E-ZPass (NJ) E-ZPass Extortion of Out-of-State Drivers Newark New Jersey
In Ohio in the mail I just received a "Notice of Violation" from E-ZPass, alleging that I had either failed to pay a toll on the Garden State Parkway or had underpaid--the allegation notice did not say precisely what they think I did wrong.
Worse, the allegation notice included two separate violations, one involving my rental car on that trip to N.J., the other involving ANOTHER Ohio license plate. The second violation allegation is an utter fraud.
I have a clear memory of paying all tolls IN FULL (not only on the date of my alleged offense but every single time I've gone through any toll booth or subway token turnstile etc.
The worst that MIGHT have happened is that I picked up a nickel, mistaking it for a quarter, but the E-ZPass violation citing my rental car license plate alleges that I owe $0.70. Not twenty cents.
And I remember very clearly counting the change carefully, putting the coins in the collection chute, and waiting for the sign to say "Thank You" (I assume that the sign doesn't thank drivers who short change the automatic coin-counter.
While I doubt organized crime has a mole at E-ZPass who is sending FALSE allegations out to OUT OF STATE motorists--those who are unlikely to challenge a $25.00 "administrative fee" in addition to a dollar or less in supposedly "unpaid" tolls, or that a hacker is scamming out of state motorists, I am concerned that this supposedly "accurate" E-ZPass system not only wrongfully accused me but accused me without being specific about the charge (whether I underpaid or paid nothing according to their Big Brother System), and that their system concocted or connected a car, license plate, toll location, and time that had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with me and are now trying to shake me down for BOTH alleged offenses.
I am an attorney in Ohio and you can contact me at lit4@aol.com if you live out of state and received a bogus E-ZPass allegation recently, as I will be glad to file a class action against them, and I am also sending my concerns about possible fraud and perhaps criminal activity at E-ZPass to the New Jersey Attorney General and to the Prosecutor in Essex County N.J., as it is my sincere opinion that something ROTTEN is going on at E-ZPass, and I'll be damned if I'm going to submit to state-sanctioned shake-downs (extortion) (the E-Z Pass letter threatened me with administrative fines of up to $500 if I failed to respond withing 15 days).
E-ZPass has bitten off more than it can chew with me by making false and vague (violating due process) accusations that are baseless AND in error. I would like to hear a rebuttal from a neutral but knowledgable third party regarding my recent experience with E-ZPass.
I think it's everyone's duty to FIGHT electronic "autocopism" such as E-ZPass. If law enforcement wants to punish violations, citizens ought to have due process first (be told PRECISELY WHAT THEY ARE BEING ACCUSED OF DOING WRONG) and then be allowed their day in court BEFORE paying the fine (E-ZPass claims that you must first pay the amount they are trying to EXTORT from me before I can contest the accuracy of their charges, which is nothing more bureaucratic nazism). If we all don't fight this growing tendency for machines and software to find and punish alleged violations of laws or administrative rules, we're going to wake up with one messed up country quite soon!
Justin
Cincinnati, Ohio
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Califon,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Tolls are a minimum 35 cents....NONE are 20 cents.
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, July 06, 2008
"I have a clear memory of paying all tolls IN FULL (not only on the date of my alleged offense but every single time I've gone through any toll booth or subway token turnstile etc."
"The worst that MIGHT have happened is that I picked up a nickel, mistaking it for a quarter, but the E-ZPass violation citing my rental car license plate alleges that I owe $0.70. Not twenty cents."
NONE of the tolls are 20 cents except maybe an obscure off/on ramp slightly past/just before a recent toll.
And since you don't have EZ-Pass, you can't necessarily use those lanes as the basket will not register any coin input and that's why they are marked EZ_Pass only.
Your attempts at some sort of justification are feeble at best.
Frank
Brick,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Garden State Parkway and their tolls.
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sun, July 06, 2008
I do not think I would use Ez-pass. If the system is in error, you do not know until you have "paid" through the toll. If you go with ez-pass and just says the word "GO" 90% of the time, It DID NOT PAY the toll. Only will pay when it says "EZ-Pass PAID". "Watch out for "Low-balance" Today tolls are around $0.70.
Now I use the basket, Sometimes they are so full of money and junk that it can no longer be able to handle the money comming in. Honk the horn (As stated on the sign) and someone should come out and check the basket. If you still do not feel right using that, use the toll taker. and ask for a receipt. That way you can say I have proof. Works all the time. NEVER use EZ-PASS is EZ-MONEY for NJ.
NOTE: a helpfull hint: the basket cameras are not on. Only during a holiday maybe. But only if the lane is on by ez-pass. I saw that in a video that they can not stop everyone from throwing junk into the basket. So they leave the basket cameras off 87% of the time.
so while driving the toll roads in NJ. Ask for the receipt even in the CASH LANE using EZ-PASS. Should work.