NorCal: Who uses the I-680 and I-580 Express Lanes?

[israndy]

I love the new transponders. They are so petite, Almost disappears on the windshield, but still allows easy access to the switch. Though I guess once my stickers arrive I can leave it on 3

-Randy

 

[suraj1194]

I have a facelift AP1 MS from summer 2016. I've had my Fastrak Flex stuck essentially as the picture in page 1 shows - upside down, right next to the camera/rearview mirror housing. I've NEVER taken it off, and I've never been billed wrongly. I use the 580 express lanes and 680 HOV/express lanes all the time. The only charges I ever see are the Benicia bridge tolls as expected. I did have a couple of cases of the 237WB express lanes hitting me with a toll, but Fastrak automatically reversed them a few days later.

 

[Zeromus-X]

For those of you placing the transponder somewhere other than the windshield, and possibly those who are putting it behind the shaded black area next to the mirror -- mine is in the latter, and I showed a friend of mine that it works reliably there. He mounted his in the same spot in his car. Today, he received a ticket from CHP because the transponder wasn't visible from the outside for enforcement purposes while in the 680 HOT lane.

Note specifically that the wording of the violation (23302) means even if we are exempt from the tolls due to the type of car we drive, the transponder must still be "visible":

If a transponder or other electronic toll payment device is used to pay tolls or other charges due, the device shall be located in, or on the vehicle in a location so as to be visible for the purpose of enforcement at all times when the vehicle is located on the vehicular crossing or toll highway. Where required by the operator of a vehicular crossing or toll highway, this requirement applies even if the operator offers free travel or nontoll accounts to certain classes of users.​

If you're using one of the newer, smaller transponders and it is sitting in the shaded area to the right of the mirror, make sure at least some of it is visible from outside.

Given that we can't place it anywhere else on the windshield and have it work reliably, I feel this is a lose-lose situation. He's probably going to end up trying to fight it but it's not worth paying a bunch of money and taking time off work for a $250 ticket that adds no points to your record, either.

 

[suraj1194]

What an absurd law. What are those blinky lights atop the gantry holding the sensors for ? I thought the police looked at those lights to pull over drivers, as opposed to presumably keeping an eagle eye out for a 2"x4" little thing stuck to the windshield of cars going past at 65mph.

 

[silentsnow31802]

For those of you placing the transponder somewhere other than the windshield, and possibly those who are putting it behind the shaded black area next to the mirror -- mine is in the latter, and I showed a friend of mine that it works reliably there. He mounted his in the same spot in his car. Today, he received a ticket from CHP because the transponder wasn't visible from the outside for enforcement purposes while in the 680 HOT lane.

Note specifically that the wording of the violation (23302) means even if we are exempt from the tolls due to the type of car we drive, the transponder must still be "visible":

If a transponder or other electronic toll payment device is used to pay tolls or other charges due, the device shall be located in, or on the vehicle in a location so as to be visible for the purpose of enforcement at all times when the vehicle is located on the vehicular crossing or toll highway. Where required by the operator of a vehicular crossing or toll highway, this requirement applies even if the operator offers free travel or nontoll accounts to certain classes of users.​

If you're using one of the newer, smaller transponders and it is sitting in the shaded area to the right of the mirror, make sure at least some of it is visible from outside.

Given that we can't place it anywhere else on the windshield and have it work reliably, I feel this is a lose-lose situation. He's probably going to end up trying to fight it but it's not worth paying a bunch of money and taking time off work for a $250 ticket that adds no points to your record, either.

Your friend was speeding but the cop did not get a speed on a radar gun. This is the same as a cop pulling someone over for not having a front license plate. Its not the reason to be pulled over, its a reason to say why you were pulled over.