NEW YORK CITY MARATHON 2014

[Mark Joel Lane]

     With the 2013 New York City marathon finished a week ago, mayor Mike Bloomberg and mayor elect Bill De Blasio who will take over the job in January

 both agree on a plan to increase revenue for the city. In the next marathon, all runners will have to first pay a toll. You read correctly. The 45.000 plus runners will pay the same as vehicle drivers..$13.00 for crossing the starting point Verrazano Bridge from Staten Island into Brooklyn. This will generate about $585.000 .00 .almost six hundred thousand dollars adding in all the wheel chair and disabled and toddler entries.  No exceptions. Everyone pays.

 

YES. A toll for runners. What a novel brilliant idea to raise money for the city that never sleeps. Only drawback is that the tolls will slow down the race. Racing officials figure that even adding toll booths to accommodate the 45,000 runners, many will be shivering in their  shorts and flimsy running outfits. It may take over 12 hours until all the runners pay the toll so many will be racing in the dark.

 

There will undoubtedly be some translation problems and currency issues. Athletes from outer Mongolia or the North Pole or Alpha Centauri for that matter will need American currency. A mobile bank and ATM machines with directions in over 40 languages including babble and jibberish  will be available at the foot of the Verrazano Bridge.  It is going to be chaos at the starting line. Taxi anyone? 

[TeeBubbaDee]

No E-Z Pass?

[Mark Joel Lane]

I thought about EZ Pass but those runners in foreign countries wouldn't have time to get their's. I got mine as soon as they were available as I drive throughout the boroughs and other states which thankfully accept EZ PAS now too.