A toll booth worker has been hailed a hero after getting their own back on a driver who chose to pay their charge entirely in small change, seemingly as a form of protest. Despite sympathising with the motorist's frustration, the employee felt the gesture was misguided, given they had absolutely no say in setting the rules.
The story was posted on Reddit by the worker themselves, who explained: "This guy comes through with a toll of about £5. He raised his cupped hands up towards me full of pennies and nickels. Once I took them he said, 'Here you go! Enjoy counting!' while laughing to himself."
According to the post, the booth attendant instructed the driver to shift into neutral and sit tight while they painstakingly counted every last coin - warning that any attempt to drive off before the tally was complete would result in the police being called. The post continued: "He pouted the entire time while I stacked pennies, and, accidentally knocked them over, having to start again a couple times."
When the whole ordeal was finally over, the toll operator discovered the driver had actually overpaid, and handed back the difference, saying: "He was over by 20p. I gave it back to him and said: 'Here's your change. Aren't you glad you waited?'"
Social media users were full of admiration for the sharp-witted response. One commenter said: "'Aren't you glad you waited' is the kind of thing you usually think about after and kick yourself for not getting to use it." Another person said: "Petty at its finest." However, some urged compassion towards customer service workers. One user said: "I'll never understand people who do this and think they're 'sticking it to The Man'. Like, no, sir, you're just annoying the employee who's just trying to make their rent."
Paying with pennies is permitted in the UK, however, their use is restricted by legal tender rules. For 1p and 2p coins, they're only considered legal tender for payments up to 20p. This means shopkeepers can lawfully refuse if you attempt to buy items costing more than 20p using only 1p or 2p coins. It's important to understand that "legal tender" relates to the requirement to accept certain payment forms for debts. Creditors must accept that payment method for debts, but businesses and individuals are entitled to set their own payment conditions. For instance, shops can refuse certain denominations, including pennies, entirely provided this is communicated clearly beforehand.
