Meet the Sri Lankan elephant that collects road tax
Elephants are emotional, brilliant creatures with a playful attitude.
We recently came across a story that resonated with many people, which spoke to the fact surrounding toll gates and how many motorists find themselves in a bind when they don't have cash or their card is not functional at that particular toll plaza.
The story was about a father who asked fellow motorists for help to earn R14,00 at the toll plaza.
Now, we have a different kind of toll plaza story. One that brings to light the story of a 40-year-old elephant named Raja from Sri Lanka.
Raja is known to many as the 'tax-collecting elephant'; he is the unofficial answer to toll gates in Sri Lanka.
"Raja collects payments on the Buttlala-Kataragama road that links Sri Lanka’s west and southeast coasts. He will stand by the side of the road and then step onto it when a promising vehicle approaches. At a whopping four tonnes, Raja uses his sizable bulk to block the road. He then waits until he is given payment before moving out of the way." (Explorers Web)
Raja has found a way to get food by using his charm and size to his advantage. So far, his story has gained him much popularity among the commuters passing by.
He is smart enough to streamline his toll business. He doesn't bother with smaller vehicles but focuses his tax-collecting efforts on larger vehicles, such as buses.
Watch the insightful and playful video of Raja and how his toll gate works - courtesy of YouTube.
Like this story, social media users shared a story about a makeshift toll road in Mpumalanga where a farmer collects road tax from motorists using his farm as an alternate route. This is due to the condition of the official road and since these motorists are using his private property to pass, he collects a toll.
While it may not be as appealing as Raja's toll gate, it is interesting to see how toll roads are becoming more entertaining. After all, good toll road stories aren't easy to come by, and all road trips could do with a good story or two.
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Image Courtesy of Instagram