In the Mail Today

Today I got ten (yes, 10) Violation Notices from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, FAST LANE Violation Processing Center.  Each one contained a report of a violation, along with a form to pay the violation and a form to appeal (a total of 3 sheets of paper).  Explained on each violation is how Fast Lane wants to fine me $50 for using their tolls.  This comes to a nice sum of $500 in violations.

I am of course going to fight these charges, and the appeal form makes it easy.  The form includes a section labeled: “IF, ON THE DATE OF THE VIOLATION, YOU WERE A FAST LANE ACCOUNT HOLDER” which by giving them your account number and transponder number can allow for the $50 fee to be waived.  The catch is, along with this comes a $5 violation administration fee.  So by this logic they want me to pay $50 after being sent 10 letters (30 pages) and forcing me to complete 10 forms to show that I have a Fast Lane account (which I’ve had for about 4 years).

If the appeals come back and they want to charge me with 10 administration fees I am going to have to waste more time and appeal again.  I guess this what you can expect with state run systems, I sure hope Obama keeps trying to make everything run this way.