Stupid toll booths...

[rice_rocket]

So I just looked on my account for my fastlane pass.. and boy did I get dinged.

A lot of transactions just popped up in one day, and I was told this:

Seeing as the transponder doesn't work a lot, they've upped the sensitivity of the video camera pictures to charge me.

When I go through, the system automatically charges me the MAXIMUM fee of traveling the pike.. ie $8 or something each time. I have to call in to get the last 60 days wiped/corrected, which is fine.

BUT.. they charge an extra $1.00 "administration fee" for every time the video catches me, which cannot be taken back. The lady is apathetic to bikers, but nothing can be done. What a croc! Even when I'm stuck in traffic in the morning and basically push the bike through, "sometimes" I can get the light on.. but I'm sure this is when I get tagged with the video... not sure, since a lot of the time when there's no rush and I just go through at the posted 15mph limit, I get no video and no ticket.

I suppose it might even out since there's plenty of transactions that didn't show up, but I'll be dammed if by the end of next month I get 1 page worth of videos and fees!

Anyone have a GOOD solution, or suck it up? Other wise trying to fish money and tickets out by going through the pay lane.. which really sucks

[a13x]

Uh? Get a new transponder? Mine works fine.

[DocCola]

That's weird. Where is your transponder? I've hit the pike a few times and had originally planned to keep mine in my jacket pocket but I left it sitting in my map pocket on my tank bag. It sits about 6 or 7 inches off the tank and points straight up. The sensors at the tolls always picked it up so I just left it like that.

I hope that they don't screw you over on this. Think it's kind of BS that they charge you all those fees and fines just because their system doesn't work right 100% of the time. Think its time to bend the plate in a little bit :-)

[DuncanMoto]

I have 2 transponders.
1 work fine on a bike and the other does not.
They refuse to replace it, because it passes their "test".

[Pittenger5]

Id raise holy hell if they actually thought Id pay extra because their machines dont function properly with their equipment.

[rice_rocket]

Both my transponders don't seem to work well.. and it's a "known" issue, but no solution. I had shoved the first one in the crack of my fairing and windshield.. didn't really work, plus it rattles loose. I put it in my pocket instead.. still no difference. I got tired of reminding myself to keep it, so I threw it under the seat. It will recognize if I go at a crawl, and smack in the middle of the toll booth, but I have to be going REAAALY slow... and even at that it is a 50/50. Same thing as Ted.. I brought them both in to test, and they said it works, so I'm outta luck.

[802er]

Ditch the transponder, start paying with bags of nickels.

[noxin]

1 - for the transponders that don't work, "lose them", they're free now anyways.

2 - On my bike, I have it suction cupped to my windshield between a 1/3 and 1/2 down from the lip. I can't remember the last time it didn't register me going through the tolls. I've noticed that it has to be really clear of any metal, jamming it down into your fairing is probably putting it too close to the fairing supports and causing issues.

I have one of These for each of my bikes and the car.

[Mustang]

Id raise holy hell if they actually thought Id pay extra because their machines dont function properly with their equipment.

Alternative, though annoying, resolution: After you get your statement every month, call them to find out how much $ they'll refund you. Whatever else you think you're owed, call your CC company and dispute the charge for that amount, telling them the company is being unreasonable and is unwilling to refund your money for their mistake.

Of course, this only works if your pass is tied to your CC and not your bank acct.

[rice_rocket]

Woo... now the cc issue is a good idea!

I think I'm going to get some tagsaks too!

[csmutty]

So glad we don't have those in CT. Good luck.

[noxin]

Seriously, back-charging the state is just a recipe for disaster.

Suck it up, pay the fees, and either cash it or put the transponder where it will work. There's a reason the cars go on the window 2-3 inches down from the roofline, no interference.

[drop]

i've got mine mounted behind the gauge cluster at the very bottom of the windscreen where it can't be seen. it sits at about the same approach angle as it would be mounted on a car windshield...works every single time. don't even have to stop for the gates on the bridge, a slow roll triggers it in time.

check your mounting angle and orientation, make sure it's not blocked by anything metallic, and if all that fails just get a new one.

[ssg]

Dumb question but you do have the right side facing the transponder in the front of the vehicle right? It actually matters.

I just go through on the left side of center, at < 15 mph and never have a problem. I usually never have charges either.

There is a process you can go through to get your fines reduced further and it involves faxing over your 'plea' to some group within the MTA that will review and dismiss your fines. I would suspect having a motorcycle and TRYING to use their FREE system that is now costing you money to use might be something to consider as an appeal to this group.

Next time you have the MTA folks on the line just tell them a friend had a problem with paying a (MTA) ticket late and was referred to the "post mark review" team for adjustment, and ask if there is anything like that that would be applicable in your situation. Not sure it is or not (as clearly the 'post mark' is having to do with me being marked at the registry for non-renewal ) but the group is definitely empowered to reduce fines and fees beyond what the reps can do.

[TheIglu]

I keep mine in the clear map pocket of my tank bag. Never had an issue.

[catch2otwo]

Mine never worked. It would work about 10% of the time. Ive had it tested and it works fine in my truck. Ive had it tucked at the top of the wind screen on my T which is barely there, part of the transponder sticks out. Ive had it mounted on a tank bag, the tail, my jacket, ive held it in my had and waved it around complete stopped. I think some of their transponders are better then others. Ive called in every statement to fix bad charges. I finally just cancelled it.

[Pestilence]

I've got mine stuck on the front fender. Only had trouble once, pulled up to quick and had to roll back to get the gate open.

[jmgssunfire]

spray your plate with the clear refletive coating it blurs the flas if its taking pics if its video... mmmmm ur outta luck.. tuck the plate so the camrea cant see it

[stoinkythepig]

It might not be the transponder at all. I think two things need to happen in the Fastlane/EZpass lanes, a vehicle needs to be detected, then the transponder is queried. If no vehicle is detected, it'll never query the transponder. Otherwise, people could sail on through without transponders and there would never be a light and alarm when they do. So, it might be the vehicle detection system that's having trouble picking up your bike, much like a green light trigger that fails to recognize bikes in an intersection. You might have better luck in a different lane.

I'm told the video is a different system altogether with character recognition SW that literally reads your license plate and stores it. When there's a discrepancy between the video output file and the transponder charges file, someone has to manually investigate and that's how they justify the extra charge. They basically assume you left your transponder in another vehicle.

[DuncanMoto]

....two things need to happen in the Fastlane/EZpass lanes, a vehicle needs to be detected, then the transponder is queried. If no vehicle is detected, it'll never query the transponder......

Interesting point. I never set off the alarm when I go through, just no lights. No lights of any kind and I have not gotten a huge ticket, just a few video charges of $1 and sometimes nothing at all.

[strayturk]

I keep my xponder in the chest pocket of my riding jacket. The face with the label should face towards you, otherwise it doesn't work.

This and going slowly through the booth seems to work for me.

[Punjistick]

Wirelessly posted (BB 8310: BlackBerry8310/4.5.0.161 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

That's it...I'm coming out of the boooooth!!! Watch out for tollbooth Willy.

[Danz19899]

i had to use the pike everyday for work and the only way i could get my fast pass to work was by leaving it in my pocket and holding it while i roll though at less the 10mph. i got good at it quick lol

[CBR929RE]

Dumb question but you do have the right side facing the transponder in the front of the vehicle right? It actually matters.

I can't see how that's true. In the trucks at work I've seen it mounted both ways and on the Pike it seems to almost always work. In NH it just randomly didn't work sometimes no matter which way it was mounted or where it was mounted and speed sometimes didn't make a difference either as I've come to a complete stop and it didn't recognize anything until I go through and get the red flashing light. Usually we have them on the window with the flat side out or on the dash with the flat side in, doesn't seem to matter.

It might not be the transponder at all. I think two things need to happen in the Fastlane/EZpass lanes, a vehicle needs to be detected, then the transponder is queried. If no vehicle is detected, it'll never query the transponder. Otherwise, people could sail on through without transponders and there would never be a light and alarm when they do. So, it might be the vehicle detection system that's having trouble picking up your bike, much like a green light trigger that fails to recognize bikes in an intersection. You might have better luck in a different lane.

I'm told the video is a different system altogether with character recognition SW that literally reads your license plate and stores it. When there's a discrepancy between the video output file and the transponder charges file, someone has to manually investigate and that's how they justify the extra charge. They basically assume you left your transponder in another vehicle.

then tell me how they don't recognize a tractor trailer sometimes. I don't know how the system works but its not by physical size or by amount of ferrous metal (unless the sensors are just pieces of junk and don't work properly).


I think MA and NH need to learn some stuff from NY, you can go through the high speed (35mph) tolls and not have a problem down there.

[noxin]

35? NJ has real full speed lanes, 65-80 mph.