Man home watching TV is billed for toll road

[jsr]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20130305,0,1753170.column

How many fast ones has FasTrak pulled?
A man successfully fights a bill for using the 91 Express Lanes in Orange County — when he was at home watching TV. Such erroneous notices are not uncommon.
By David Lazarus
March 5, 2013

If you want to dance, you've got to pay the piper. And if you want to zip along the 91 Express Lanes in Orange County, you have to pay a toll of as much as $9.55 per trip.

James Kritikson, 72, of La Verne never paid the toll, so he received a notice in the mail saying he had to cough up the unpaid fee, plus a penalty of $25. If he didn't come clean by March 28, the penalty would jump to $100.

There was just one problem: On the date — Jan. 25 — and at the time — 10:16 p.m. — that the notice said Kritikson was sneering at the 91 Express Lanes' toll system, he was in fact home with his wife watching TV, and his car was in the garage.

"Is this a scam?" Kritikson wanted to know. If not, how did the 91 Express Lanes Violation Processing Center obtain his name, address and the license number of his car?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. Has the collection of the money become "privatized"? A sample from Ripoff Report:

I traded in a truck 3 years ago to Countywide Jeep In Garden Grove, for another truck. The truck that was traded into the dealership was sold to a wholesaler, and purchased by a REAL idiot. The 91 is usually a really slow freeway, but almost always becomes a parking lot conviently where the 91 Express lanes begin. 3 years later, I start receiving tickets saying their records indicate that the time and location listed on the ticket, the vehicle identified (listed on ticket) was found traveling on the 91 express lane with no transponder. I didnt take more than 2 seconds for me to realize this was the Model Make and year (including same license plate number) to the vehicle I traded in 3 years ago. I laughed and ripped it up.

The next day, I received another...and did the same thing. As the days passed, It seemed the 91 express lanes had grown quite fond of sending me violation notices. After about 2 weeks, I finally decided to keep one of them, and dedicate 2 minutes of my lunch our by giving these people a call to let them know the vehicle listed on the ticket, was traded in 3 years ago, and I was released of any and all legal liability through the DMV. 15 minutes turned into an Hour. Customer Service stated if I disputed the ticket, I had to fax over a copy of a release of liability. I explained to the Customer Service Rep that I did not have a copy of the release of liablity, I traded in the truck I bought from them, and destroyed the sales contract when the loan matured.

The lady basically said youre on your own. I was outraged. I asked to speak with a manager of violations, and she explained they dont take calls, and customer service could no longer assist me with my problem. Of course, if I wanted to PAY the violation, she would gladly accept my payments, but anything other than that, had to be done directly through mail. The next day I dedicated my lunch hour and contacted the DMV via phone. (anyone in CA knows that visiting a DMV location can be an all day event) The DMV operator insured me that the vehicle (id'd by vin and license plate) was no longer regiestered to me, but couldnt release the current registered owners info, because of privacy laws. Wow, wonderful. I then contacted the 91 express lane again, and Spoke with another Customer Service Rep and explained to her that I contacted DMV myself and verified that I was no longer the owner of the vechile citied in the express lane. She stated that HER records indicated that the information coming from me was false, and I was still the registered owner. We went round and round for about 30 seconds before I asked to speak with her manager.

Both had piss poor attitudes, and basically told me I was up a creek, without a paddle. Ive faxed letters to the violation department for returned calls, no response. I contacted the dealership, and asked for a copy of the Release of Liability. They said they might not have it because it had been so long, and if they didnt, I had to request the document from DMV, which could take up to 30 days. Wow, it had been a week already, and no progress. It has been a month and a half already, and I have not had any response from the 91 express lane...accept more violations. I called a highway patrol office, and spoke with an officer, the only thing he insured me as that the headache will continue, and Id probably be summond to court and have to provide documents showing Im not the registered owner.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/local-transportation/91-express-lanes/91-express-lanes-octa-false-r-76e7x.htm

[longship]

2. When I lived in Ontario, CA I called the 91 Express, the Republican Lane.

The 91 is the absolute worst highway in SoCal. It is consistently a fucking parking lot. I would dread having to drive on it and got caught for hours going nowhere many times.

Now I live in rural MI, where the only thing that holds up traffic is an animal on the road, most likely a wild turkey or a deer. The former get out of your way; the latter run right into you.

[quakerboy]

3. I have a problem with toll roads in concept

Conceptually they seem like a bad plant, and even though Ive never really lived in an area where they were common, its always bugged me. I am very glad we don't seem to have any here in the North West.

Driving down the east coast last year was the first time Ive really come across them. Interesting experience. Can't say the hands of experience made me any more of a fan. I believe it was down in Florida there was one section that claimed they would just take a picture and send a bill to your home, there was no place to just pay a toll. 6 months later, still waiting for that bill to show up.

[hollysmom]

4. I got a parking ticket in NJ when I was in the Bahamas and

my car was locked in the garage. Didn't take long to get it fixed though, the woman accepted what I said immediately and said she had a bunch of these calls lately, she thought one cop was just trying to look busy, they were checking into it.

I think the lesson here is - never throw anything out. Hoarders - we all have to become hoarders.

[Heywood J]

5. What did we learn?

Never allow access to DMV data by private companies with something to gain by magicking up invoices.