new tolls?

[hihhs]

Thought about that but I still own the house where the bike is registered.
Sadly it is very hard to hide these days.

[desmoquattro]

Thought about that but I still own the house where the bike is registered.
Sadly it is very hard to hide these days.

Then wheelie through the toll plaza so you're plate's on the ground

[Popeye the Sailor]

Thought about that but I still own the house where the bike is registered.

Sooooooo......party at your Hawaii house is when?

[ducleaner]

I hope this is not a derby;

Saw a banner on the Bay Bridge this morning stating that the carpool lane will be $2.50 starting July first.

Honestly, I've never been sure what the story is with motorcycles in the carpool lane. Generally  I see other bikes rolling through the toll plaza in the carpool lane. So I have done the same.

I couldn't care less about $2.50, but the carpool lane always seemed to be a lot safer with less people jockeying for position, merging, etc.

Anybody know how this affects bikes?

A better question is whether the carpool lane will be fastrak only. If not, it's going to be really really slow. This place gets worse every day. It costs more and more for less and less.

[mostrobelle]

A better question is whether the carpool lane will be fastrak only. If not, it's going to be really really slow. This place gets worse every day. It costs more and more for less and less.

Probably won't be Fastrak only--at least not initially.  They might figure that part out after the fact.  Just split up to the front like I do--I'm an a-hole for doing it, but let 'em try to catch me. 

[somegirl]

I remember reading in the news that you will have to have FasTrak to use the carpool lanes.

[MendoDave]

I'm glad I don't live down there anymore. I should probably send my fastrack thingy back.

[mostrobelle]

I remember reading in the news that you will have to have FasTrak to use the carpool lanes.

I'm too lazy to check...hope you're right though! 

[ducleaner]

I remember reading in the news that you will have to have FasTrak to use the carpool lanes.

Whew! You're right. I just found this article:

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/FasTrak-use-avoids-higher-toll-93647264.html

Carpoolers who pay cash have to use a regular lane and pay $6. So the carpool lane will still be faster, just not as cheap. Now help me glue my transponder to the top of my helmet. 

[endeavor]

I don't even carry my fastrak with me when I'm on the bike. They just take a picture of my plate and then they charge my account. I'm thinking it's going to work the same way for the carpool lane. Do we need the fastrak thing on us physically?

[ducleaner]

I don't even carry my fastrak with me when I'm on the bike. They just take a picture of my plate and then they charge my account. I'm thinking it's going to work the same way for the carpool lane. Do we need the fastrak thing on us physically?

That's what I do now too. But I only do that once or twice a year. The rest of the time, I'm crossing during commute hours so it's free. I wonder if they'll crack down if they have to look up our account 5 days/week.

[mostrobelle]

I don't even carry my fastrak with me when I'm on the bike. They just take a picture of my plate and then they charge my account. I'm thinking it's going to work the same way for the carpool lane. Do we need the fastrak thing on us physically?

Technically, yes.  Do they enforce it?  Not really.  They did a little crackdown last summer for about a month.  Heard of a few people getting nailed with what I recall being somewhat expensive tickets.  I don't know if they stuck or not for the motorcyclists who got nailed.  Obviously the requirement for having them affixed to your vehicle is a bit more challenging with a bike than it is with a car and one could use that argument to get out of the ticket.  The more practical side of that is that I cross bridges all the time, my plate flops around in the breeze, been stopped like that a few times now, never got a fix-it, never got ticketed for not carrying the transponder, etc.  I've been riding this way for about seven years and the only tickets that I've received have been for speeding. 

[TCK!]

I always had success with my transponder under my seat or in my bag, never had issues.

[ride_sf]

One thing that I've noticed recently is that they've started taking pictures of your plate even when the transponder registers.  Used to be that the flash of the camera didn't go off if the transponder beeped and you got the "Valid" sign, now I see the flash every time.

I keep my transponder in the front pocket of my jacket.... This is what fastrak says about it:

http://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/about/faq_general.shtml#6

Can I use FasTrak with my motorcycle?
Yes. Motorcycles can use FasTrak to pay tolls by mounting their toll tag in a secure location. We do not advise you to hold the toll tag up while driving through the toll lane as it may not be read accurately. Also, we are not responsible for any lost toll tags due to the toll tag not adhering to the motorcycle windshield.
It is recommended that you use one of the following methods to secure your toll tag:

Place toll tag in your front pocket, as it can be read through the material.
Place toll tag inside a cycle net (somewhere on top) that drapes over the gas tank.
Leave toll tag in the glove compartment, if applicable.

[Drunken Monkey]

My parents came to visit and brought their transponder with them (we apparently accept transponders from MA on our bridges)

They stuck it on their rental car, and it worked while they were here, until...

About a month later they get a big fat ticket in the mail for using a transponder on a car not registered for use with the transponder 

So apparently they check every plate, even when the transponder is "good"

And now my dad just registers the plate on the rental via the web and then removes it when they drop the car off. Seems pretty retarded they make folks jump through those hoops

x 11ty billion