s4play

I always see CHP staked out near the 680 / Durham exit looking for carpool violators in the new HOV / carpool lane.

The rule is 2+ people means you can use the carpool lane FREE between 5am-8pm but if you are a single driver you can pay the toll ($4-5 bucks) via FastTrak and you can basically buy your way into the carpool lane. But how does CHP tell if you have FastTrak and has paid the toll or just a single driver breaking the law?

They do pull people over so there must be a way they can tell if the single driver has paid or not cuz I see a lot of single drivers in that lane!

thomsbrain

There is a light that illuminates for cars passing under the sensor with no Fastrak. If the light goes on and you have two people in the car, the CHP know you are legal. If the light goes on and it's just your face in the windshield, expect to get pulled over. The light points away from your field of view as you are driving, just like the rat lights at freeway metering lights and at certain intersections.

Voodoo_S2K

If you look in your rear view mirror, you can see it on the back of the sensor.

-outkast-

i've always been curious about this as well.

BlackTrax Performance

Ah ha! Been wondering this ever since I joined the 680 commute party, it all makes sense now!

What if you have another person in the car validating free carpool AND have fastrack in the vehicle? How does it know to not charge you?

HarryD

I believe it double charges you?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall the local news saying you're supposed to deactivate or hide the fastrak if you want to take advantage of the free carpool.

nexus

Interesting because I have a fasttrak account, but never carry the transponder since in most cases they just take a photo and I have all our vehicles on the one account. I use those carpool lanes when I (rarely) am out that direction since it says fasttrak. I'd be pissed if I got a ticket for that. Wonder if it would be treated like a fix it ticket where you would have to provide proof that you do in fact have fasttrack.

whiteflash

I'm sure if you got pulled over for it. The officer could call in your plate, run it, and move you along.

Voodoo_S2K

The system will charge you unless you put the toll tag inside the Mylar bag it comes with. This will block the signal from reaching the toll tag.

thomsbrain

Yup, you have to put it in a Mylar bag. A big pain in the ass, IMO.