| Author |
Message |
    
Chris Dickson
Citizen
Username: Ironman
Post Number: 884
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 12:19 pm: | 
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My brother's a NJ State Trooper ... The "EZ Pass Myth" is just that ... They do not ticket based on when you entered/exited the toll roads. Truth be told, they can barely get the actual times you entered/exited correct. My guess is that they do have radar guns at certain tolls and they issue a warning to the owner of the tag. All and all, EZ Pass rocks. I don't know why everyone doesn't have one. Now they're going to expand it to the parking lots at Newark Airport. I'd love to see them do it at Giants Stadium next. I'd also like to be able to use it at the liquor store and drive-thru KFC ...
Big Train
Horn-infused funkification!
www.bigtraintracks.com
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lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1966
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 12:43 pm: |
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Technically it should be possible, even simple to do, but I can't believe they would ever do it. Clearly they record the date and time you pass a receiver. If the times could be kept consistant across the EZPass network it would be Algebra 1-level math to figure out the average speed from one receiver to another. If the average speed is over the speed limit, the driver had to be speeding at some point. Also, given that they have fiber laid out down the full length of the parkway, I think they have the network capacity to synchronize the clocks. In computer networks generally, time synchronization is a pretty well-understood problem.
But if they actually started giving out tickets like this people would ditch EZPass in a hurry. I know I would. I searched the web and usenet for any evidence of this. I found lots of people reporting that they heard from their sister's mechanic's barber that the state was going to start doing this, but no real evidence. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5829
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 1:11 pm: |
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Yes, but how would they know who's driving the vehicle? Speeding tickets affect insurance rates for a driver, not the car owner. |
anon
Citizen
Username: Anon
Post Number: 849
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 1:11 pm: |
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I'd like to see them try to prove it in Court if the defendant pleaded not guilty. The State has the burden of proving every element of the offense "beyond a reasonable doubt". First, how are they going to prove which family member was actually driving? Second they would have to bring in someone from the central office, wherever that is, to testify as to how the computer works, how the system operates and how the records are kept. Can you see them schlepping this person to every Municipal Court in the State?
Has anyone ever seen a trial of a radar speeding case? The officer or trooper has to testify as to the equipment used, that it has been tested recently and certified as being properly operational, has to produce a certifcate attesting to that and has to testify as to his/her training and expertise in operating the radar gun and produce his/her own certificate of qualification to operate the equipment. But this is routine for the officer who is actually on the scene monitoring the traffic and can also testify from personal observation that the car was speeding and the defendant standing in Court was the person to whom he gave the ticket! So imagine a trial for speeding based on EZ Pass. |
Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5830
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 1:16 pm: |
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They'll just create EZ Trial |
Chris Dickson
Citizen
Username: Ironman
Post Number: 887
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 2:06 pm: |
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Guys ... They are not issuing tickets, so there are no trials and validation of the radar devices needed. The EZ Pass folks are issuing warnings ... "If you don't play by our rules and drive 15 MPH when you go through the toll, we'll take your EZ Pass away and you will be sitting in line with all the cash dolts ..." And, rest assured, the 15 MPH thing will go away one day too. Check-out the HIGH SPEED toll lane they are building on the Turnpike. No, again, EZ Pass rocks. I love the people who say (My mom's one of them) "I'm not going to get one of those because I don't want them to know where I've been .." Like they care ... EZ Pass is almost as cool as the self-serve check-out lines ...
Big Train
Horn-infused funkification!
www.bigtraintracks.com
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lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1967
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 3:31 pm: |
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Chris,
They're playing out a hypothetical. See my last post. |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1968
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 3:42 pm: |
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BTW, they've had one of those high speed lanes at the PA Turnpike extension for a couple of years. You're right, it's very cool. |
Montagnard
Citizen
Username: Montagnard
Post Number: 293
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 5:04 pm: |
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EZjudge, EZjury, EZfine... EZcome, EZgo.
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Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1302
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 5:54 pm: |
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You wouldn't need to interconnect the computers to syncronize the clocks. Each one just needs a connection to the internet, and it doesn't have to be a fast one, either.
Tom Reingold
There is nothing
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lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1969
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2003 - 10:21 pm: |
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Tom,
Actually, I pray that they don't let their network anywhere near the Internet. 'Twould be a bad idea.
And obviously they're all on the same private network because they obviously share data. I remember when they were building it on the parkway a big part of the project was the huge fiber trunk they laid along the road. They had so much excess bandwidth they expected to make money selling it. I'm sure that market wasn't everything they expected. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4001
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2003 - 8:09 am: |
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Well, Chris, I logged into EZpass using my preferred customer code and I have a question. What were you doing in Atlantic City Friday night?
I also note that you averaged 72.6 mph between the Union tolls and AC. In a hurry?
Bob, the Paranoid |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1970
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2003 - 8:46 am: |
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Bob, I told you not to use the backdoor account except in emergencies! |
Earlster
Citizen
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 88
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 5:35 pm: |
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There is also a new high speed EZPass installation at the northernmost toll in NJ on the Parkway. It's fun zipping through without having to slow down to around 15mph.
Everybody who has fear beeing 'tracked' through his EZPass should also stop using credit cards, atm cards, frequent shopper cards, etc. |
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1329
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 5:41 pm: |
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I'm on the fence on the privacy issue. I sympathize those who don't want to get an ezpass, but I have one myself.
Tracking is a necessary evil for credit cards. I don't see why it's necessary for ezpass. Why not recharge it at a convenience store, like you can for a phone calling card. No need to use ezpass for law enforcement. If there were, we'd require everyone to have one.
The fact that you have nothing to hide DOES NOT mean you have nothing to fear. We should always fear the government keeping track of too many details. And that's an essential difference between credit cards and ezpass.
Basically, I'm unhappy about the way they run ezpass, but I like the convenience too much to stand on my morals. I have also reluctantly given up the fight of not giving out my SSN to everyone who asks for it. I shouldn't have to give it out, but I don't know of reasonable alternatives.
Tom Reingold
There is nothing
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Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 465
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 7:37 pm: |
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Tom: It’s amazing that you think you’re so important that the government would even care where you are or what you’re doing. |
Duncan
Citizen
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 1271
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 7:53 pm: |
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Brett its amazing you can come onto a thread and immediately, without provocation, be a jerk
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"
Wayne Gretzky
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Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 467
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 8:12 pm: |
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I was being a jerk. Why does anyone think the Government has the time, money, or inclination to track EZPass usage? Sure leaf pickup, dangerous intersections and how you should help out your neighbor when it snows are one thing. The government tracking your travel, purchases and other things is ridiculous. Duncan I’ve seen everyone on these threads jump on others because they thought it was stupid. I’m not saying Tom was stupid, but if the worse thing he can complain about is the government tracking him he’s living a pretty good life.
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Dave Ross
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 5838
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 8:35 pm: |
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Why does anyone think the credit card companies have the time, money or inclination to track credit card usage?
Just because you think everyone's out to get you doesn't mean they aren't. |
Ignatius J
Citizen
Username: Ignatius_j
Post Number: 133
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 8, 2003 - 8:39 pm: |
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Just because you think everyone's out to get you doesn't mean they aren't.
In one of Woody Allen's movies (I think Crimes & Misdemeanors) he's acting all paranoid and someone says. "There's a word for people like you" and he says "Yes, Perceptive!!!" |
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