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EZ Pass Cracking Down on Speeders


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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/19/ez-pass-and-speeding/20558251/

 

I remember a year ago when Virginia implemented the EZ Pass to pay for stuff in Hampton Roads. I raised concerns about the whole distance between transponders (d) and the time between hitting the transponders (t). What would stop EZ Pass from taking the d and t to feed the v back to VA for $$$?

 

But of course I was called a racist paranoid teabagger who didn't want to pay my fair share. Granted I'm from Western Pennsylvania, Obama's land of clingers to guns and religion. But still, does anyone not see the next step coming?

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That article isn't about using EZPass to catch speeders. It's about citing people who speed through the toll booths.

 

Exactly, that was my first thought when seeing the thread.

 

Anyway, even if they were tracking the "speeders" "along" the tollway... Wouldn't it just take one ticket before you got wise and just pulled the transponder off the windshield after leaving the entrance tollbooth, and of course putting it in the protective (silver anti-static thingy) bag. If you carry multiple transponders, they advise you put them in the protective bag in your glovebox. Claim malfunction when you never "left" the tollway if you were queasy about placing it on back on the windshield for the pass through on the exit tollbooth (distance/time). w/missed tolls, you have so many hours to pay online. Not sure if it is 24 or 48 hours.

 

It would be grossly stupid (but grossly stupid is always in the gov't handbook) to try and pull speeders from along the tollway/turnpike = loss in business.

 

Now speeding through the tollbooth is another story, I suppose?

 

Years ago, on certain tollways/turnpikes I heard they would monitor your speed and write tickets... IE: Simple d/t thing w/the timestamped toll ticket... Which I suppose they can use the modern transponders now. That fell out of favor I guess. What's stopping somebody from speeding like a bat out of hell, only to stop @ a rest stop... Milk the rest of the time off and then safe to cross the exit tollbooth. LoL... I guess there are rebellious people out there.

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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That article isn't about using EZPass to catch speeders. It's about citing people who speed through the toll booths.

 

Yup; they're actually pretty nice about it in NYS (shockingly). I've gotten a couple warning letters about it but never a fine.

 

On a related toll note, they converted the Henry Hudson bridge to all cashless and changed the pricing structure; $5 if you don't have EZPASS and they have to mail you the fee, $2.44 if you have EZPASS. Probably saved me $800 bucks this year.

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Yup; they're actually pretty nice about it in NYS (shockingly). I've gotten a couple warning letters about it but never a fine.

 

On a related toll note, they converted the Henry Hudson bridge to all cashless and changed the pricing structure; $5 if you don't have EZPASS and they have to mail you the fee, $2.44 if you have EZPASS. Probably saved me $800 bucks this year.

 

Everywhere they are nice (EZPass Consortium)... Here in Illinois (IL is in w/EZPass) they have drive by tolling... You can fly through @ 80 mph (tried it once) and never get a warning letter... I suppose if you keep doing it though. I have never got a warning letter in my life and have been on I-Pass and EZPass since day one.

 

BUT, my point is... Put the screws to people and watch people's habit change, they will avoid toll roads and revenue will dip. Its the unreasonable ones they should target, not the ticky-tacky crap... Same with red light cams... Just go after the flagrant.

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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That article isn't about using EZPass to catch speeders. It's about citing people who speed through the toll booths.

 

Yup. It's been that way in NYS for years. Two incidents, then EZ-Pass is taken away for 1 year. Keep it under 20MPH and you're fine

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Yup. It's been that way in NYS for years. Two incidents, then EZ-Pass is taken away for 1 year. Keep it under 20MPH and you're fine

 

I wondered how that works. I have an I-Pass and EZPass (EZ didn't require a deposit)... They take it away, wouldn't you just get another one. I think Indiana (I-Zoom) and Ohio (EZPass) are all tied in too. What kind of enforcement is there when they take it away? Does EZPass require a deposit now? Illinois (I-Pass) is 40 bucks.

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People that don't use EZ-Pass are idiots.

 

Like Boyst said: "EZPass is the devil." Sorta right I guess.

 

Depends on how much they drive thruways, bridges, & tollways, right? What about the people who use the tollways/bridges very, very seldom? Like I said, some EZPass customers (I-Pass) have to put down a deposit. You want the state holding all that money for people who don't drive tollways that much? My deposited I-Pass (40 dollars) gets replenished very little here... Maybe once every couple of years.

 

Here in Illinois, I think the one's that do not have I-Pass (EZPass, I-Zoom, etc...) pay almost double on the Illinois tollway. Now, I am not so sure about the Indiana Turnpike (I-Zoom) and Ohio Turnpike (EZPass), I think it is the straight up the same amount for ticketed and electronic users?

 

The Illinois Tollway is a racket (any surprise), I-294 is paid over dozens of time, but as long as they (IL Tollway Authority) run a deficit they can keep on collecting on the paid over roads (I-294) AND laying concrete elsewhere (I-355). Then to boot, we are making it easier for them to collect the revenue w/EZ/I-Pass etc...!

 

Let them crack down on speeders, people will change their habits and avoid The Tollway like the plague (I hope). Maybe this is why Illinois has drive-by tolling... You can blast through those cameras @ 80 mph and not even get a letter. They just want your money!

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
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It never ceases to amaze me the amount of people paying cash to cross the bridges here. And I'm talking about peak rush hour times. It used to be the biggest bottleneck of my commute.

 

How much is it for a 2 axle vehicle to cross some of those bridges in The Bay Area? Do electronic users get a deep discount?

 

Anway, here you can just speed through and then have 24-48 hours to pay online any missed tolls.

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How much is it for a 2 axle vehicle to cross some of those bridges in The Bay Area? Do electronic users get a deep discount?

 

Anway, here you can just speed through and then have 24-48 hours to pay online any missed tolls.

$5-$6 and no discount for Fastrak.

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Getting into the People's Paradise of New York City is now $14 via the tunnels and bridges if you pay cash. With E-ZPass it's $11.75 during peak hours and $9.75 during off-peak hours (1:30 PM - 1:31 PM) :lol:

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is $15.00 cash and $10.66 with E-ZPass.

 

New Yorkers know from tolls.

 

That's insane. It's amazing that you have to pay a toll to get in to SF but not leave. They were kicking the idea around of charging tolls to get into the city from up the peninsula. Great idea. :rolleyes:

Edited by Chef Jim
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It never ceases to amaze me the amount of people paying cash to cross the bridges here. And I'm talking about peak rush hour times. It used to be the biggest bottleneck of my commute.

 

Ah yes, fond 1980s memories of hitting the Whitestone Bridge toll backup on the way to Shea Stadium or LaGuardia. That was back when the 'fast' lane was the one that accepted tokens.

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