NYC Taxi Driver Dodges $28,000 In Tolls By Tailgating

[KamaAina]

https://autos.yahoo.com/news/nyc-taxi-driver-dodges-28-152422743.html

We've all been there: stuck in line, waiting to fork over a toll or parking fee, thinking to ourselves, "Couldn't I zip out of here, while the crossing arm is closing behind the person ahead of me? Couldn't I skip paying, just this once?"

It wouldn't work all the time, of course. If there's a human to be paid, he or she would plainly see our tailgating trick and report us before we were out of sight. But as one New York City taxi driver discovered, there are other opportunities to scam the system, thanks to auto-pay tolls.

The driver in question is Rodolfo Sanchez of Long Island City, Queens. When crossing the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge that connects Queens to the Bronx and Manhattan, Sanchez regularly tailgated the vehicle ahead of him in the E-Z Pass lane, racing through before the barrier came down.

To avoid suspicion, Sanchez had an E-Z Pass device in his own cab, but it had expired in 2011. Records from the defunct device show that between August 4, 2012 and March 28, 2014, Sanchez sneaked across the RFK some 3,017 times, dodging $28,242.50 in tolls.

I'll bet he charged the passengers for the tolls, too.

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. That's a lot of crossings

He lived in Long Island City, so some of these were surely trips to work (i.e., pick up rides) in Manhattan, but I'm guessing this guy did airport trips - LaGuardia to Midtown via the Triboro (I still don't call it the RFK).

[KamaAina]

2. Neither does Republican Stepdad

I'll bet you don't call Sixth "Avenue of the Americas", either.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Hell, I still refer to the Jackie Robinson as the Interboro

[KamaAina]

7. And the Ed Koch as the Queensboro?

Or the 59th Street Bridge?

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. 59th Street Bridge

I didn't even know it *was* the Ed Koch Bridge now!

Conversely, I will never refer to Citifield as "Shea Stadium," because it is NOT effin' Shea Stadium!

[Nye Bevan]

17. And I still call the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel just that.

No disrespect intended to Hugh Carey.

[KamaAina]

18. I did not know about that one.

Never been through the thing.

Bonus question: What is the name of S4eventrh Avenue that no one ever uses?

[msanthrope]

5. I know!!! It's the godamn Triboro on 1010 WINS! It's the Triboro! He's gotta be an airport cabbie

who skimmed his passengers.

[Jenoch]

3. He did not dodge the tolls, he mearly delayed them.

[XRubicon]

6. I'm sure the Bundy militia are on their way to protect his freedom to roam freely about the city

[KamaAina]

9. Doubtful.

Remember, "The driver in question is Rodolfo Sanchez of Long Island City, Queens."

The Bundies don't believe anyone named Rodolfo Sanchez should be free to roam about anywhere but Mess-ko.

[XRubicon]

10. You mean they will not surround Rodolfo and set up snipers

To protect his freedom not to pay tolls for using a publicly owned roads and bridges to make money?

[KamaAina]

11. Nope.

And good luck finding a white cabbie for them to rally around. I think the last one was Archie Bunker.

[Warpy]

12. Good for Mr. Sanchez

he's educated the city on the fact that it would be cheaper in the long run to hire human beings.

It's not the most glam job in the world but it feeds the family and pays the debts.

[Blue_Tires]

13. Interesting angle to take...

Not that I'm disagreeing, but if I know city governments, instead of new hires they would rather spend the $$$$ on some high-bid politically connected contractor to upgrade the automated system and close the loophole exploit...

[Warpy]

19. Yes, they love investing in hardware that might not work

and despise every single person who is sucking money out of "their" system in wages.

We really need a drastic change in management in this country.

[Travis_0004]

16. I doubt it

28,000 would probably get 1 toll attendant for about 6-8 months. The biggest advantage of fast pass is that the process takes less time and causes less delays, which is probably very needed in NYC.

[aikoaiko]

14. The tolls are too damn high!

[IMG][/IMG]

[WinkyDink]

15. To quote Insp. Clouseau: "Nit anymare."

[lunasun]

20. calling anti government miltia -you have a new hero !!!

OOOPs Rodolfo Sanchez 69, of Long Island City, Queens
never mind!!