Hefty bridge tolls irk RV owners pulling trailers

Q After paying a scurrilous unmerited extortion toll charge to San Mateo Bridge trolls for my motorhome and tow vehicle of $20, which justifiably should have been only $10, do I remain distressed over toll scallywags without license plates failing to contribute their fair share? Much less so now, I assure you. — Tony Favero, Half Moon Bay

A That perk will end in 2019 when buyers of new cars will get permanent metal plates when they drive off the dealer lot and not paper plates. But I understand your anger.

Q Bay Area bridge tolls are unfair for motorhomes towing vehicles. A 34-foot motorhome pays $5 and a vehicle pays $5 but, if you connect the vehicle to the motorhome the toll is $20.

Can you help change this inequity? — Don Marsh, San Jose

A I have tried but failed.

Q You aren’t worried about toll cheaters on the bridges? If new car buyers have a license to cheat until they get their permanent plates, why encourage it? How much is lost that the rest of us have to make up until 2019? — Tom Wong, Menlo Park

A About $9 million a year in the Bay Area.

Q It’s one thing not to be riled up about drivers with paper plates avoiding tolls. It’s another to put that in print and condone illegal behavior.

I’ve been reading your column for decades and have appreciated your work and admired your insights. This is the first time I’ve had occasion to question your integrity. I can no longer recommend your column to my kids. — Rajiv Bhateja

A But maybe you will after reading the next comment.

Q I appreciate all your tips about how to safely merge with bicyclists when turning right in a bike lane. But the other day, I wanted to turn right off of Mission Boulevard in Fremont near Durham Road and had to figure out what to do about two wild turkeys trotting along in the bike lane, uphill no less! What’s the rule for that? — Julie Rusch, Fremont

A I’m speechless. At least they were trotting. Thanks for the chuckle.

Q I just saw the strangest California license plate. It had a red letter followed by a few black letters and then another letter in red in a smaller size. Nothing denoting that it was a dealer or manufacturer. What the heck was it? — Mark Brauer, Pleasant Hill

A The DMV can issue this license plate to a vehicle owned by a current or retired member of the state Legislature, Congress or U.S. Senate. There are regular registration and renewal fees associated with legislative license plates.

And the legislative license plates do not offer any special parking or toll privileges.