Why gun owners should never visit NJ (or why EZPass sucks)

[GunLawyer001]

I had to take my annual trip to NJ in June, to drop off the main squeeze at her family's place. Removed all guns and ammo from the car, did what I had to when visiting a prison or Mexico or the state of New Jersey.

Thought I was good when I finally got back home without being stopped or searched or carjacked.

Then in July, we got a letter from EZPass for the Atlantic City Expressway. They have a picture of the back of our truck, which to them proves that we didn't pay a toll. Not sure how that works, I readily admit the fact that our truck has a rear end, and that we used the AC Expressway that day.

They want the $3 that we already paid, plus another $50 "administrative fee". No trial.

There's a "dispute mechanism", if you can send them the receipt, they'll graciously remove the violation. If you don't ask for receipts at every toll plaza, or if you used the exact change lane, you're screwed. It's disturbing that they implicitly acknowledge that they send out violation notices to people who have receipts, which would ordinarily tell you that their system is flawed.

I sent them a dispute, on their form. Didn't have the receipt, but I did pay every other toll, and we paid far more in gas than the $3 toll. I also mentioned that I recalled 2 tolls, one where it wanted $1.50 in coins and then didn't do anything after I paid (no "GO" signal), and the other (the $3 manned booth) where the old guy in the booth was on the phone talking to someone, probably the AC Expressway cop who was parked far to the right and who took off shortly before I passed through.

So I gave them an out, that the toll guy was distracted by some incident and he just didn't record the money fast enough.

The Internet has many tales of AC Expressway EZPass douchebaggery. The ACE even advises you to wait 10 seconds before going through after paying, so you don't drive through before it registers that you paid. They don't tell you this at the toll plaza, though. It's just in their online presence. So they acknowledge that you can pay and drive through before their cranky old machinery registers your payment, and their camera can take a pic of your car as a "violator" even if you paid. But the Mafia that runs their system doesn't care, they want that $53.

So, they denied my appeal, because it was cramped and limited in scope. Without a receipt, I shouldn't be able to prove that I paid, and the fact that they have zero evidence that I didn't pay is not something that keeps them up at night. They have a snapshot of my car leaving, they apparently have zip for the actual payment process.

Now here's the fun part; I was running a dash cam that day. Ordinarily, that June trip would have been overwritten by the time we got the violation notice in July; but we don't use that truck much, and I still have the footage of me approaching the toll plaza, stopping to pay the toll, you can hear the guy in the booth talking, you can see the ACE cop pull out ahead of me. Just like I said in my appeal. The one they ignored.

I've got proof that the ACE is ripping off motorists. I'll finish with their challenge process (I tried calling their "1-973-368-1425 to speak to a Violation Processing Center Representative" number, twice, and both times it answered and hung up immediately. Google tells me that this is standard operating procedure.) And when the challenge process ends and they try dunning me for their "civil penalty", I'll go to the Pennsylvania media with my dash cam footage. Just to warn the 12 million Pennsylvania residents that our neighbors to the East are still clinging to their Mafia roots of extortion games.

Yes, it's just $53, but they have a corrupt system which shakes down the innocent, because it's easier to pay the $53 than figure out how to navigate a system designed to thwart justice. And that's in addition to them preying on law-abiding Pennsylvania gun owners who cross a river and become felons.

[streaker69]

Not paying that is going to be a black mark on your record for getting a permit to carry in NJ.

[GunLawyer001]

Not paying that is going to be a black mark on your record for getting a permit to carry in NJ.

Yes, and that's giving me as much grief as you'd expect...

Seriously, this kind of crap tells me that Christie is unfit to be President, when his state still treats the citizens like peons who can be sacrificed for the convenience of their rulers. Whether it's an EZ Pass system that is rigged like a John Gotti concrete bid, or a set of firearm laws that show a willingness to let the innocent die by the thousands so that the peasants are kept in line, it's not a sign that Christie is ready to fix America from Washington. If he can't even keep motorists safe from predatory bureaucrats, how the hell is he going to go up against the Ayatollahs?

BTW, I called that number again. Got cut off again. Try it yourself. 1-973-368-1425, it's right on their website as the only live-person contact number.

[DennisH82]

I was wondering for these past few years why so many PRNJ license plates looked like they were melting and blurry. It seems that some folks are altering their plates so that they can blow through these automated robbery stops without fear of getting the dreaded picture summons Someone I had known a few years back had one of those James bond plate flippers (Homemade) that he used every time he used his EZ-pass, he wasn't running and not paying, he just didn't want the hassle of dealing with the BS phony fines. The only upside to the EZ-pass is if your plate is tied to the EZ-pass and it snaps your picture they cross reference it to your account. I had two fines removed due to that little feature.

[GunLawyer001]

I was wondering for these past few years why so many PRNJ license plates looked like they were melting and blurry. It seems that some folks are altering their plates so that they can blow through these automated robbery stops without fear of getting the dreaded picture summons Someone I had known a few years back had one of those James bond plate flippers (Homemade) that he used every time he used his EZ-pass, he wasn't running and not paying, he just didn't want the hassle of dealing with the BS phony fines. The only upside to the EZ-pass is if your plate is tied to the EZ-pass and it snaps your picture they cross reference it to your account. I had two fines removed due to that little feature.

My Google searches revealed a number of problems with EZ Pass. If your CC that's linked to the account expires (as they do every few years), you may blow through and not be charged, until they come after you for the $3 AND the $50 "administration fee".

It's a little like returning a video to RedBox, which doesn't give you a receipt at the machine. If THEIR machinery screws up, they charge YOU for the DVD, and you have no way to prove that you returned it, other than your testimony, which they can choose to disregard. Their system (just like EZ Pass) is designed structurally so that they win all disputes, regardless of the facts.

Unless you have dash cam video of the event. Which I do.

[free]

The fact that it borders New York is enough not to go to NJ as far as I am concerned.

[American1776]

My parents live in NJ, and my dad just told me a few days ago the exact same story happened to him. He paid by cash, they took a photo if his plate, and sent him a notification that he evaded the EZ pass and he owed 53 bucks. Exactly the same story!

No good thieving mafioso sacks of sh*t that run that state. It's becoming crystal clear why NJ refuses to permit citizens to carry firearms; they are gangsters who don't want their robbery and extortion victims able to resist with force

[alpacaheat]

http://www.phantomplate.com/photoblocker.html


Also wondering if simple high-gloss clearcoat would do the same.

[Sgt.K]

Yes, it's just $53, but they have a corrupt system which shakes down the innocent, because it's easier to pay the $53 than figure out how to navigate a system designed to thwart justice. And that's in addition to them preying on law-abiding Pennsylvania gun owners who cross a river and become felons.

You should contact an attorney.

Oh...

Wait...

NVM...

[QuackXP]

It's a little like returning a video to RedBox, which doesn't give you a receipt at the machine. If THEIR machinery screws up, they charge YOU for the DVD, and you have no way to prove that you returned it, other than your testimony, which they can choose to disregard. Their system (just like EZ Pass) is designed structurally so that they win all disputes, regardless of the facts.

RedBox unlike the PRNJ has to try to keep their customers because they don't have the kind of tyrannical control over them that the PRNJ does.

I returned a RedBox movie once and it did not register. I noticed this and emailed their CS. I was only charged the one night of rental.