Instead of the Toll Bridge
In Dublin there is a motorway around the city which used to be clogged. The entire motorway is now under great modernization and the traffic is getting better. However there is a toll bridge which is causing many delays. Even thou I am rarely going there I wrote an email to the administration of this motorway. That’s what I wrote:
Hello
I know that you are thinking about a new system for the toll bridge on the M50.
My idea is to do the following experiment: remove the toll bridge and introduce a donation system instead. People then could do a donation online or by post once or few times a year. Additionally to the online donation you could introduce donation by text message from a phone. Donation: Fair not Fare system. I know that sounds ridiculous … but only today, in the future it will be common.Benefits of the donation system:
drivers save time because of the smooth traffic you save on keeping the toll bridge, employees, accountancy. Those people collecting cash in booths can go home and spend time with their families in the park instead of blocking the motorway and inhaling smoke or they can find a constructive job. Many people can donate not only those who go thru the toll. You can even get a surge of money from companies supporting that idea. it is good for the environment because of fuel saving: stopping and accelerating consumes enormous amount of energy, with millions of cars going thru toll yearly that’s a lot of fuel. Satisfaction. Donation feels good, paying fees feels bad. How about that! Millions of souls feeling good not bad, even if it is for a moment. Everyone wins, only you risk a downside, but you can also have unlimited upside if you do it properly. It is possible that you could get more money from donations and saving on the toll bridge than form the fees.
How to convince people to donate? Use media, use billboards, refer to trust, solidarity, fair play. This is an experiment, if it succeeds others can take example and it can spread thru the world. You could be the first!
Put billboards on the side saying:DONATE Let Dublin shine example in the world ! keep M50 open, go to m50.ie and DONATE ! I’ve donated (picture of a man standing from the crowd) Donated by now xxxxx €. Needed yyyyyy € Without a toll bridge we are saving Your time. Donate! Hope this idea went to someone who thinks. If it is not you then forward it to someone who can.
Regards
Feel free to use the text above, modify and send it to your local toll bridge administration.
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Update: a month after writing this article I was going thru that toll bridge and as I was preparing to give coins they opened the gate and said that motorbikes go free (I was on a motorbike), what a shock, what is going on? Did I manifest it somehow or what? Surely it wasn’t my email. I don’t know if it is permanent or temporary but such a nice coincident gave me a lot of weird happiness for a whole day.
Tags: new system, Solutions