Are Mass. Pike Cameras Clocking Your Speed?
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more a part of life. Toll booth workers have been replaced in Massachusetts for awhile now due to electronic toll gantries.
I was recently pulled over the old fashioned way on the Massachusetts Turnpike and was lucky enough to get a warning.
But, what about those toll gantries up and down the pike? We'll address that in a minute...
In the hopes of finding a check for a million dollars in the mailbox, I pulled out my Pay By Plate bill from the last time I "used" the Mass Pike. Bummer. Yes, I still don't have an EZ Pass; lame, I know.
We Should All Know This By Now.
If you travelled through MA tolls without an account, you will be mailed a Pay By Plate MA Invoice. Once the toll trip is processed, an invoice is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle approximately 7-10 business days after the trip. -mass.gov
Driving Too Fast On The Pike Is A Problem.
The first time I received hefty speeding ticket was on the pike. Sturbridge, baby. The old Exit 9. Watch out!
I accidentally, and I do say accidentally, hit 90 MPH just as I was driving under an electronic toll gantry a few months ago. You know, the "camera" that reads your license plate, or EZ PASS, and the same time calculates how long you were on the pike, hence the bill in the mail.
So, Can These Gantries Clock Your Speed?
Yes they can. They have the ability to clock and/or calculate your speed, in fact; apparently just to ensure the accuracy of the billing.
Can They Issue You A Speeding Ticket?
No.
The purpose of AET is to collect tolls. Data from AET cameras or auto readers cannot be used to issue tickets for speeding or other moving violations in the Commonwealth. MassDOT has no plans to change that, meaning AET gantries will not be used for moving violation enforcement. -willbrownsberger.com