|There's two separate issues. One is electronic payment, the other is |tracking. It's really true that ETC* is faster and cheaper, |particularly when they've installed equipment that allows toll |collection as people drive by at full speed. | |On the other hand, there's no inherent reason that ETC requires |tracking. At the Niagara Falls bridges, you buy an Express Pass for |cash at a toll booth, and refill it by presenting it back at a toll |booth with more cash. They're quite clear that it's a bearer |instrument, they don't know who you are, and if you lose it, tough |luck unless you saved a receipt so they know which pass to cancel and |reissue. The lack of cash payment for ETC is the issue, not ETC |itself.
The fact that they can cancel a pass if you have a receipt suggests that they can also track you, they just don't know who you are... initially. So maybe there are three issues. :)
Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com