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I had thought it was common knowledge that E-ZPasses were used to collect real-time traffic estimates; certainly I've known for years that i-Pass (the Illinois
by ethomson 13y ago
I had thought it was common knowledge that E-ZPasses were used to collect real-time traffic estimates; certainly I've known for years that i-Pass (the Illinois equivalent) was used for this purpose. Unfortunately, some quick googling does not appear to locate any information on this, so now I don't remember where I heard / read this in the first place.
- ChrisAntaki 13y agoFastTrak (used in the SF Bay Area) have a warning, laying this out when you buy the devices. You don't actually need the device though, as each bridge using it also uses cameras to read license plates. It's more convenient this way, as you just need to register your vehicle on their website.
- dsl 13y agoI don't keep plates on my car because of the abundance of plate tracking applications in use by the government and private companies.
- Zelphyr 13y agoSteve? I thought you were dead?
- joe_bleau 13y agoTime for a kickstarter for an e-ink license plate? Tie it to a GPS with known locations of cameras, and change your tag for each picture?
- jlgreco 13y agoThat seems like it would be a great deal more illegal than simply just not having tags.
- pbreit 13y agoIsn't that illegal pretty much everywhere?
- teej 13y agoI've found that it's loosely enforced in the Bay Area.
- coin 13y agoSteve Jobs constantly drove a new car so that he'd have temporary registration.
- pbreit 13y agoBut what he basically did was legal, right?
- dsl 13y agoI keep the tabs with the registration in the glove compartment, and the plates in the trunk. If I ever get pulled over and it is an issue, it will be a fix-it ticket. Since a cop has to write you a ticket for something, a fix-it is better than a speeding ticket.
- mixmastamyk 13y agoAnd how does one do that?
- tjohns 13y agoTechnically, CHP can give you a ticket if you use the FasTrak lanes without a FasTrack transponder, even though their computer system has no problems billing your account by license plate. I've heard of it happening online, but never seen them pull somebody over personally.
- NoPiece 13y agoSince earlier this year, they are taking an alternate approach with the Golden Gate bridge, and have switched to electronic only tolls. So either you have fastrak, or when you drive across they photograph your license plate and mail you a bill. No more pay by cash, or differentiated lanes. I could see that becoming the norm.
- marssaxman 13y agoI drove across the Golden Gate Bridge a few months ago with no idea that this was going to happen - last time I was down there, they still had a normal tollbooth. I was in a borrowed car with Washington plates. If they'd had a normal toll booth I'd have paid, but with the system set up the way it was, I don't think they had any way to get revenue out of me.
- NoPiece 13y agoI was also very confused the first time a drove across without the toll collectors. It felt like I was doing something wrong, and was going to end getting a ticket. Do you know if the person you borrowed the car from got a bill? I'm curious if they are only able to bill California plates, or they have a national database of license plates.
- marssaxman 13y agoIt was months ago and I never heard about a bill. Ran into him earlier today, actually, after I'd made the post, but didn't think to ask.
- cdcarter 13y ago
- pbreit 13y agoYou also save a buck on Golden Gate Bridge with transmitter.
- joekrill 13y agoI'm in Philadelphia. They recently added large electronic signs on various highways with information on how long it will currently take to get to certain destinations. I vaguely remember reading they were using anonymous E-ZPass readings for this. So yes, I thought this was common knowledge, also.
- pbreit 13y agoNo, this is NOT common knowledge. Sheesh.