FYL for having toll roads indeed, but YDI for not doing proper maintenance to your car. Is it that hard to pop the trunk once a week and check the radiator fluid? I bet $50 that the OP never checked her tires' pressure or oil level once in her life

Uh... You are aware that things can overheat suddenly due to failures etc? If something, ie the oil pump, fails, the engine overheats ridiculously fast. Could also be transmission fluids which are harder to check. You can't say it's OPs fault without knowing more. Still, is the FML about your car or that you had to pay?

Wrong. At the very least, if something failed and OP didn't notice the difference in how the vehicle drove, the sensors built into every car less than 30 years old would have signaled something was very wrong. Either the radiator or the oil pan was run dry. Either way, YDI.

This however is true, but that doesn't mean the OP didn't look after his/her car in advance. Ie, if the engine oil system fails, a light will go on telling you to stop the car. Even if you stop the car, chances are it will overheat (but not break). Also, spilled oil can cause smoking even if it's not fatal, meaning the smoke could be from oil dripping down on the downpipe or something similar, and hence, the smoke isn't actually directly related to the breakdown. Oil drips on downpipe, not fatal -> Smoke Moments later, oil system fails totally -> Light goes on -> OP stops car (Car has broken down.) I agree the OP could probably have done something about it beforehand, but all I'm saying is there is logical explanations to it not being the OPs fault. A lot of the maintenance needed for things that could go wrong as described in the post is too difficult for an uninterested driver, and you can't have it checked out every day.

OP actually deserves all of it. OP deserves it because she can't put in antifreeze or can't check her thermostat with a mechanic. But she mainly deserves it for taking a toll road. Why can't she be a freeloader like everyone else, toll roads are a rip, and the booths hold you back meaning that a freeway would be the best way to go. the car probably wouldn't have overheated either since the fan provides air for the engine through the intake. common sense.

in some big cities, ie Chicago, you have no choice but a toll road. unless you take back roads.

trollway

What? You expect to get through a toll for free because your car broke down? GEEZUZ WOMAN.

they arent crappy laws. someone has to pay to build roads. they dont build themselves.

But she shouldn't have to pay if her car dies BEFORE she enters the toll road. She didn't even get to drive on it, and still has to pay for it? That's a little unfair.

Ok, I failed at reading the FML and by the time I realized I couldn't edit the comment. So in other words, disregard my other comment. =)

Lenasaur - taxes

actually, she should have paid way more than $3...for the patrol guy who pushed your car while she sat in the car crying. not to mention that the woman who was working in the toll booth could have gotten the $3 from more people if her car hadn't broken down in her booth. i'm not saying that the OP deserves it, but the $3 really aren't a big deal. courtesy is a two-way street.

Yeaaaah, you're a douchbag, as per your username.

u have noooo idea...costs 8 bucks to cross the GW in NY... sad sad times!!!

$11 for the Verrazano! Thankfully there aren't many reasons for going onto SI =)

ikr.. i would be mad not sad haha

I was wondering that too... OP is probably a bit of a drama queen

People have different ways of reacting to stress. Some people cry, others punch holes in walls...

me too

I wish tolls were only $3... in NYC there is are bridges with an $8 toll and $11 toll