Stories from the Sales Frontlines

oldfarmer50

"...plenty of rubber snakes, T-Rex'es and some stuffed animal birds..."

That should look really cool going down the street, especially if you hang out the window and yell victory whoops at the defeated birds. Sure, everybody will think you've gone off your rocker but we'll know different.

fezo

I thought maybe El Khada was their Mexican branch...

nyc - I'm with you. That a mighty big check to be writing for an SUV that, until it's actually there, is only theoretical.

oldfarmer50

"...Before I got Easypass..."

I refuse to get that contraption for a couple of reasons.

First they seldom work right. Two years ago I had a school bus run that required driving the NYS Thruway. The EZ-Pass seldom worked right and would deplete the account in a few days. Then bells and lights would go off when I went through the toll booth like I was some sort of crook. I always feared I would get hauled off by the cops. There are hundreds of stories of how EZ-Pass billed people for trips they didn't make or said their accounts were empty and sent them to collection.

Second, they can track your movements with the darn thing. There was a famous case in this area where a kid chopped up his parents with an ave then swore he was in Rochester at the time. They used EZ-Pass records to nail him. Divorce lawyers also use those records to get wandering husbands.

I like to be off the grid.

robr2

EZPass - one of the best things I ever got. Never any wait and no problems with overbilling or no cash in the account. Mine is set up to bill me CC for a small amount and I check my statement every month.

Second, they can track your movements with the darn thing.

Only by court order. And based on your story - it was a good thing they were able to track the kid.

I like to be off the grid.

Then get rid of your cell phone and dump the computer. Oh and don't forget your tinfoil hat!! :P

houdini1

I didn't think you could use the ipad as a phone. Anyone know for sure?

robr2

I didn't think you could use the ipad as a phone. Anyone know for sure?

No it cannot be used as a phone.

jimbres

The Merritt is a wonderful road - I always enjoy driving on it - but I love LI's North Shore, even with its nose-bleed taxes. There's nothing like it in the summer. (My wife's family has a waterfront beach house on the North Fork, right on the Sound.) Also, my wife was born & raised here, & our daughter & grandson live here, so we're here for the duration.

If the taxes do drive me out of here, I'd probably go to Pennsylvania - my birth state - or to 1 of the Carolinas.

fezo

North Shore, huh? Are you one of those character's in Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast?

The Merritt Parkway is a classic. It was the only place where I ever regretted the removal of toll booths. They looked so right there- and of course had like a 15 cent toll on them. How the same state that brought you the Merritt could built the Connecticut Turnpike is beyond me.

snakeweasel

It saved a lot of pier cleanup.

I tell you you haven't lived until you sat for a few hours on a bouy out at sea on a hot day scraping seagull c***.

Its enough to make anyone work hard for a promotion.

jimbres

North Shore, huh? Are you one of those character's in Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast?

Oh, yeah. I'm just slumming here.

My neighborhood is decidedly middle class, but we're just a few minutes away from most of the Gold Coast villages.

Not far from here is a terrific state park - Caumsett - that before WWII was a 1700 acre gentleman's farm owned by an heir to a department store fortune. After his death in the late 50s, his widow deeded it over to the state park system to avoid the crushing property taxes. It's a great place for hiking.

snakeweasel

The good part of this PA Pike increase for 2011 is that now E-ZPass customers will get a discount. I think it is 10%.

Here in IL the discount for the I-pass is 50%. Actually several years ago they doubled the price of the tolls except for the I-Pass users (as well as users of transponders from other systems).

As for transponder fees all we have is a deposit on the transponder that is refunded when you turn it in.

stickguy

E-Z pass has to be one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind. Less waiting in line, no more fishing for money, and now speed through canopies. Heaven.

especially up around NYC, where some bridges are $11. We aren't talking about occasionally fishing a couple quarters out of the cupholder here.

and the PA turnpike reason (that they gave) was to save money not having to print new tickets every year when they raised rates. Of course, that also made it easier to raise them!

fezo

When they introduced EZPass here they initially gave a discount on the tolls. After a bit they took that away. Then they tried to add on a convenience fee so that it cost money to use it. After everyone threatened to send their passes back that one stopped.

I had an EZPass with a bad battery and found this out the hard way. I noticed that it was giving a different message when I'd pass through a toll but thought nothing of it as the tolls were being registered just fine.

Then, one day I was driving with a van full of family members and camping equipment over the border to Canada. There's a $2 toll at this crossing n Buffalo (actually just before the crossing). The gate came down and stayed down. People lined up behind me and started honking. Not like I can either back up or drive through the gate. Finally a collector comes by and explains my dead pass to me saying it worked fine in most places because there is a backup system to read and confirm your license plate. They didn't have this. I gave the nice lady $2 and we were on our way. Turns out there were loads of defective EZPasses in the lot that mine came from.

snakeweasel

I had an EZPass with a bad battery and found this out the hard way.

The I-Pass starts beeping when the battery goes dead (or just about to). One time someone mailed back an I-pass with a bad battery to the tollway. When they got the beeping package they evacuated the building and called the bomb squad.

stickguy

there are still some discounts for EZpass. At least at off peak times. pretty sure I saved something off the varizano last time I had to used it.

driver100

North Shore, huh? Are you one of those character's in Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast?

One of my favorite books of all time....along with all the other deMilles.

Sandman6472

I got hurt on the job back in '05 and they put me on "limited duty" since then. The new policy for sometime now has been if you can't do the job you were hired for, they let you go with the "no work available" reason. I was just lucky that I was so close to my 30 years & being 56, the retirement variables. I loved my job, but they forced me out!! So to use up all my leave just made financial sense, plus our annual contractual increase just kicked in the end of November.

So your brothers 65? G-d bless him for doing this job so long. Physically, it was killing me every day just to get up & go. Have noticed that I have more good days than bad ones...totally opposite as to when I was working. It was the best decision to leave when I did...physically & mentally speaking...though I just stay home & relax my spine 90% of the time. I took over the food shopping so that's when I go out, or when the kids force me out with them driving.

I need to get out more & exercise according to my pain doctor. But the wife's Mazda has been having thermostat problems again, so I've been a bit busy with it. Am also checking into some cars for her short list, as I've got a small suspicion that she'll be in a new ride sometime in 2011 instead of 2012. New car shopping here we come!!

See, I even got my long post around to cars!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

nyccarguy

fezo

The last two DeMilles have been disappointing - I think because he's letting his trophy wife see stuff before his editor ever does. They have the action that's typical in a DeMille book but less of the polish.

Best stuff tends to be Plum Island (the first of the John Corey novels) and The Charm School which will scare you silly if you think about it.

sandman - a friend of mine just about your age just got kind of golden parachuted out of his post office job. They needed more people to retire up here so they sweetened the pot for him.

imidazol97

>as I've got a small suspicion that she'll be in a new ride sometime in 2011 instead of 2012. New car shopping here we come!!

Yeaaaaa! A car purchase story in Stories from the Sales Frontlines!!!! :shades:

jmonroe

When they got the beeping package they evacuated the building and called the bomb squad.

I'd be willing to bet that was the fastest anyone in that department ever moved since they built that place. Where's U-Tube when you really want them?

jmonroe

tjc78

tjc78

there are still some discounts for EZpass. At least at off peak times

Yeah, the NJTP has off peak rate that are cheaper. I use the tp from 3 - 4 often and sometimes its .35 and other times it is .45

I have had EZpass for about 12-13 years now. I remember at the time I was crossing over the WW bridge everyday and when the system first came around they were handing out flyers for it as you were stuck in traffic to pay your toll.

The first few months with it were great, as the lanes were virtually empty. How that has changed.

Fezo,
I have been through quite a few tags with dead batteries. I try to remember to check the display going through the booth to make sure that is says "EZpass Paid". If you see "no tag read", you know you need a new tag.

driver100

eaaaaa! A car purchase story in Stories from the Sales Frontlines!!!!

I am not sure if they are allowed on this site. :P

driver100

Best stuff tends to be Plum Island (the first of the John Corey novels) and The Charm School which will scare you silly if you think about it.

I agree the Charm School is unique and really got deMille going. But I like The Gold Coast and The Gatekeeper because of all the wisecracks. They are serious stories, but I am laughing out loud at all the jokes on every page.

Writers seem to go downhill for various reasons, lack of new ideas, possibly the trophy wife in this case. But I have seen a lot go downhill when they get multi book contracts, and they have to write a book a year for 5 years to get their $10 million!

jmonroe

I try to remember to check the display going through the booth to make sure that is says "EZpass Paid". If you see "no tag read", you know you need a new tag.

In PA there is no display. You get a green light if it recognizes the transponder or a red light if it doesn’t, both at entry and exit. A few times I have run the red light because there ain’t no backing up with cars on your tale. On the few occasions early on when I first got E-ZPass (about 4 years ago) and I ran the light, I would go on-line to look at my account to see if I was being fined but I wasn’t. So now when it happens (very few) I don’t even bother to check.

One time when I first got E-Zpass and I got a red light upon exiting that I had to run, I called them and they asked at which exit point had I gotten the red light. When I told them, the guy said, “yeah, we’ve been having trouble with that exit and it’s going to require maintenance. Don’t worry about it just keep running the light until its fixed”. :surprise:

The entry and exit speed limit is posted at 5 MPH but no one slows down that much. I’ve been told that if you go too fast through the gate and the system is working and you get a red light you will be fined. I don’t know this for a fact but that’s what I’ve heard a few people say. I’ve had a few people blow their horn when they think I’ve slowed down too much. I usually see that my speed is around 10/12 MPH when I go through the gate but some people think that is too slow, I guess. :mad:

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

"...Yeaaaaa! A car purchase story in Stories from the Sales Frontlines!!!..."

I've been working hard to bring a story here by helping my nephew get his first car. Now I find out he has a new girlfriend. That explains why I haven't heard from him.

Sorry, don't hold your breath for a story. :sick:

tjc78

5 MPH is not realistic IMO. In NJ most people go through at least around 15 or so.

While I have your ear, can you check out something in your Genny for me? I believe my rear seat HVAC vents aren't working properly and want to know if you can verify something.

If you have the dial set to red (hot) and the selector switch set to the upper vents do you get heat out of them? Mine is blowing cold air even though the front vents are blowing heat. I don't believe that is right.

Thanks!

imidazol97

>I am not sure if they are allowed on this site.

I realize they're slightly off topic, but we still enjoy them. :grin

imidazol97

While we're talking about bird manure, how about some cat remnants.

Does anyone have a good cure for friends of ours who are renting a house where the basement was home for many cats the lady kept. What will get the urine smell out of the concrete floor and the vinyl floor that is down there. He tried bleach solution. I suggested white vinegar to dissolve the crystals that are left deep in the concrete. There are enzymes on the market. What works?

jayrider

I suggest having the landlord hire a company to get rid of the problem professionally. Good luck !

Kirstie_H

I'll have a story soon, I hope! Just waiting for the ol' New Year to come around so I don't have to pay property tax on the vehicle for the next year.

Re: cat urine - Get any of those giant bottles of pet urine stain & odor remover. Pour it on and let it dry naturally. They work really well as long as you completely saturate the area.

jmonroe

I believe my rear seat HVAC vents aren't working properly and want to know if you can verify something.

If you have the dial set to red (hot) and the selector switch set to the upper vents do you get heat out of them? Mine is blowing cold air even though the front vents are blowing heat. I don't believe that is right.

I’ll have to check on that because I can’t remember that last time I ask for “upper vent heat”. For awhile I selected the mode that put the flow out at the floor level but lately I just set the control to “Auto” which does the same thing. I can tell you this, when I’m in the “Auto” position and I manually set the rear for heat and the flow to any amount, I get heat at the flow rate I’ve selected.

A little story about the rear seat temp:

I got the car in March of ’09 and therefore I set the rear temp for heat. Along comes the first day that I used the A/C and I’m thinking, ‘I thought this car would have had better A/C than this’. It was comfortable but it took a lot longer to get that way than I thought it should. DING, I then realized that I didn’t set the rear to the cool position. Once I did that, it got COLD in a hurry. Just like I thought it should. Needless to say, you can’t heat the rear and cool the front and be as comfortable as you’d like to be. I found that out the hard way.

Personally, I think the car should have the temp selector and flow control on the dash so you don’t have to reach to the back of the console to make the adjustments which is not the safest thing to do while driving. I’m sure the designer would say the rear control is for the rear passengers to use for their preference so that’s why it is back there. My XG350 has rear temp/cool but I turn it on or off from the dash. Whatever temp is selected for the front that is what the rear gets and the flow is also based on how the front is set but the rear passengers can manually move the vent to the off position if they don’t want heat or cool back there and I have it selected from the front to be on back there.

This falls into the category of having too many widgets in a car. I remember the days when you turned the heat or A/C on or off and everyone in the car found a way to live with that. Nowadays, if you don’t have knobs for everything and for everybody to play with, the owner feels cheated. And heaven forbid your passengers should think you bought a cheap car.

jmonroe

canadiantoyota

We have a saying in our business...

"If at first you don't succeed, you need a bigger hammer, BUT if a hammer doesn't fix it, you have an electrical problem".

Happy New Year everyone!

Your 2011 dues are paid courtesy of the Canadian taxpayers.

tallman1

It's interesting to read about the toll roads and the E-ZPass from our friends in the east. Out west, we have freeways.

We have been using something different for the toll on the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge (and now some carpool lanes). They call it the Good to Go pass. It's a transponder embedded in a sticker for your windshield. You can hardly tell it has an electronic gizmo inside. Scanners read it as you pass underneath them. You drive in the regular traffic lanes and don't have to slow down at all. For those without the transponder, we have old fashioned toll booths... but you have to exit the highway for those.

Those with transponders also pay $2.75 vs. the $4 toll.

Cameras take pictures of license plates for those scofflaws who don't stop and they get a ticket in the mail. On an upcoming project in isell's neck of the woods, they will just take a picture of your license plate and charge you the toll that way.

Here's a link to a video and other information: Good to Go

jmonroe

"If at first you don't succeed, you need a bigger hammer, BUT if a hammer doesn't fix it, you have an electrical problem".

Happy New Year everyone!

Your 2011 dues are paid courtesy of the Canadian taxpayers.

Auh…now I’ve found the culprit. Since I’m the “electrical guy”, I now know who’s been breaking all the light bulbs when I hear, “I don’t know what happened. It just popped. There musta been a short”.

I will agree that it was very nice of you guys to pay our dues but does that include the medical option that was offered this year?

Happy New Year everyone. I think I’ll leave early and get a head start on the celebration.

jmonroe

Sandman6472

I actually grew up in Briarcliff Manor & the folks had an acre also but as I recall, the taxes were horrible. Remember my dad bitching about it every year until we moved down to Florida. Still here & our taxes are $2500.00/year, even though we have a small piece of property. But the costs for most things are higher, especially the ridiculous doc fees in the $499 to $699 area...absolutely outrageous!

A Happy & Healthy New Years to my Edmunds family!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

driver100

Happy New Year everyone. I think I’ll leave early and get a head start on the celebration.

I am out of here too!

We have a New Years tradition we have had for about 10 years now. We decline all invitations for parties, or to go to restaurants with friends.

The best New Years was in 2000 when a local pub showed New Years - 12 midnight from London UK on all their large screen TVs. It was only 7 pm our time, so we could finish our dinner, kiss everyone happy new year at the pub, then be at home by 8 pm.

Most years we go out for a very early dinner, an early movie (this year The Tourist at 6:30) and we should be home by 9 before the crazy people come out!

May you have a very happy new year too, all the best for 2011!

jmonroe

Those with transponders also pay $2.75 vs. the $4 toll.

What a difference in philosophy. I’m waiting for the state of PA to get people hooked on their E-ZPass system then charge a premium for its use. :sick:

The 2011 discount will be 10%. Whooopeee.

jmonroe

jmonroe

...an early movie (this year The Tourist at 6:30)...

We'll be going to the movie too. We're going with friends to see "The Folkers".

I hope I spelled that right...sure would be a shame to get kicked off this site at the end of the year and not be welcomed back.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

My favoite new years was in 1988, we drove down to Springfield, IL all the way down I-55 doing between 25 and 30 MPH (pea soup thick fog) for the festivities all around the state capital which included a Civil war re-enactors ball at the old state house (this was when I was doing Civil War re-enactments). We wondered around to all the things going around and me and my date ended up at midnight dancing the jitterbug to "In the Mood" under the capitol dome (me in a Civil War uniform her in a 1860's ballroom gown).

But currently I am with you. An early dinner and then stay home watching movies untill midnight.

happy New Years to all.

isellhondas

Toll booths? We don't have any at least not yet!

jipster

"The Folkers".

"Little Fockers" :surprise:

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

EDITED: I put my son's large googley eyed purple lizzard stuffed animal in my back windshield sill area yesterday. This morning my wife backed my car out on the street and left it there. I just went to get the mail, not a single "plopper" on my car. Just one day, but thus far results promising.

fezo

Craig, we'll gladly send you some of ours - we have something of a surplus.

driver - meant to include The Gold Coast in the list. Both the Gate House and The Lion are no where near their predecessors. Lion's Game was excellent and my introduction to DeMille. These last two feel like they were written on a deadline.

We'll be home for the New Year. A Happy New Year to all in the gang!

tallman1

What a difference in philosophy. I’m waiting for the state of PA to get people hooked on their E-ZPass system then charge a premium for its use.

The idea was to encourage people to get the transponders, hence the discount. There was concern that the toll booths would be jammed and they would have to hire a lot of staff to run them. That was never an issue because they easily surpassed their goal with the number of transponders they distributed. It is kind of nice that the locals who use the bridge a lot pay less per trip (toll is only charged one way).

Isell: Tolling starts on the 520 floating bridge this spring. It will be strictly photo tolls so no booths. Visitors will get a bill in the mail if they don't have a Good to Go sticker. They want to do the photo tolls down here too but people aren't sold on that system yet.

520 Bridge

tjc78

I’ll have to check on that

Thanks!

Once I did that, it got COLD in a hurry.

You, me and every other Genesis owner had the same issue. I discovered the same thing, that you have to remember to set it on the cool setting otherwise the A/C can't cool the car properly pumping heat into the back seat.

isellhondas

Interesting. I didn't know that was for sure.

My uncle who lived in Hunts Point was a state legislator and one of the main proponents for that bridge in the first place. In the beginning there was a toll.

The old timers still call I-90 the "old" bridge and the 520 the "new bridge".

snakeweasel

I’m waiting for the state of PA to get people hooked on their E-ZPass system then charge a premium for its use.

Not sure why you would want to charge someone a premium for using a transponder since it is so much cheaper to collect tolls using a transponder.

Generally you want to offer a discount to users of transponders to encourage their use.

cdnpinhead

. . .why you would want to charge someone a premium for using a transponder since it is so much cheaper to collect tolls. . .

Logic isn't your friend when dealing with the government. If the lines are shorter in the ezpass (or equivalent) lanes, people will be willing to pay a premium to use them, plus which they don't have to dig around looking for exact change and/or waiting for the "attendant."

The key is getting enough people signed up to make the whole thing viable, after which all bets are off. Something about "what the market will bear" comes to mind.

Remember when people were told that the tolls would go away after the item in question was paid off? Cash cows are pretty hard for governments to let go of, and this is the latest one.

snakeweasel

Currently the facts disagree with you. Most tollways in this country charge transponder users less than cash payers.