[gm_arun]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

So the routine goes like this: The attendant returns me the change & a chocolate(s). I give the whole lot back to him, handover a few chocolates from my stock and demand that he return me the original money and use chocolates for the toll. Thereafter, so far, all of them have returned me the full change albeit grumpily.

:

Want to find the person who introduced this technique.

I was also rejected when I gave two 50 paise for a rupee. The toll guy told 50 paise is not valid. I waited for few minutes arguing with him and then gave 1 rupee after getting it from my wife's wallet.

[OT] The same happened last time when I went to watch movie in luxe. "Sir 50 paise not valid".

[arun_josie]

So, just like any other department, scam/corruption is here as well. Nothing to be surprised. And, I'm not sure what is stopping the officials to implement Fast Tag initiative across all toll roads. Can't imagine the amount of fuel that will be saved and amount of time that will be saved. I feel bad for these loaded truck guys at tolls.

Originally Posted by gm_arun

Now a days they started giving ₹1 chocolate instead of real money. Don't know what is the logic in giving chocolate instead of money.

Once on the Krishnagiri-Chennai route, they tried to push a biscuit packet for 5Rs change. I resisted and then he immediately gives me the change. And he was having a big carton of biscuit packets.

Originally Posted by vinjosep

So the routine goes like this: The attendant returns me the change & a chocolate(s). I give the whole lot back to him, handover a few chocolates from my stock and demand that he return me the original money and use chocolates for the toll. Thereafter, so far, all of them have returned me the full change albeit grumpily.

I have returned their chocolate once for a two rupee change and they accepted it as well. NICE road tolls are known for giving chocolate against changes.

And when my kids are there, they become alert if its NICE road toll because of these chocolate changes.

[Gansan]

If we have to pay a toll on all highways, what is the lifetime road tax for? Let them do away with it.

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by gm_arun

Want to find the person who introduced this technique.

Until someone comes along , I will claim the right to inventing the idea - of paying them in the same coin.. err chocos

Btw, I have a stash of coins too, just in case the "choco" idea falls flat.

Originally Posted by arun_josie

I have returned their chocolate once for a two rupee change and they accepted it as well. NICE road tolls are known for giving chocolate against changes.

I had used this "return-feature" long back on the tolls between Bangalore-Pune. Gave the chocolates from the previous toll to the next one. No complaints or even a whimper. I guess this was the seed to the current idea.
And no objection meant that all of them were in the nexus. And it was some new toffee at the time which was not available in the open market so freely and hence had to go with their valuation (as in 2 chocolates = 5 Rs etc).

[Tanveer_2558]

A New scam?



Its blank on both the sides and very light as well.
I got this today from Vashi toll plaza, And its the second time! First time was approximately a month back to which i ignored believing it to be a honest mistake, But the same thing when happened today ringed a bell for me, The coin is of the exact size of a 2 Rupees coin, But its surely lighter than the original! I also recollect during both this time it was during the night i was crossing the toll.

It isn't about the 2 rupees, But how they are finding new ways to con people right in front of their eyes, From Handing them chocolates instead of the change, By giving extremely poor and torn 5 rupee notes and also at times just not giving the total change return. Imagine how much extra money they collect every day by doing such things.

A piece of advice, It would take 5 seconds to check the change when you take it back from any toll plaza, Please do check it before moving forward.

[JohnyBoy]

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

A New scam?

Its blank on both the sides and very light as well.
I got this today from Vashi toll plaza, And its the second time! First time was approximately a month back to which i ignored believing it to be a honest mistake, But the same thing when happened today ringed a bell for me, The coin is of the exact size of a 2 Rupees coin, But its surely lighter than the original! I also recollect during both this time it was during the night i was crossing the toll.
...

I think it's honest mistake. The cost of making fake coin is almost same as the value of the coin. Making fake notes is more economical - higher value than manufacturing cost, ease of carrying around etc. Coins, mmm.

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

...
It isn't about the 2 rupees, But how they are finding new ways to con people right in front of their eyes, From Handing them chocolates instead of the change, ....
...

They are giving you chocolate not to save/cheat money. It's because of lack of supply of coins. How much money can they save from giving you a 2 rupees chocolate instead of 2 rupees coin?

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

...
By giving extremely poor and torn 5 rupee notes ...
...

Torn 5 rupee notes has the same value as a new 5 rupee note - 5 rupees.

Originally Posted by Tanveer_2558

...
Iand also at times just not giving the total change return. Imagine how much extra money they collect every day by doing such things.
...

Yes, not giving whole change in return is cheating. Agree with you.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by JohnyBoy

I think it's honest mistake. The cost of making fake coin is almost same as the value of the coin. Making fake notes is more economical - higher value than manufacturing cost, ease of carrying around etc. Coins, mmm.

First time honest mistake, Second time, Okay well lets wait for the third time.

They are giving you chocolate not to save/cheat money. It's because of lack of supply of coins. How much money can they save from giving you a 2 rupees chocolate instead of 2 rupees coin?

Lets not try and get an approximate number on how much would they make, You'll be surprised trust me. Also the chocolates are not branded and are locally made with the most poorest packing, Name etc, I have had it once and promised never to have or offer it to someone else! Well taste, Name, Quality isn't the point here. I have seen while waiting in the queue that many people get angry when such things are offered instead of the change, And then the change is provided. What annoying is they don't bother to ask if we would like to have a couple of chocolates instead of the change since they are running low on coins maybe? They directly hand it to you, And if you refuse to take it they do give you back the total change.

Torn 5 rupee notes has the same value as a new 5 rupee note - 5 rupees.

Try giving the same 5 rupee note to the next upcoming toll, You'll be surprised to hear things like, It won't work, Its torn, Its damaged. The heck even the beggers don't accept such notes now saying they won't be able to use it to buy anything since nobody would accept it.

Educated people like you and me understand 5 rupee note has a value of 5 rupee only, But not everyone.

[Orange GTX]

This is my experience while going to Shahapur.
On Mumbai Nashik highway, on the first toll while coming from Kalyan, I was asked for Rs. 100 Toll. I did not know till which location toll was valid.
So I just asked that guy, I want to go till Shahapur and not all the way till Nashik or beyond.
But he kept insisting to pay the full toll but when I refuse to pay as I was not at all going to use the road beyond Shahapur, he asked me to pay Rs. 30 and said no receipt for this.
And to my surprise, while returning I was not stopped to pay toll
Has anyone else experienced this?

[Sheel]

Gave a 1000 rupee note and got a change in the form of 10 rupee notes, mostly torn & mutilated.

Karma is bitch, exhausted most of them in giving back tolls

[arnabchak]

Originally Posted by Orange GTX

This is my experience while going to Shahapur.
On Mumbai Nashik highway, on the first toll while coming from Kalyan, I was asked for Rs. 100 Toll. I did not know till which location toll was valid.
So I just asked that guy, I want to go till Shahapur and not all the way till Nashik or beyond.
But he kept insisting to pay the full toll but when I refuse to pay as I was not at all going to use the road beyond Shahapur, he asked me to pay Rs. 30 and said no receipt for this.
And to my surprise, while returning I was not stopped to pay toll
Has anyone else experienced this?

They have always charged me Rs. 100/- and even if I take a drive to Igatpuri and back, I pay this toll.

Infact, in some cases, I had to even pay the return Rs. 100/-.
Nowadays, I stay firm that I have not come all the way from Nasik and wont pay the Rs. 100/- again.

The Rs. 30/- is unheard of.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by JohnyBoy

They are giving you chocolate not to save/cheat money. It's because of lack of supply of coins. How much money can they save from giving you a 2 rupees chocolate instead of 2 rupees coin?

If they can stock chocolates, they can very well stock up on coins too can't they? So there is definitely some benefit behind this.

The landing cost to the local shopkeeper for a box of 100 Rs.1 chocolates cost about Rs.50. Since these are no-name brand chocolates, the cost price will be even lesser. On top of it, the chocolates are sold without bill. So they save on tax as well. If we do the math, it will add up to some big number.

Along with implementing fast tag, govt should change the toll rates to multiples of 5 or 10 to put an end to these corruptions.

[couswheels]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

If they can stock chocolates, they can very well stock up on coins too can't they? So there is definitely some benefit.

Once it happened to me on NH4 in Karnataka where they gave a five rupee five star against the change. Told them that they have to take back the same on my return. Suddenly five rupee coin came out. Post that most of the time have carried sufficient change. This also helps in avoiding wait time at the tolls. The other reason was got a 5 rupee srilankan coin once as change which I did not notice immediately.

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Gave a 1000 rupee note and got a change in the form of 10 rupee notes, mostly torn & mutilated.

Karma is bitch, exhausted most of them in giving back tolls

Haha! I do the same, I always keep the torn and spoilt notes in the car and use them at toll i come across.

Originally Posted by arnabchak

They have always charged me Rs. 100/- and even if I take a drive to Igatpuri and back, I pay this toll.

Infact, in some cases, I had to even pay the return Rs. 100/-.
Nowadays, I stay firm that I have not come all the way from Nasik and wont pay the Rs. 100/- again.

The Rs. 30/- is unheard of.

I had no idea about the 30/- I have always paid 100/- both sides even if i was returning from igatpuri, They even just have a board which shows 100/- And no information about the 30/- toll is provided.

Originally Posted by Jaguar

If they can stock chocolates, they can very well stock up on coins too can't they? So there is definitely some benefit behind this.

The landing cost to the local shopkeeper for a box of 100 Rs.1 chocolates cost about Rs.50. Since these are no-name brand chocolates, the cost price will be even lesser. On top of it, the chocolates are sold without bill. So they save on tax as well. If we do the math, it will add up to some big number.

Along with implementing fast tag, govt should change the toll rates to multiples of 5 or 10 to put an end to these corruptions.

Seriously! The numbers would be huge! Along with collecting toll it becomes a side business of selling chocolates and getting good amount of profit from it as well.

Originally Posted by couswheels

Once it happened to me on NH4 in Karnataka where they gave a five rupee five star against the change. Told them that they have to take back the same on my return. Suddenly five rupee coin came out. Post that most of the time have carried sufficient change. This also helps in avoiding wait time at the tolls. The other reason was got a 5 rupee srilankan coin once as change which I did not notice immediately.

Most of the times when i have asked them to take the chocolate back and give me exact change they would simply say, "Chutta nahi hai", (We don't have change) And then your supposed to give them exact change and if you don't have it, Take the chocolate or leave that as well.

[Orange GTX]

Originally Posted by arnabchak

They have always charged me Rs. 100/- and even if I take a drive to Igatpuri and back, I pay this toll.

Infact, in some cases, I had to even pay the return Rs. 100/-.
Nowadays, I stay firm that I have not come all the way from Nasik and wont pay the Rs. 100/- again.

The Rs. 30/- is unheard of.

Thanks for the reply.
Next time, do ask the toll guy about Rs. 30. You will come to know.

[arnabchak]

Originally Posted by Orange GTX

Thanks for the reply.
Next time, do ask the toll guy about Rs. 30. You will come to know.

Thanks Orange.

Will check the next time around.