Rant #3,999: Stuck Like Glue

My family's vacation ended two weeks ago--

But due to modern technology, it actually ends today.

Why do I say this?

Because today, I have the sincere pleasure of paying a few tolls that we had while driving to and from our destination.

Rather than having the ability to pay the tolls right then and there--and get them right out of the way right then and there--due to modern technology, we get to pay them later.

Our license plates are read by an overhead scanner, and while this does speed along the traffic without any stoppage, it bleeds my wallet two weeks after we came home.

I know that the two such bills that we accrued during our travels are coming today, because I receive mail alerts from the post office, and those two bills are in there, according to the alert.

Honestly, I would rather pay the toll exactly when I accrue it, but that is not how it works related to certain tolls in and out of New York State and elsewhere.

Modern technology is nice, but it extends the cost of the vacation well beyond where it should be.

But I have to say, things have improved.

When they first instituted these overhead readers probably at least 10 to 15 years ago, I remember that it used to take months to get the bill.

It would come, and you really had to think about what it was all about, because it was so out of your memory.

Now I see that they have sped up the process, so I don't have to think about the bill--

I just have to pay it.

And these bills are often quite costly.

I don't remember what the cost of going over the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge is off hand, but I think it is something like $24 each way, so it is going to cost me $48 or so to pay this one off.

I accrued another toll bill due to an errant GPS direction--GPS is not always correct, this one taking me through a toll area rather than around it--and that one will be much less, about half the bridge toll at best.

That amounts to about $72 in total toll bills that need to be paid, not a small price any way you cut it.

So when I write the checks for these bills, our vacation will finally be over and done with.

You add up these costs, plus the cost of the other tolls we accrued that we paid right then and there as we moved through several states on our journey, and it all really adds up to a pretty penny as you arrive to, and get home from, your destination.

All told, it is nearly $100 in tolls.

And while modern technology allows you to speed through some of these tolls spots, you pay for that convenience with your wallet later on.

If I had a choice, even though I hate traffic like everyone else does, I would rather pay as you go rather than pay later on.

It puts a slight stench on a fun trip, but what can you do?

I guess I could get EZPass, but 1) it doesn't pay for me, as I only have to use it when we go on such trips, which is not regularly to warrant such an expenditure, and 2) New York EZPass is generally not accepted out of New York State--

So what would I be saving?

Not much, if anything, so it really doesn't pay.

I guess I am stuck ...

Stuck like glue.

What else is new?