Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Travel Excitment! Mini Crime Spree!

I would say that after nearly 70 years, of which 55 have been at the wheel of a vehicle, I would have encountered every possible adventure while traveling. Not so! As a result of two incidents on this road trip I am probably wanted in two states.

First, on a toll road in Oklahoma, the posted toll was 65 cents. The toll gate was one of those unattended ones where you toss the exact change into a "funneled" bin. As soon as the machine registers that the change is correct a stop light changes from red to green and off you can go. At least that is the way it's supposed to work. Not this time! I tossed in the exact change, waited, waited, and waited. No green light. I looked around for a call button. No call button. There were people starting to stack up behind me, so I said the Hell with it. I upheld my end of the deal. I paid. So I pulled through the red light. All hell breaks loose, Loud clanging bells, etc., etc., etc. I looked around for the police, but all I saw were signs that said NO TOLERANCE on PAYING TOLLS. I kept going! Then every time I saw a toll road patrol car, I thought I'd be stopped. Haven't been stopped yet, but they probably have a photo of the car with the License plate number, and I'll hear from them.....Wanted in Oklahoma...

Also now probably wanted in California. As seasoned travelers know, that all vehicles entering California must go through an agricultural checkpoint. At these checkpoints they ask about where you are coming from and whether you have any fruits or vegetables onboard. If you say yes, they confiscate them. Well we had an orange in the car, but my wife told the inspector that we had no fruits or vegetables on board. Luckily we were not searched. I wonder if the penalty for smuggling an orange into California is the same as taking a knife onboard an airplane.

5 comments:

Not Lucy said...

When I was a kid - many years ago - and we were going up to Canada for a vacation we had several peaches in the car as we came to the border. My mother would not give up those peaches and she was too honest to lie so we sat there at the border and had an impromptu snack of lovely peaches!

tisme said...

I was literally laughing out loud as I read your post. My husband asked me what the heck are you laughing at. I read your post to him and he was laughing. Thanks we needed that today, my husbands mother passed away yesterday and a good laugh was just the thing!
Thanks Tammy

Holee said...

I use to live in Torrance, part of LA. They pulled all the fruit out of LA because of one little Mexican fruit fly that got through.

Now tell me, 20 yrs. later I still don't understand how they keep Mexican fruit flys from flying into Calif.? They can't even keep the Mexican people from getting into Calif. illegally and they are a lot bigger to see!

I guess you'll have to take the very southern route coming home to avoid arrest! LOL

lrmart said...

LOL I live in Orlando and so see so many people who set off the toll lights. Those of us who live here have these boxes in our car that beep and take money out of our account for the tolls... So we are able to go thru the open areas on the toll road with out booths... I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone realize they were going thru the wrong area and but the car in reverse on the interstate...
Don't worry they won't do anything till they see the same license plates several times....

I wonder the same thing Holee wonders, how come they can keep the fruit flys out but not the illegals...

Lisa

Sherry said...

Many...NO, make that a few years ago...;0)...I can remember my dad being asked that same question about "any produce, feathers, etc..." I sat there in the back seat wide-eyed and mouth open as my honest dad answered, "No." I knew for a fact that we had at least a sack of potatoes and a half dozen feather pillows in the camper. Hmmmm....