After thinking about this for a minute, I came to only one logical conclusion (assuming the guys in your example use their brains): It's someone who doesn't have a EZ Tag since they don't usually have to use to the toll road. They're on the toll road this rare occasion because they're late and realized they won't make it in time while sitting in traffic. They know that Houston toll roads charge a $30+ fee for running the meters (this is an assumption, they did this to me in 2008). So the only reasonable way for them to make it to their destination on time is to fly down the road while stopping to pay as they go.Skiprr wrote:Somewhat unrelated, but something that has remained a mystery to me for many years.
I drive Houston's toll roads enough to see this at least once per week: if the traffic is light to moderate (i.e., the very brief periods of "off-peak" commuting), you'll often see somebody who isn't content to even keep the speedometer in the 70s: he's really in a hurry. He'll tailgate, weave in and out of lanes, and do everything possible to get even a few car lengths ahead of the surrounding vehicles.
Then, lo and behold, as traffic nears a toll plaza, the guy cuts over two or three lanes to pay at a booth while most of the rest of the cars keep on keepin' on at 70mph through the EZ Tag lanes. And, yep; about ten minutes later guess who we see in the rear-view mirror bobbin', weavin', and lane-cuttin', drivin' like the proverbial bat out of the underworld in his rush to get to the next toll plaza ahead of us so that he can once again come to a stop and count out his quarters to get through the lift-gate.
Or they're idiots.
