Huh? Lawsuit Filed After Toll Road Holds Commuters Hostage If Paying By Cash

A group of motorists earlier this month filed a federal class action lawsuit against Florida's toll road system for detaining motorists who attempt to pay the tolls with cash. About 600 miles worth of toll roads and bridges are under the jurisdiction of The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), which hands operational duties over to the private firm Faneuil, Inc., which is responsible for the toll collectors. The complaint charges both firms with false imprisonment and other civil rights violations.

"For approximately four years, FDOT and Faneuil have engaged in a practice of detaining motorists and their passengers on the Turnpike System until such motorists provided certain personal information in exchange for their release," attorney James C. Valenti wrote on behalf of the plaintiffs. "The motorists and passengers have been detained without their consent and without legal justification."

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Photo Gallery

2012 Audi A6 Launch Photo Gallery

Porsche 911 Experience Photo Gallery

2011 Chicago Auto Show Photo Gallery

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Photo Gallery

AutoSpies.com Photo Galleries

If you want to see your photos running on our homepage photo ticker, be sure to upload your photos on the go by sending them to Mobile@AutoSpies.com

Share on Facebook

Read Article

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 2/22/2011 2:20:32 PM

+5 Boost

WTF ? @ (WTF ?)

If you read the article you will see that the plaintiffs have a valid case.

The detention serves one purpose only, which is to effectively force commuters to choose the eazy-pass transponder.

Agent009 - 2/22/2011 2:43:14 PM

0 Boost

Then do what they do in Texas and other states.

Pass through,

1. If the plate is registered in the system it goes on your account.
2. If not MAIL a bill.

Don't harass them because either they choose not to pay with a tag, are out of town in a rental, or simply because they don't have a credit card to start a toll tag pass account.

This is akin to a store harassing you because you are not using a credit card for a transaction.

Agent009 - 2/22/2011 7:14:04 PM

0 Boost

The motorist is not released until a demand is met. (the signature on the form). That is hostage:

Or as Webster's defines it: One that is manipulated by the demands of another

LexSucks - 2/22/2011 4:20:46 PM

+1 Boost

See what happens when you "Privatize" everything?

Agent009 - 2/22/2011 7:15:29 PM

-2 Boost

hmm.. didn't think of that part of the equation, many of the toll roads are now controlled by private firms...

LexSucks - 2/23/2011 9:19:48 AM

+1 Boost

Some private firms operate within reason, some don't. There are certian things that shouldn't be privatized. Like healthcare. No company should be profiting off of sick people.

tecnopolis - 2/23/2011 4:07:14 AM

+1 Boost

Earlier this month Florida rolled out "toll by plate" on the southern edge of the turnpike in Dade county, and will continue to roll out the toll by plate system throughout Florida. Turnpike drivers who use the Sunpass transponder get a nominal toll discount. Drivers who choose not to use a Sunpass or Out of State drivers will be mailed a bill with an additional "administration" charge. Toll booths are being torn down in preparation and toll collectors will soon be out of a job.

tecnopolis - 2/23/2011 4:16:00 AM

+1 Boost

I was an early Sunpass adopter. There is something wrong when on a holiday weekend you have to come to a complete stop on a high speed (70MPH) highway 50 miles from anywhere, and wait in a line of at least 100 cars long to pay a toll. And that is one of several toll booths between the southern and northern reaches of the Turnpike.
So if the state of Florida wants to monitor my travel habits in the name of increased speed and efficiency in toll collection, I say have at it. The alternative of paying cash for tolls is neither green or Earth friendly.