You may recall a few weeks ago when I wrote about a rainy, pain-in-the-arse commute. Now it has returned with a vengance and a price tag!
To make a long story short, I drove to work one morning on a rainy day with serious flooding issues in my neck of the woods. I ended up having to drive through the Harbor Tunnel toll plaza by mistake — and just my luck, I didn’t have $2 in cash or change for the toll.
(What can I say? I’m a poor journalist!)
I had paid my toll later that day over the phone as the toll booth lady instructed me. I figured that was the end of it.
Then last week, I had a letter in the mail from the state. The state wanted to charge me the $2 toll, PLUS a $3 fee.
“Oooooh, they’re messing with the wrong person,” was my first thought.
Because I am so anal, I actually still had my instruction sheet from the toll both lady, with my payment confirmation number written on it.
I sent a copy of that, plus a screenshot of my bank account showing the $2 transaction. I also sent a polite but firm letter informing the state of its clear mistake and asking for an administrative review.
Some people wouldn’t fight a $5 charge, but I sure will, especially when it’s a faulty charge.
What strikes me as even more crazy about this is that the state has already invested well more than $2 — heck, more than the $7 total they’re trying to get from me — with the paperwork and manpower.
I’ll let you know what the state says.