Today I drove through a toll gate barrier.
Yup. The Mazdarati busted right through it.
Nope, I wasn’t on the run from the law.
Exiting 94 in Indiana, I just didn’t see it. The sun glared blending the barrier right into the highway. My foot came off the gas just enough for my I-Pass to register the toll and THWACK!
Totally stunned, I looked around to see the white barrier snapped straight ahead (instead of up or down). Did someone see it happen? Were the toll gate people going to hunt me down and demand revenge?
When I got back to my office, I figured I’d better check with the authorities. Dear Internet…What happens when you blow through a toll gate barrier?
I found some great responses. Here are a few of my faves:
Congratulations. You are awesome. I’ve always wanted to do that.
You should go back to the scene of the crime and claim your toll arm. Hang that thing over your fireplace with pride.
Yikes, a lot of people here have run into these things. Guess what they say about Illinois drivers is correct.
Feeling a little more at ease, it dawned on me. I’ve always wanted to drive through one of those barriers just to see what happens.
Guess what? I just did.
Sure, it was unintentional and surprising, but it was actually pretty awesome. No one was hurt. My car was fine. And, Indiana, you got your toll.
To be honest, I didn’t expect that barrier to be there in the first place. Most toll booths around Chicago don’t have barriers.
I guess when you don’t expect barriers to be there, you just drive right through them.
Note: Please don’t take this as encouragement to bust through toll gates with reckless abandon.
However, if there’s an imagined barrier between you and something you want to make happen, go ahead. Blast on through it.
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