Toll-takers rude, lewd and racist, complaints charge

The Smoking Gun website has unearthed some eye-popping complaints about toll-takers on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

They hurl the F word, racial epithets, change and even threats of violence, customers claim.

Especially if you try to pay with any pennies or bills larger than a 10, or - heaven forbid - drop a coin.

Some can be "helpful," though. Like the guy who offered to expose himself to wake a woman up. Or the other guy who offered to perform a strip search instead of helping an E-ZPass user with a problem.

Here's a sampling:

"Patron claims that 2 weeks ago the collector took his wedding ring off his finger." (Sept. 2009, Newark Airport exit)

Driver making small talk with male collector in his 20s said she had trouble staying awake. "Collector said I have a way to keep young ladies awake. She asked how. He said I flash them. Are you interested. Patron said no thanks and drove away before he said anything else." (No date, location).

"Patron asked T/C [toll collector] 'excuse me how much is it?' T/C responded, 'Can't you wait a (expletive) minute, bitch?' Patron asked for Supervisor to report her. T/C said Oh shut the (expletive) up it's not the first time & it won't be the last. Patron purposely held the line for 10 minutes so someone would come out. T/C told patron she was going to (expletive) her up." (May 2009, Garden State Parkway exit)

Upon exiting, driver explained she didn't display her E-ZPass when she got on the turnpike, so she didn't know what to do. "At which point [the toll collector] told her to pull her car into the parking lot and he would hand cuff her," according to the complaint. She asked again. "He told her she would have to pay the full length of the turnpike or she could go in the building and let him conduct a strip search." (May 2009, Holland Tunnel exit)

A driver alleged a collector gave too little change and "got very rude and nasty ... because he was busy on his cell ordering a pizza with extra pepperoni." (March 2009, New Brunswick exit)

"Patron mention [sic] to T/C about both cash lanes having red Xs. T/C said to patron if he doesn't like it you can go [expletive] yourself. Patron asked what he said & T/C repeated it several times until patron said he can go [expletive] himself and drove away. He looked back & T/C was climbing out of the booth screaming to come back to kick patron's [expletive]." (Jan. 2009, Carteret/Rahway exit).

"She then turned and continued to give me my change for my $100.00 in singles. I saw that she had a stack of twenties available and asked if she could give me twenties instead. She turned to me and with a disgusting attitude said to me 'You want me to give you quarters?' " (Oct. 2008 letter, no exit location)

"Patron gave collector 5 pennies as part of his payment. Collector said 'I don't know what's up with you [expletive] people'. Collector threw the pennies at the patron and hit patron in the face and the side of his car. Patron had his 2 small kids in the car with him." (Nov. 2009, Metuchen/Perth Amboy exit)

"Patron dropped a dime. T/C called him a [expletive] moron." (Dec. 2008, George Washington Bridge exit)

-- "Patron exits to pay $1.75 w/a $20 bill 75 cents. TC says 'What the [expletive] are you doing Give me a [expletive] $1' Patron told him she did not have a $1, TC says, 'you are a [expletive] liar. You & your friend should get on the road & [expletive] die' Then he threw the change @ her." (July 2008, Elizabeth exit)

For more, go to http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0222101tolls1.html.