TOPIC:

Wondering if anyone has mastered the toll roads around the country and if so how? I have avoided them but found myself in a pickle in Miami and Dallas and even got a ticket in the mail from Washington DC for bypassing one that I truly never saw. There were no booths to pay at and I didn't enter the ones in Miami and Dallas. Instead I drove miles and miles out of my way because I had no idea how to negotiate them. I just wish there was a national pass that would allow you on any of them. I'll take any advice that anyone wants to give.

My Oklahoma Pike Pass works in Texas and Kansas. Anytime I've used the toll road in Denver, I get a bill in the mail. Went to Maine last year and from Penn. to Bangor seemed like there was a toll booth every 30 miles. A national pass would be nice!

You're right - it is a crazy system!

As a new resident of Florida, I can give a bit of advice on theirs: You can buy a SUNPASS online for $5.00 prior to coming to FL and link it to your credit card. This will save you 10% on most tolls and help you deal with the one that have no option to pay cash.

When we first got here we went through one that had no option to pay cash and did a "toll by plate". A while later we received the bill, based on our out of state lic. plate: toll was $1.25 BUT the admin. fee was $8.00!

BTW, Congress passed a law a long time ago that directed the states to have a unified National system in place by 2006 - still waiting!!!

Depending on where you are at toll roads and getting around them is a nightmare. Dallas and Austin have gotten worse. The PA turnpike is very expensive and a joke. I live in the NE and use EZ Pass. There are ways around some of the major ones that will reduce the cost. EZ Pass also works in a lot of states to include all of the Chicago area. (You wont see much EZ Pass signs, they all say I-pass, but EZ Pass works on all of them).