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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Driving / December 2007Toll Road to Firefighters: Pay Toll or Pay Fine
http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters Toll road to firefighters: Pay toll or pay fine Los Angeles County fire engine told to pay up for using the 133 toll road during recent fires. By ELLYN PAK THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER When Engine Company No. 116 received a $100 fine from a toll road agency, firefighters figured it was just a misunderstanding. Capt. Bob Viers of the Los Angeles County Fire Department was tasked to sort it out with the Transportation Corridor Agencies. An L.A. engine had traversed the 133 Freeway without paying last month on an assumption that emergency vehicles are exempt from paying such tolls. "You know this is a fire truck," Viers told a tollroad representative. "I can't believe you're fining us for it or even chasing it." The engine company, based in Carson, fought the Mt. Palomar Fire in San Diego for nearly a week. Viers said the truck that used the 133 was either on the way down to the fires or attending a fireman's funeral. But the toll road agency didn't back down. The firefighters would have to pay. The TCA assesses a $47.50 processing fee on top of the toll amount due if notices are ignored. A subsequent violation notice tacks on an additional $47.50 fine. Viers talked to a manager, who said the firefighters had to pay $20 instead of $100. "I still thought that was ridiculous," Viers said. Ultimately, Viers had the fine knocked down to $5 and charged it to his credit card. "I just thought that was kind of strange," he said. "For me the easier way to get rid of the hassle was to pay the guy." Three phone calls to the Transportation Corridor Agencies were not returned. >http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] >Three phone calls to the Transportation Corridor Agencies were not >returned. Tell the toll road agency that they will have to hire their own firefighters. TCA is beyond stupid. > Toll road to firefighters: Pay toll or pay fine > Los Angeles County fire engine told to pay up for using the 133 toll > road during recent fires. How often are there vehicle fires or extractions that require fire truck services to the toll road? What fire company responds to them? Who reimburses the fire company for such services rendered. My local volunteer fire company responds several times a week to fires on the Interstate. They are paid through my property tax dollars and donations. >> Toll road to firefighters: Pay toll or pay fine >> Los Angeles County fire engine told to pay up for using the 133 toll >> road during recent fires. > >How often are there vehicle fires or extractions that require fire >truck services to the toll road? Dunno about that, but it was about a month ago that those firemen were fighting the Santiago Canyon Fire that was threatening TCA property. Those hills have had 3 or 4 major brushfires in the last 10 years; maybe next time those firetrucks should turn back and just let the tollbooths burn down. > >> Toll road to firefighters: Pay toll or pay fine > >> Los Angeles County fire engine told to pay up for using the 133 toll [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > maybe next time those firetrucks should turn back and just let the > tollbooths burn down. Clearly, this issue of firefighters committing "toll violations" and having to even negotiate with the TCA is the stupidest issue ever. Fires are an emergency. Funerals for firefighters who bravely fought the fires should automatically have the tolls waived when fire vehicles go to the funerals. For the toll roads themselves, instead of the fire trucks just turning back, the fire fighters should outright declare no fire services for the toll roads (including any accidents on the toll roads in addition to any fires that may occur), and let TCA hire their own firefighters. Who does TCA report to? That authority would also be wise to immediately end the employment contracts of everyone currently employed at TCA, and then hire all new staff. Drivers could also boycott using the toll roads because of this issue, and the TCA would lose additional toll income. >Clearly, this issue of firefighters committing "toll violations" and having >to even negotiate with the TCA is the stupidest issue ever. Fires are an [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Who does TCA report to? A governing board with representatives from 18 OC cities and 3 OC supervisors. I guess the easiest place to complain would be the OC Board of Supervisors. >Drivers could also boycott using the toll roads because of this issue, and >the TCA would lose additional toll income. That's not very likely. The people that pay $5/day to use these roads are doing so because the alternative routes are almost completely useless. Most aren't likely to go sit in traffic for 2 extra hours every day over this issue... > http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > Three phone calls to the Transportation Corridor Agencies were not > returned. I foresee a firestorm (sorry) of controversy over this arising in the coming days, with a subsequent apology and policy change. There are some folks you don't get away with "messing with" in today's society... firefighters -- especially ones who have been saving SoCal from burning to cinders -- are some of those folks... brink >> http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters >> >> Toll road to firefighters: Pay toll or pay fine > There are some folks you don't get away with "messing with" in today's > society... firefighters -- especially ones who have been saving SoCal from > burning to cinders -- are some of those folks... > > brink Next time, the firefighters will just stay home. Then when they get begged to be there, they'll have to forgo the toll or get burnt out. Me? I'd have told the jerks to go shove it right into court if they want to. It would cost them a lot more for the court than the toll fee. >http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >When Engine Company No. 116 received a $100 fine from a toll road >agency, firefighters figured it was just a misunderstanding. When Kentucky had toll roads, emergency personnel were exempt from paying toll if they were on an emergency run and had completed the proper request for exemption, which were up on KYTC's Web site up until the tolls were removed from the last two parkways.  SignatureTo reply by e-mail, remove the "restrictor plate" > http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > By ELLYN PAK > THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER It shouldn't be that hard for the fire agency either to put transponders on its vehicles or just get a local law passed exempting themselves -- though this does seem ungrateful if they were protecting the toll road. >> http://www.ocregister.com/community/toll-road-to-1932464-fire-fighters >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >on its vehicles or just get a local law passed exempting themselves -- >though this does seem ungrateful if they were protecting the toll road. I would recommend passing a law that forced the toll road agency to have its own fire department. They deserve to be treated in such a petty manner. |
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