Laser "falses" in tool booths w/EZPass?

[kpatz]

I live in NH, where they have been in the process of upgrading the toll booths to handle EZPass over the past year or so.

Over the past few months, when I go through the toll booths, 4 out of 5 times my V1 will sound a Laser alert just as I'm starting to pull out of the booth after paying the toll. There must be some piece of equipment that was recently installed in the booths that is causing this. I've had the alerts in both manned and automatic (exact-change) lanes.

I've googled but haven't found anything definitive (actually, that's how I discovered this site). I've heard the possibility of lidar being used to measure the speed of cars going through the booth, or of the video cameras using IR emitters that cause laser falses (unlikely as I've gotten the alert even in booths that had no cameras). I also read of a lidar system that determines the size of the vehicle going through the booth, perhaps to charge large trucks more. But I haven't found any definitive cause or reason for the laser alerts.

Any ideas? Just curious.

[Arvetus]

It's probably an IR camera, or a car counter possibly? I would imagine that they would have to put some sort of device to take a picture of the vehicle if the sensor doesn't detect your EZPass card to prevent people from just thinking they can buzz through without paying. So I would assume that it's just an IR camera or something.

[fallen8511]

Nuts, I also live in New Hampshire, and I use the Route 101 - Interstate 95 Toll in Hampton, this isn't the toll your speaking of, is it? Considering getting a V1, guess I will have to mute it before I get to the toll.

[kai445]

http://www.interesting-people.org/ar.../msg00086.html

[kpatz]

Nuts, I also live in New Hampshire, and I use the Route 101 - Interstate 95 Toll in Hampton, this isn't the toll your speaking of, is it? Considering getting a V1, guess I will have to mute it before I get to the toll.

IIRC the alert didn't happen on that toll (the ones you hit when you exit 101 to enter 95). I haven't been through the Hampton toll booths on 95 recently. I always get the alerts on the Hooksett toll on I-93 and the Bedford toll on the Everett Turnpike.

It's just a brief Laser alert as I'm starting to exit the toll, not worth muting. I'm just wondering what it is caused by, and if I should be concerned about it (say if I'm going a little too fast through the booth!)

P.S. A friend of mine who has a Passport 8500 sees the same thing, so it isn't just the V1 either.

I'll have to bring my Sony Handycam next time I go through the booths at night and see if it picks up anything.

[FumarElCigar]

We just got EZ-Pass in Maine this past year and I've noticed when I go very slow through the toll booths, the laser goes off. I think laser is used so when the beam is interrupted, the EZ-Pass system and toll collections systems know a car has entered the toll.

[Lunar-Eclipse]

This happens to me when I go through the toll at the verterans expressway. I'm usually about 5-10 feet out of the toll booth when my x50 alerts to laser.

[matt1020]

i live in nj and i get a KA false "some times" not all the time from "ezpass"

[kpatz]

Well, I drove up to my parent's house and back today, going through the Hooksett tolls on I-93 north bound, and then later, south bound. My V1 went off going north bound. South bound, I got my wife to video tape the trip through the booth (she just *loves* being married to a geek) Of course, this is the one time the V1 *didn't* go off, and although I had her point the video camera at the booth camera, it didn't pick up any IR emission from the booth camera. I probably went through the one booth where the camera or whatever causes the laser alerts wasn't working.

I'll have to try it again another time...

P.S. North bound I saw a statey who had a victim pulled over, and he was running Ka band.

[Brent27]

Here in NY i have no problem going through EZ pass with my RD850.....