Man Sues Highway from problem originating with 12 Canadian Cents

[b0mbrman]

Hmmm...I'd call this silly but I'm not sure how the exchange rate is nowadays

Link to full story

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Man Sues Toll Highway Over 12 Cent Debt

TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian lawyer launched a class action suit against the operators of one of the world's first electronic toll highways on Wednesday after being charged a C$30.00 ($19.10) late fee on a balance of 12 Canadian cents.

Richard Prendiville, a lawyer based in Waterloo, Ontario, is attempting to force the highway's operators and the Ontario provincial government to refund all of the late penalties charged to users of Highway 407, north of Toronto, since it opened on June 7, 1997.

The suit alleges the penalty qualifies as interest, and substantially exceeds the maximum annual ``criminal rate'' of interest in Canada, set at 60 percent.

Lawyers representing Prendiville said in a statement the late payment policy ``borders on highway robbery, and the tacit continuing approval of the province of Ontario in this policy is unconscionable.''

The suit names 407 International Inc., 407 ETR Concession Co. Ltd., the Ontario ministry of privatization and the province's attorney general.

407 International is the operator of the 108 kilometer (68 mile) expressway, which bills itself as the world's first all-electronic open access toll highway.

The company is owned by a consortium including subsidiaries of Spanish construction company Ferrovial and Quebec's public pension fund manager Caisse de depot et placement.

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., Canada's largest civil engineering firm, also owns 27 percent of 407 International.

Spokesmen for SNC and 407 ETR declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying it would not be appropriate while the matter was before the courts.

 

[no0b]

its really over 3000 Canadian cents. which is still sad. methinks business is bad in canada for lawyers so they have time to do stuff like this.

 

[Beater]

OK now an explanation from a Canuck. You guys are used ta toll roads, I know cause I've traveled quite a bit in the states and paid for toll roads on several occasions. The 407 is a major road in Canada, much like your interstates, and it is brand new. It was built by the government and then sold to a conglomerate outta Europe. They have now started an electronic toll on the road that takes a picture of your plate and sends ya a bill. That's cool cause it's a great highway and I had no problem paying for the speedy route ta the cottage.... but here's the catch! If ya miss a payment, which is easy ta do cause they are extremely unorganized, they charge a 30.00 late fee and stick the bill with a collection agency. What the lawyer is sueing about is that he only had a total of 12 cents owing and they charged a 30 dollar late fee. That is an extremely illegal interest rate and I believe he is sueing on the principal of their actions and not the money. I agree with him 100 per cent cause the guys that run the highway have screwed thing up so bad they need a wake up call, can ya tell I'm pissed and got hit with the damn 30.00 fee as well!!!!!

 

[no0b]

wow thier method of billing doesnt seem to be efficent at all. They have to take a picture of your plate then find where you live due to your plate id. then send you a bill in the mail. Why dont they just have tollbooths where you can pay right there. well if you have toll booths then you have to have a larger work force so maybe it works out to be the same.

 

[Ns1]

<< wow thier method of billing doesnt seem to be efficent at all. They have to take a picture of your plate then find where you live due to your plate id. then send you a bill in the mail. >>




eh? that's how it is in california

 

[Beater]

Ya, I think they were trying ta avoid paying the toll booth guys and now I gotta wonder if they were figuring the late fees inta the profit cause the lawyer figures they have made 10 million plus on the late fees, and that's what he's basing his law suit amount on!

 

[no0b]

<<

<< wow thier method of billing doesnt seem to be efficent at all. They have to take a picture of your plate then find where you live due to your plate id. then send you a bill in the mail. >>




eh? that's how it is in california >>


eh der sorry ive never been to california
im from da city of chicago
da beeaars, da bullze

 

[Logix]

12 Canadian cents = 7.6872 U.S. cents

They can't just afford to provide an actual *free*way up there? Where do all your tax dollars go?

Why don't they just implement a system like they have on the bridges down here. People can get a transponder that they stick to their windshield and then just drive through special lanes at the toll plazas. You prepay each month.

 

[b0mbrman]

<< its really over 3000 Canadian cents. which is still sad. methinks business is bad in canada for lawyers so they have time to do stuff like this. >>



Well, you could *sorta* say it's for the 12 cents since if they took away that debt, he wouldn't have had to pay a late fee...

Still, let's not get caught up in semantics and just focus on laughing at those silly Canucks

 

[no0b]

<< Still, let's not get caught up in semantics and just focus on laughing at those silly Canucks >>


I'll second that

 

[Beater]

They have transponders for the 407 but unless you use the highway a lot it's not worth the up front fee they charge for the transponder. If ya have a transponder it reduces the fee by about 10% but ya gotta pay for it and they still bill ya in the mail

 

[Cyberian]

<< Lawyers representing Prendiville said in a statement the late payment policy ``borders on highway robbery, and the tacit continuing approval of the province of Ontario in this policy is unconscionable.''
>>

Oh, I get it.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

heh...my dad works for SNC Lavalin, but he doesn't deal with domestic projects (ala 407).

Its quite a nice highway, too bad some people are just stupid.

 

[Keego]

<<

<< Still, let's not get caught up in semantics and just focus on laughing at those silly Canucks >>


I'll second that >>



I'll third that

 

[b0mbrman]

<<

<< Lawyers representing Prendiville said in a statement the late payment policy ``borders on highway robbery, and the tacit continuing approval of the province of Ontario in this policy is unconscionable.''
>>

Oh, I get it. >>



Ha ha...I didn't pick up on that the first time