Ducati Monster Forum

Moto Board => Riding Techniques => Topic started by: Jdan on March 23, 2011, 02:33:37 PM

Title: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Jdan on March 23, 2011, 02:33:37 PM
Hey guys,

I'm gonna be taking a trip from D.C to NY this weekend and i was wondering if anyone has some sort of method for dealing with all of those pesky tollbooths along the freeways. Do you guys use EZ Pass or just pay cash? Is there an easy method for getting through all them quickly?

Cheers
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: triangleforge on March 23, 2011, 03:09:34 PM
I used to drive that route in a cage fairly often, and an EZ Pass is second only to gasoline of the things you should have along with you. Get one.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: uglyducky on March 23, 2011, 04:02:23 PM
Quote from: triangleforge on March 23, 2011, 03:09:34 PM
I used to drive that route in a cage fairly often, and an EZ Pass is second only to gasoline of the things you should have along with you. Get one.
+1
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Jdan on March 23, 2011, 04:04:28 PM
I do have one, but where should i put the thing seeing as i don't have a headlight fairing. I have also been told that one needs to hold the ez pass in the air in order for it to read. Any ideas?
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: live2ride on March 23, 2011, 05:20:11 PM
i have it zip tied to my triple.  hasn't failed so far, but i don't exactly go speeding by them either.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Artful on March 23, 2011, 05:32:26 PM
I keep it in my jacket pocket and pull it out and flash it as I got through. Works for my commute because I can use the high speed (well... 30 mph) lane and just cruise through in second. Gets exponentially harder when you have to actually stop. Zip-tied to a fork leg should work like a charm.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: thought on March 23, 2011, 11:12:52 PM
i leave it in my right jacket pocket... like art said, it works for commuter lanes, but less so for stops.  for commuter lanes, it prob doesnt read at all, but they'll take note of your license plate and charge your account in that way.  just make sure that your bike's plate is attached to the ezpass account and everything should be ok.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Qfactor on March 24, 2011, 01:26:13 AM
velcro or ziptie or tape to your left shoulder pad.

a lot of riding jackets have something there that you can attach to.

Q
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: bikepilot on March 24, 2011, 07:37:45 AM
I couldn't get EZ Pass to work with my DR250 consistently when I was in the boston area.  Even holding the thing in my hand out in the open didn't trip it a few times.  I'm told there's some sort of magnetic and/or weight sensor and the DR is either too light, too-aluminum or too tall to trip it.  Don't know if a monster would suffer the same trouble or not.  I ended up just riding through the booth on the red - wasn't like I could push the bike backwards in boston traffic and get over to the cash booth.  Nothing bad happened (not sure if they somehow charged it to my ez pass account or just let it slide).  Success rate was about 75%. 

Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Jdan on March 24, 2011, 09:45:51 AM
Thanks for the tips. Seeing as i'm gonna hit like 7 or so tolls i guess i'll figure out the best method on the fly.

cheers
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: rcmcfly on March 24, 2011, 07:05:18 PM
try this:

http://www.ducatimonstertailchop.com/stealth-monster-plate-relocator/ (http://www.ducatimonstertailchop.com/stealth-monster-plate-relocator/)
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Statler on March 25, 2011, 10:50:11 AM
If your plate is registered on the account with the ezpass then any time it doesn't read it will automatically bill the account instead of generating a ticket.

That doesn't mean you can leave it at home though, as if you get pulled over directly after the toll for the alarm you will get a ticket for running the toll no matter.  Must show the ezpass.

We've had a couple of those cases here.

(This is how it is in MD anyway)

I forgot to take the ezpass off my bike when trailering it up to NH for the first DIMBY.  double tolls the entire trip.  [bang]  (although it never bills for the extra axle so I guess we're even)
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: live2ride on March 26, 2011, 02:57:29 PM
that doesn't work in nj. 

I will work on the garden state parkway, as each toll is a fixed dollar amount.

However, it will not work on the NJ turnpike.  Well it does, but not the way you want it.  On the turnpike, the EZpass must register where you got on and what exit you get out.  If you don't have your ezpass but the license plate is registered, they will just charge your account but not the right amount.  They don't record where you got on and therefore they just charge the max toll (they assume you got on at delaware and left through the george washington bridge, even if you exit out in the middle of the state)
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Buckethead on March 26, 2011, 03:21:19 PM
Quote from: live2ride on March 26, 2011, 02:57:29 PM
(they assume you got on at delaware and left through the george washington bridge, even if you exit out in the middle of the state)

But why in God's name you'd want to do such a thing escapes me.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: live2ride on March 30, 2011, 04:44:03 PM
i learned something about the nj tolls.  

after forgetting my ezpass, i had to get a ticket for the toll on the nj turnpike.  these machines work like red light sensors, meaning they dont work.  well not for bikes at least.  so after about 30 seconds of backing up, reving my engine and such to trigger the sensor, i left. basically i left when a car finally pulled up behind me.  

Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: live2ride on March 30, 2011, 07:43:26 PM
yea, and leaving wasn't so fun either as the lane was just a big oil slick.  thought i lost it for a second
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: lemond on April 04, 2011, 01:06:10 PM
that's how I dropped my bike a few years ago, at a toll trying to dig out change for the toll. lesson learn, get a ezpass.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: ODrides on May 02, 2011, 09:15:33 PM
I tried my EzPass in several discreet locations -- in a pocket, in my tank bag -- none of which worked.  I ended up attaching it to my headlight fairing and it works every time.  It is all about angle.  If you don't have a fairing, I dunno.  Someone sells a mount that clamps to a handlebar.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: thought on May 02, 2011, 10:09:55 PM
keep in mind that the reader is generally above the toll booth, not in front.  i'm going to try to strap it to my backpack shoulder strap and see if it reads next time...  and i hate how ugly all the handlebar mounted ezpass set ups are.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Jdan on May 03, 2011, 08:49:08 PM
I strapped mine to the shoulder strap as well. Worked on every single tollbooth i went through, although i never went through the 55 mph toll in deleware, so i'm not sure about the quicker ones.
Title: Re: Tollbooth tips
Post by: Drjones on May 04, 2011, 09:06:00 AM
Under my seat. The thing is about the size of a deck of cards to supposedly house the boosted rfid which per the local toll road authority "will work anywhere on the bike including in saddlebags."  In actual practice they're picking it up about 60% of the time.