Tired of the Toll Road

Editor,

Am I the only one who is tired of being cheated and abused by the toll road? You know, the toll road that was built with New Jersey construction money and was once blocked in Orange County because of a rare bird habitat. But the Laguna fire wiped out the poor little birdie and so the road went through.

The same toll road approved by county supervisors who soon after took their umbrella and retired, leaving a toll road that uses a state easement and tax payer maintenance then does what it wants like some small feudal state when it comes to dealing with consumers.

Nowadays to use this easement you have to let The Toll Road access either your checking, bank and or credit card accounts. But I do not trust The Toll Road and here is an example why.

First I challenged the “tax-authority” of The Toll Road to require users to now pay a monthly fee even if they do not use the toll road. As a low user of these roads, I did not want an “account” or direct access to my credit lines. Since they appeared to offer an option of pay as you go (as much as I hated to send in a check and share that information with this business) I signed up online and used the toll road four times in June, none since. I never received a billing until the time to pay had lapsed and they then added on penalties and fees. These apparently self-authorized and self-generated “late fee” damages could easily be a scheme to cheat and defraud users. Are you another victim of this practice? Why doesn’t someone investigate their creative billing practices?

But it got even worse. I was accused in writing by The Toll Road of intentionally acting so as to be a cheat and a crook by evading payment of the $19 or so owing. In addition to being insulted and slandered, I was fined $400 due to my improper conduct.

The Toll Road can shove this one where it does not shine. I have an impeccable reputation and always pay my bills. My complaining letter produced nothing more than a coercive additional fine and without any attention to my complaint. Perhaps The Toll Road outsources its customer service inquiries.

Ken Delton, Laguna Beach