Highway Robbery.

So today I went for a trip. Yep, thats right. On the one day I could sleep in this week, I was woken up at 6:30am, to get into the car and drive to Newcaslte to meet the Mini run. Well, being late meant we couldnt meet them at Newcastle at the planned 8am.. SO Instead, we decided to drive across Sydney to buy some mini parts I needed and then drive on to Wisemans Ferry to meet the Mini drivers.
Driving down the highway we then had to go through toll gates. Well, if you know Australian roads, we don't really have toll gates anymore, its mainly e-tags (electronic payment system linked to a bankcard and mounted in the car) to be able to pay for use of the roads. Of course, in most cases they still have one booth in operation. But it got me to thinking, only a few years ago about 20 people would have been employed to man these booths. But now, with only 1 payment booth left for each way, there is only one lone person in these.. It must be a lonely existance to be a toll collector these days. Especially as no-one really drives through the toll gates anymore.

And this got me thinking, everything has a domino effect. So that must mean that there has also been a decline in Highway Robbers. Yep, sadly long gone are the days of stickups on the highway. There is no way it could return a profit now, driving up to the booth and screaming "this is a stickup, give me all the cash" and having the operator reply, "Ive been here all day and made $4".
It doesnt even make the drive worth it. How are you even supposed to pay fuel? let alone get the gun..
I guess the only logical option means that they would choose bank robberies, which only lead to gaol. BUT at least the old booth operators could then get jobs as Prison Guards, and all would be re-united again.

Anyway, after driving through the e-tag lane, and paying the toll via card. The road was narrowed from 3 lanes to 1. This caused massive congestion and lasted about 3km. Driving at 20, along in one big line. Of course the other two lanes were behind cones so they could not be driven in.. Of course, no workers were in these lanes. No, No, that would make WAY too much sense. Instead, sitting right at the end of the closed area was a truck with a flashing arrow to show we needed to move over (2km after we had) and a big crush zone behind, just in case you drove into the back of it. YES, 3km of premium paid road, was closed, for a truck that had its own flashing lights and a crumble zone! I feel like money should be repayed! it surely is no longer a premium road if you have to pay for sitting in traffic..

Needless to say, this is the end of the highway. Both of the Highway man, the operators, and users.

It needs to be sorted out.