ignore violation, pay toll, or pay toll plus fee?

I (and one of my kids) both rode from Ft Polk thru Houston to San
Antonio on 2/2/2010 (it was freezing cold) and we stayed in the HOV
lane all the way thru Houston's I-20. I had programmed an old GPS for
no tolls before we left so I am not sure how I got on the toll. We
saw toll booths on the non HOV lane but there was no booth in the HOV
lane, the one with the diamond. Sure enough, I just got a bill for .
38c + .38c + .50c + admin fee of $33.00. I can send 3 money orders
all under $1 for the bills or I can just forget about it as I probably
wont ever be back again.

Seems to be that the diamond lane is for hov and I didnt see any sign
that an hov vehicle had to pay a toll.

 

I think you should pay the total fee x 2. I mean, you know, what do you
expect....

No. 1 - going thru Houston
No. 2 - I would not be caught dead with an old GPS
No. 3 - Freeze riding
No. 4 - I didn't see a sign does not work for white people
No. 5 - Houston's I-20 has moved way North

yep.. I think you're lucky

good to see from you again

...louie

 

Got this from webmaster at hctra.org quote

"Thank you for allowing Harris County Toll Road Authority the
opportunity to assist you. We apologize for any inconvenience you may
have experienced. I have attached a copy of the Katy Lanes Affidavit
for you to fill out and return to our office within 30 days from the
due date on the invoice. This document will allow you to have the
administrative fees adjusted off and only pay the tolls."

Anyone else in this same pickle can find the form here
http://stateson.net/images/hov_katy.png

my complaint thru their web interface
quote "Gentlemen: I live in San Antonio all my life and passed thru
harris county 2/2/2010 on my way back from visiting my son in Fort
Polk, LA. I was in a lane that had a diamond in it and according to
DPS that is an HOV lane. I was in a legal HOV vehicle (motorcycle)
and there was no indication that I was required to pay a toll. I did
not leave the HOV lane. There was no indication that the toll was
required for HOV vehicles else I would have paid it.
According to the invoice I owe you about $1.50 and I can send that to
you."

God does exist!

 

Got this from webmaster at hctra.org quote

"Thank you for allowing Harris County Toll Road Authority the
opportunity to assist you. We apologize for any inconvenience you may
have experienced. I have attached a copy of the Katy Lanes Affidavit
for you to fill out and return to our office within 30 days from the
due date on the invoice. This document will allow you to have the
administrative fees adjusted off and only pay the tolls."

Anyone else in this same pickle can find the form here
http://stateson.net/images/hovkaty.png

my complaint thru their web interface
quote "Gentlemen: I live in San Antonio all my life and passed thru
harris county 2/2/2010 on my way back from visiting my son in Fort
Polk, LA. I was in a lane that had a diamond in it and according to
DPS that is an HOV lane. I was in a legal HOV vehicle (motorcycle)
and there was no indication that I was required to pay a toll. I did
not leave the HOV lane. There was no indication that the toll was
required for HOV vehicles else I would have paid it.
According to the invoice I owe you about $1.50 and I can send that to
you."

God does exist!
====================================================

Dang! That is very good beemer. You done a whole lotta stuff, for a little
of nothing cost.

Will you be returning to Houston for a re-try?

I think Jerry uses that form weekly. He runs HOV (high on Vicodin) lane
also.

...loie

 

This has not ended yet. Even though they said I could just pay the
toll, they now say that motorcycles are NOT allowed between 11 and 2
pm, Monday thru Friday. The letter they sent me was addressed to my
son, not me, and was delivered opened (the envelope was not sealed).
He also got the same letter tho his was sealed. These people are
incompentent. They wrote that I should have known that the time
between 11 and 2 m-f was not allowed. Does anyknow if the 11-2pm time
is shown on the toll road entrance? I am going to write my
congressmen, Wentworth and Corte about this.

I looked up the date of the incident - Feb 2, Unfortunately, March 2nd
is General Sam Houstons birthday so I cant use that as an excuse to
get out of that houston ticket.