Team-BHP - Why don't two wheelers pay toll?!!

I go to new bombay once a week and i have noticed this since years that two wheelers don't have to pay toll. Why?
They use the same bridges! They use the same roads! They break our car ORVMS! They drive slowly in the right lane!
If cars have to pay a toll of Rs.30 oneway, (increased from 25 last month), why can't bikers pay atleast Rs10?
I don't get it! Anyone with a plausible explanation?

P.S. I have nothing against the biker community as such, its just that private car owners always get step-motherly treatment. So bikers, no hate mail please.

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Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl (Post 1044176)

Not only bikes, even BEST and ST buses don't pay toll to use the bridge. Even cars belonging to government officials are exempted. Rather, they're allowed to pass by making everyone else stop with the booth collectors saluting them!

IMO, bikes don't pay toll because they're percieved as the poor man's mode of transport.

OT: I'm a Vashi resident and have been paying toll since the new bridge was built in 1990! If the toll was being levied to recover the cost of the new bridge, it might have gone 10x over by now. Now, the government has a very comfortable excuse that the toll is being levied for recovering the cost of all new flyovers in Mumbai - from people who enter Mumbai. In such a situation, Navi Mumbai residents end up paying the most because most of us use the bridge daily. Mumbai residents who use the flyovers more, actually pay less. Huge disparity, no?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DueLLeR (Post 1044199)

Not only bikes, even BEST and ST buses don't pay toll to use the bridge.

Buses do pay toll. If you see the ticket listing, toll has been added. Its just that they pay toll in bulk. the number of journeys for a month for all buses is calculated and paid together. Even railways charge toll for using the bridge.

Quote:

Even cars belonging to government officials are exempted. Rather, they're allowed to pass by making everyone else stop with the booth collectors saluting them!

Ya, that is really irritating. But what difference. the babus will pay toll from tax-payers money anyways!

Quote:

IMO, bikes don't pay toll because they're percieved as the poor man's mode of transport.

Convenient excuse! Don't charge cyclists, but bikers need to be charged or ban them from using flyovers!

Quote:

OT: I'm a Vashi resident and have been paying toll since the new bridge was built in 1990! If the toll was being levied to recover the cost of the new bridge, it might have gone 10x over by now. Now, the government has a very comfortable excuse that the toll is being levied for recovering the cost of all new flyovers in Mumbai - from people who enter Mumbai. In such a situation, Navi Mumbai residents end up paying the most because most of us use the bridge daily. Mumbai residents who use the flyovers more, actually pay less. Huge disparity, no?

Absolutely agree with you. People in the city use all the bridges day in and day out and don't pay anything. Rather they could introduce a one time toll for all bombay registered vehicles and charge toll only for cars & trucks with out of bombay registration plates.

Because bikers are a poor man's transport as per sarkar. And because two wheelers have never paid either.

And charging them poor man's toll fee becomes a very expensive exercise, not to mention hassles - car guys will not as much take some arbit side lane to save a few bucks etc.

In short, not worth the hassle.

PS: I fully support, and am willing to more than match. I even met DSC officials at Gurgaon when initially bikes were prevented on the expressway. To me, riding off the expressway is a waste of my time, and toll is what I wanna pay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamilyman (Post 1044335)

And charging them poor man's toll fee becomes a very expensive exercise, not to mention hassles - car guys will not as much take some arbit side lane to save a few bucks etc.

In short, not worth the hassle.

How can it not be worth? How is it expensive? I fail to understand!!!
Atleast the toll plaza in new bombay is such that there is no side lane. There is a sea creek on either side. So there is no choice but to pay.

You can't justify hassle as being an excuse for exemption.

My opinion,

Toll guys or NHAI feels that the 2 wheelers are for local transport and they dont travel long distance. So, its not fair to charge them since they may be just going from this side of the village to other side.

May be, when we get a system of getting a ticket and pay at the exit based on actual distance travelled, they may have to pay too.

We are talking about why cars only why not bikers. As far as i am concerned, I want the toll system to be completely removed.

We pay tax on our income. Then tax on purchasing vehicle( An 7 lac car has almost 1 lac tax on it). Then road tax purchasing vehicle (car/bike). Then Parking charges (one time while purchasing like MCD parking charge in Delhi and later individual parking). Then surcharge on fuel. and then the TOLL.

Why the government charges at every step. Tomorrow there will be toll on walking and so on.

Is this justified. Tell me what govt are doing with my income tax, tax on car, road tax etc. Why do they need toll now. I guess all my previous taxes should be enough atleast to built a good road. (Since I already pay enough sales tax service tax etc for availing any kind of service)

Quote:

Originally Posted by phamilyman (Post 1045094)

Tejas,

Have you considered the setup cost, the salaries etc. I'd just remind you to consider basics :D

There is no setup cost or salary cost. The bikes follow the cars in the toll plaza and pay as the cars do. No additional expense. All they have to do is to close the narrow side lane that they have for bikes.