I hate Texas toll road!

[4WD]

Seeing more and more EV's in the Houston area along with more charging stations

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Austin is a parking lot, Dallas and Fort Worth can be a mess but generally moves good, West Katy freeeway in a Houston...my goodness why.. West of San Antonio....nothing but 80mph interstate. You are in total control of your tax liability based upon where and what value home you buy. Mill rates range from 1.5 to 3.5 percent accross the state. You buy an expensive home in a high tax area..you pay more. Buy a more modest home in a low tax area, and your tax liability can be significantly less.

 

[postjeeprcr]

Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta

You take Texans out of Texas and they drive like frickin animals. If someone is driving crazy there's a 90% chance they have Texas or Colorado plates.

The person you see driving crazy and has a Colorado plate it is a Texan who moved to Colorado and now has to have Colorado plates.

 

[mk378]

Do Texas drivers still like to shortcut through the grass from the interstate to the service road to get right to their store rather than using an exit?

 

[Burt]

Originally Posted by atikovi

Originally Posted by Burt

You don't see as many electrics or hybrids because gas is $2.00 gallon right now versus $3.50 in San Francisco.

You think people buy EVs just to save gas?

I think that the majority of the people look at overall value in making a purchase and fuel being a major cost, yes that in large part accounts for fewer electrics and hybrids on the road in places like Texas. Please don't play the "not the only one thing" game, but If gas were $3.50 in Texas you would see significantly more electrics and hybrids. We also don't have income tax, so unlike California we don't get tax credits from the State to subsidize electrics.

 

[dareo]

I wish we had <span style="text-decoration: underline">some</span> toll roads in utah. Here its free roads but they are always "under construction" and crowded. Give me a private I15 alternative without the mess and i'd pay extra to use it.

 

[PandaBear]

I can only speak for the Californians I know of. Most people I know buy EV for the coolness factor and the carpool lane stickers, and maybe free charging at work. They lease mostly because the carpool lane stickers only last 3 to 4 years, and now they are starting to charge half price for the express toll lane EV access instead of being free. You don't save money driving EV even in California. The Prius drivers these days are the people really trying to save gas, or commercial duty like Uber or delivery.

 

[PandaBear]

Texas state flags are everywhere, very cool. I have never seen Californian flag unless it is with company or city flag and the US flag. It seems like the Californian love of the peace symbol but different.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted by dareo

I wish we had some toll roads in utah. Here its free roads but they are always "under construction" and crowded. Give me a private I15 alternative without the mess and i'd pay extra to use it.

That's not how it works here in OH, the turnpike seems to be under construction more than the back roads!

 

[WagonWheel]

Originally Posted by PandaBear

I'd say comparing Allen to Santa Clara, the housing price is 1/4 and the property tax is 1/2, but if you keep your house for 30 years Texas property tax will end up being 2x due to California prop 13. For tech job I heard Texas pay about 30% less after tax and isn't the same career growth grade. For typical blue collar jobs I see no reason to stay in California.

Remember you can deduct prop tax still in TX (up to $10k) but in California due to high state income tax you hit the SALT cap with just state income deductions. Also to get schools on par with Allen/Plano/Frisco, you need to live in Cupertino or Campbell school districts.

 

[camryrolla]

Toll roads are true end user fee. Don't use if you don't want to pay the toll. I try to avoid all toll roads. Fair enough. When the government keeps raising your gasoline taxes without letting you vote on it is when it gets frustrating. All proposed increases for gas tax should go straight to the people's vote.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted by WagonWheel

Remember you can deduct prop tax still in TX (up to $10k) but in California due to high state income tax you hit the SALT cap with just state income deductions. Also to get schools on par with Allen/Plano/Frisco, you need to live in Cupertino or Campbell school districts.

Don't get me started on the whole tax change thing. I am still mad about the last tax law change that raised my tax, and I don't want to make this a political thread. Yes you need to pay at least 4x to get the same school on par, or go private school which is also about 4x of Texas. To live in the valley you need to have the right job. I assume you need to do the same in Allen/Plano/Frisco to afford the same school? If I were to start my career now I'd do it in Seattle, growing a family and settle down on a 9 to 5 job with 3 kids and a house wife? Texas for sure.

 

[Pew]

Originally Posted by camryrolla

Toll roads are true end user fee. Don't use if you don't want to pay the toll. I try to avoid all toll roads. Fair enough. When the government keeps raising your gasoline taxes without letting you vote on it is when it gets frustrating. All proposed increases for gas tax should go straight to the people's vote.

That's the way it's supposed to be. Here in IL (without getting into politics), all the highways leading into Chicago are tolled. The only exceptions are I55 and I80/57 which are not tolled for now but there have been propositions for them too be tolled.

 

[mr_diy]

Also when I went to Spring Break in 2018 down in Padre, I probably racked up like $5-10 in tolls. I never got a letter from Texas about the fees. My car probably is prohibited in Texas now.

You may someday find you own $$$ and regret failure to pay.

 

[mr_diy]

Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania turnpike is like government extortion. Interstate throughways and city bypasses should have been mandated from the being to be free of tolls.

 

[JustinH]

Rant about a ten dollar toll bill? Let it hit your credit card and keep rolling. Avis will send you a fee for the privilege of using their toll tag in the rental car plus the actual toll, plus an administrative fee.

This is typical for rental car companies, and the same deal applies in Florida with a rental car and Sunpass.

As for living down here, San Antonio does not have tolls but most every other large city does.

 

[Driz]

Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta

You take Texans out of Texas and they drive like frickin animals. If someone is driving crazy there's a 90% chance they have Texas or Colorado plates.

Every time I've come across a Colorado plate they're going 10+ UNDER the limit and hogging the left lane But there's a few highways up here that are like that. You'll be on the highway, there's one sign saying "Illinois Tollroad" and now you're stuck paying a toll to get off. If you don't have an iPass or EZpass and accidentally go through the electronic only lanes, there's a website you can go to, plug in your plate and plaza number (if you know it), and pay the toll. They give you a week to do it.

When I lived in Co back in the early 80s it always seemed like a state of war existed between them and Texas🤪.