Florida turnpike and Sunpass - LAC

[Mike Arman]

Not much Audi content here, although if I get one of these things it is 
going into my Audi.

Florida DOT is selling a device called "Sunpass" which is a toll-booth 
transponder. It goes on the inside of the windshield (or velcro to the 
visor) and is pre-loaded with $25 or so, and it pays your tolls for you as 
you go through the toll booths ("slow to 25mph" - right - and get run down 
from behind!)

Anyway, my question is this - according to urban legend (or in this case, 
rural legend), if you get onto the Florida turnpike at say, exit X, and get 
off at exit Y, the tickets are time-stamped and you'll get a speeding 
ticket later in the mail if it develops you've made it from X to Y at over 
the posted speed limit. This doesn't make sense superficially because the 
Turnpike card doesn't have your license plate on it, but I suppose the toll 
computer could do the calculation and trigger a camera as you depart the 
toll plaza. Remember, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't 
out to get you . . .

Now with Sunpass, the device is registered to YOUR CAR, so there is a tie 
between who paid the tolls and when, and the Sunpass computer does record 
when and where the tolls were paid (I checked this with Sunpass and they 
confirmed it) - so it would be pretty trivial for them to do a basic 
time-speed-distance calculation and determine that you were going mach 3 
instead of 55, and in this case they CAN tie the speed infraction to a 
specific vehicle.

The munchkin at customer service *assured* me that they would *never* do 
that . . . but she didn't agree to pay the fine if I get caught (assuming 
they are using the information in this way - which is going to be VERY 
obvious to them real soon now, if it isn't already).

Solutions -

drive slow(er)

don't get the Sunpass

get the Sunpass but don't use it if I'm going a bit too fast (who, me?)

take the airplane instead, go as fast as I damn well please (the V8Q is 
faster than my airplane, by the way)

Best Regards,
Mike Arman