

I was in a rental car. They tracked me down through the rental agency for $6.50, which I then paid. I'm sure it's tempting to not pay $250, that's alot of money, but I would pay it. Of course I'm a fraidy cat.

[Freed Roger]

ouch - that's not the answer I want to hear.

I've paid my way through this tollway up by Rockford IL, numerous times - except the time we got ticketed was the first time thru where they had all the speed pass lanes. They always had one or two lanes before, with more for toll booths. that and all the damn construction, it was an honest mistake. losing the ticket - I blame my sweet wife for that.

Can't stand tollways -especially the Chicago area ones. completely ridiculous for people passing through that aren't local. at one point they considered putting tollways in MO along highway 70. What a nightmare that would be.

I'm really wondering what they can do to us, considering we don't own that car nor plates anymore. Like a fool, I paid them my token $5 with a personal check, so if they use their govt muscle, they could levy my bank. I don't know if they could do that across state line though.

between tickets such as this, car repairs, raising a teenage (princess style), our crappy new health insurance plan (an HRA)
we are getting clobbered right and left. Oh well, thanks for listening.

[AJ]

Try Calling

1-800-UC-IPASS.

Keep asking for supervisors until you get one that will negotiate, but be very nice. Tell them your story. USUALLY states will negotiate with out of state drivers because you might be bringing in tourism dollars, and they don't want you going back and ripping on them and they want more tourism dollars from you. At least this is the smart thing for them to do (though tollway, revenue collection and smart don't seem like a solid match).

If you don't get what you want on the first call, try again, just make sure if they do negotiate to get it in writing.

I don't think they can take away your Missouri license, but I do think they can put it on your credit report (they might have already).

Going futher, if they still won't help you, write or call your congressperson, and the one in the district of the toll you voilated. This can really help sometimes with issues like this.

[Arthur Dent]

How is it that the fines are like 5000%?

[Freed Roger]

How is it that the fines are like 5000%?

Most likely because we forgot to pay/ appeal it at earlier stage. but still, it does seem like mafia rates. As far as contacting them- I tried like hell on the 800# to reach a person, but never got thru. My polite letter was responded to by a person though.

$5 that we paid is 500% of the toll.

St. Louis city has a racket like this going with parking tickets. We know you must pay them immediately - and even though we do they still try to hit you with a late fee if paid by regular mail.. my recommendation is to either pay St.L city tickets online, or in-person, or by certified mail return w/ return receipts. F [expletive]!

[lukethedrifter]

Lam it to Mexico.

[Arthur Dent]

How is it that the fines are like 5000%?

Most likely because we forgot to pay/ appeal it at earlier stage. but still, it does seem like mafia rates. As far as contacting them- I tried like hell on the 800# to reach a person, but never got thru. My polite letter was responded to by a person though.

$5 that we paid is 500% of the toll.

So 25000% then. My mistake. That's absolutely ridiculous. I definitely would not pay. There must be some state authority you can get through to. At there very least, they ought to be about to explain how they came up with a $250 fine for failure to pay a $1 toll.

[Freed Roger]

Lam it to Mexico.

I'd consider, Mexico - but Dog the Bounty Hunter has reach down there.

Maybe I'll stockpile an arsenal and hunker down at home. When the Man comes, I'll have have my shotgun on my lap and a confederate flag hangin out front.

[haltz]

The professor of a class I took in Chicago represented people who had racked up fines by continuously doing this. She said one guy was up to something like $30,000.

I'd try what AJ said, but she gave the impression that they can be real dicks and didn't like to settle. It's obviously going to be easiest to just pay it and move on. Completely absurd though.