A toll booth worker has been praised for their apparent revenge on a motorist who reportedly opted to pay their charge using pennies in an apparent effort to make a statement. Despite understanding the frustration of the driver, the employee reportedly felt the protest was misdirected since they had no authority over the rules.
The tale was shared on social media platform Reddit by the worker, 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.”
The Reddit post said the booth attendant made the driver shift to neutral and wait as they meticulously counted the coins – while warning that any attempt to leave before tallying was complete would see police called in, reports Bristol Live. The Reddit post continued: “He pouted the entire time while I stacked pennies, and, accidentally knocked them over, having to start again a couple times.”
At the end of the ordeal, the Reddit post said the toll operator realised the motorist had overpaid and presented the surplus back, saying: “He was over by 20p. I gave it back to him and said: ‘Here’s your change. Aren’t you glad you waited?'”
People on Reddit thought the apparent move was inspired. One user 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, there were appeals for compassion towards customer service staff.
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.”
Is it legal to pay with pennies in the UK?
Yes, in the UK you can pay with pennies. However, the usage is limited by what’s known as legal tender rules. When it comes to 1p and 2p coins, they are considered legal tender for transactions only up to 20p.
This means attempting to purchase goods over 20p exclusively with 1p or 2p coins can be lawfully declined by the vendors (such as shopkeepers). What’s crucial to remember is that “legal tender” refers to the obligation of accepting a particular payment form for debts.
This means that a creditor is obliged to accept that form of payment for a debt, but businesses and individuals have the right to set their own payment terms. For example, a shop can refuse to accept certain denominations, including pennies, altogether as long as this is made clear before the transaction.
In short:
- Small payments (like under 20p) can typically be made in pennies.
- For amounts over 20p, it is up to the person you are paying whether they want to accept a large number of pennies.
