Background:
I have had a transponder and account (Fastrak here in CA) for the toll roads I take back and forth to work for over 6 months. Sometimes I switch cars and do not take the transponder with me. If you go through the toll area without a transponder a picture is taken of your plate. Your plate(s) is\are tied to you account so if you go through without the transponder, the toll is automatically deducted from your account.
I am traveling Northbound on the 241 and about a quarter mile after passing through the final toll booth, a CHP that has just finished w\ another driver on the side of the road hops on his bike and chases me and another truck truck down. He flags me over and I pull over. He continues about a half mile ahead and pulls over the truck. the truck is let go after a minute or to and the cop comes back to me. I have my liscense registration and insurance ready for him. He says he is pulling me over because I don't have a fastrak transponder. I respond by saying I forgot my transponder today and that the toll was collected via my plate (crap he already has to be aware of). He tells me to hold on and goes back to the bike and proceeds to write me a ticket for toll violation. He asks me to sign it and says he has no way of telling if I have a Fastrak account or not. I point out my 2 strips of velcro where I mount the transponder and he responds with "Yeah I didnt see that.". I sign the ticket and recieve the notice to pay in the mail. It is $175 dollars. I am going to fight it, and I don't see any reason why I should lose. This does seem pretty stupid however. Any thoughts or advice from the LEOs?
Also I have an addtional question.
If I DIDN'T have the Fastrak account and went through the toll area a fine would have been sent to me for $40 dollars. Say I went through collected my Fastrak fine and got pulled over by this cop. Would I be stuck paying both fines?
Thanks,
Ashley
I have had a transponder and account (Fastrak here in CA) for the toll roads I take back and forth to work for over 6 months. Sometimes I switch cars and do not take the transponder with me. If you go through the toll area without a transponder a picture is taken of your plate. Your plate(s) is\are tied to you account so if you go through without the transponder, the toll is automatically deducted from your account.
I am traveling Northbound on the 241 and about a quarter mile after passing through the final toll booth, a CHP that has just finished w\ another driver on the side of the road hops on his bike and chases me and another truck truck down. He flags me over and I pull over. He continues about a half mile ahead and pulls over the truck. the truck is let go after a minute or to and the cop comes back to me. I have my liscense registration and insurance ready for him. He says he is pulling me over because I don't have a fastrak transponder. I respond by saying I forgot my transponder today and that the toll was collected via my plate (crap he already has to be aware of). He tells me to hold on and goes back to the bike and proceeds to write me a ticket for toll violation. He asks me to sign it and says he has no way of telling if I have a Fastrak account or not. I point out my 2 strips of velcro where I mount the transponder and he responds with "Yeah I didnt see that.". I sign the ticket and recieve the notice to pay in the mail. It is $175 dollars. I am going to fight it, and I don't see any reason why I should lose. This does seem pretty stupid however. Any thoughts or advice from the LEOs?
Also I have an addtional question.
If I DIDN'T have the Fastrak account and went through the toll area a fine would have been sent to me for $40 dollars. Say I went through collected my Fastrak fine and got pulled over by this cop. Would I be stuck paying both fines?
Thanks,
Ashley
