Several years ago, I made a trip down the Thruway to the Turning Stone Casino. That day, I won an exorbitant amount of money. I'd rather not disclose how much. But, suffice it to say, it was such a large amount that the actual value of money momentarily slipped my mind. I decided to tip the dealer with all the bills in my wallet that did not have a picture of Benjamin Franklin on them. I then walked out the door smiling.

That smile stayed on my face until I realized that I'd have to get back on the Thruway to go home - and all the money I had was in the form of one hundred dollar bills. Worried that the toll booth operator wouldn't have $98 worth of change, I was forced to take Route 5 back to Auburn.

If the Thruway tolls are ever raised any more than they were last week, I will never again have to worry if I only have large bills. Nevertheless, that was the only time in my life that I had ever chosen not to take the Thruway because of the toll.

And, I know of only other instance in which the toll caused someone to avoid the Thruway. (Coincidentally, this instance also involved the Turning Stone Casino, although it had less to do with the carrying of large denominations than it had to do with the losing of all denominations - including coinage.)

The point is, we can all complain about the increasing cost of gas and about the increasing tolls, but very few of us will alter our behaviors as a result of those increases. That's because we value the convenience of the Thruway more than the $2 it costs to drive on it. And, we value the size of SUVs more than the gas we put in them.

If we didn't value these things more, we'd all be driving Volkswagen Gulfs down Route 5. In that sense, as long as we're still driving on the Thruway, we view whatever toll they charge as a bargain.

Now, maybe this past toll increase will cause some people to decide that the convenience of the Thruway is no longer worth the cost. This is doubtful, but it's still OK for a couple reasons.

First, were it not for the toll increase, the general taxpayers would eventually have to subsidize the maintenance of the road and the creation of further conveniences such as high speed EZ Pass lanes. Given that New Yorkers already feel that they are taxed too much, it would be better that the state spent what little money it has on people's needs - like health care or education - rather than on their conveniences.

Second, if the Thruway has become too costly for some, by all means, let them come down Route 5 through Auburn. Many will have to stop and purchase gas while they're here. Given the cost of gas today, the potential influx in sales tax revenue could help keep hikes in property taxes to a minimum.

Schuster's column appears Mondays in The Citizen. He can be reached at yetti539@hotmail.com