A Texas driver has gone viral online after attempting to avoid toll fees across the East Coast… by covering his licence plate with leaves. The unusual tactic, captured in a now-viral video, quickly sparked reactions online as viewers weighed in on both the creativity and legality of the move.
The video was shared by @karlsonlrl, a smaller TikTok creator who typically posts short-form content centered around gaming culture, internet humour, and online trends. In the clip, the content creator is seen recording himself while attempting to travel across the East Coast and avoid paying toll fees along the way. His trick involves covering his Texas licence plate with leaves in an attempt to evade toll cameras.
“Can you bypass tolls just by covering your licence plate with leaves?” the TikToker asks, before showing footage of himself picking up leaves from the snowy ground and using them to cover his number plate. He then proceeds to show footage of himself driving out of New York, and down the “entirety of the East Coast.” As he was doing so, police were allegedly “radaring” him the entire time. After driving through the night, the man eventually arrived in Florida.
So, did the TikToker’s idea work? Two weeks later, he allegedly received six separate notices totaling around $600 in fines. He ends the video by warning viewers, “Don’t do this.” The clip has since made its way to Reddit, where it has sparked plenty of discussion among users reacting to the unusual attempt to avoid toll fees.
Social Media Weighs In
The video has sparked multiple reactions online, with viewers debating the legality of the stunt and sharing mixed opinions on the driver’s attempt to avoid toll fees. On Reddit, one user wrote, “One time driving through Oklahoma, we paid every toll. Come home and a couple weeks later we get a bill for $5. We just paid it but we’re super confused since we physically paid at every toll we went through.” Another commenter said, “I had to pay $50 for a toll I didn’t even know I went through. How is that even legal?” A third user joked, “Land of the Fee.”
While the video continues to circulate, it remains another example of how unusual online stunts can quickly gain traction and spark wider debate, even when the outcome doesn’t go as planned.
