It was just another day for Dr. Rao from Mysore, until a toll booth operator at the Gundmi toll gate on the Kochi-Mumbai national highway performed a bypass on him without any anesthesia. The man inside the little cubicle swiped Dr. Rao’s debit card for Rs 4 lakh, instead of the usual Rs 40. He even handed over a receipt after swiping the card, thinking all the other 0’s have no value anyways.
Post the transaction, the doctor even received a message on his phone, confirming the transaction. However, when he brought the mistake to the notice of the toll operators, they simply denied to acknowledge the mistake. We’ve had a run with these guys ourselves in the past too, and most of them do resort to goon tactics in order to scare any complainants away. As a result, Dr. Rao had to visit the nearest police station, file a complaint, after which the toll operator offered to reimburse the money. They insisted on a cheque, but the doctor didn’t budge and made them pay the amount in cash by 4am in the morning.
Toll operators have been known to deploy smart tactics, and this isn’t the first time we’ve heard an unusual story. Their cunning ways can range from returning chocolates worth the change amount. Returning short change, which the driver realizes only after he’s driven some distance. And refusing to acknowledge a return receipt, by forwarding their clocks, making you pay again even if you’ve made it to the gate in time. So the next time, you are paying up, ensure you are a step ahead.
