[Supernova3]

Hi again everyone

I got my car an RTA E-Toll tag today (best looking of all the others) and installed it on my windscreen. Because it's white, it sticks out like a sore thumb from the outisde (but hidden behind the rear-view mirror inside). I wanted to stick in on the dotted area above the rear-view mirror, but the instructions said I wasn't allowed to stick it on any tinting.

Anyone know how the E-Toll scanner works? Is it magnetic or does the sensor need to physically scan it?

What's strange is that on metallised windscreens (european-made cars), you have to stick it on the 'dotted area' of the windscreen. must be lightly dotted?

anyways, I apologise for those who think this thread is lame. jus trying to preserve the aesthetics of my M3!

 

[olorin]

no worries supernova3, i'm even worse than you! i've actually put my e-way toll tag in my centre console, awaiting deployment whenever i pass by the toll gate. still deciding where to stick the darned thing so that its unobtrusive from outside and in. but may have to give up.

from what i gather it takes about a quarter of a second for data transmission to occur, and that this requires a direct "line of sight". to that effect i've always put it on my dash when passing and then take it off.

what is that dotted area for in our car? its not the ambient temperature sensor, and we don't have rain sensing wipers...

 

[samps]

I'm guessing the dotted area is there to break up direct sunlight that may be shining in your eyes while you're trying to check the rear mirror...? ie, driving into the sun late at night or first thing in the morning. That's the only reason I can think of. Sunglasses are pretty expensive these days!

 

[Supernova3]

I'm guessing the dotted area is there to break up direct sunlight that may be shining in your eyes while you're trying to check the rear mirror...? ie, driving into the sun late at night or first thing in the morning. That's the only reason I can think of. Sunglasses are pretty expensive these days!

yeh that'd be it. it's the perfect place to put the E-Toll tag. but can't. darn it. only solution is to paint the tag black. but can't do this either. sucks.

 

[olorin]

really? why can't the e-tag be painted black? that sounds like a good suggestion and hardly likely to affect the transmission at all (if its radio and not visual)

 

[Guest]

what is that dotted area for in our car? its not the ambient temperature sensor, and we don't have rain sensing wipers...

That dotted area is for the auto rain/light sensors. Although aussie cars aren't equiped with that option, i guess its still there.

 

[Supernova3]

really? why can't the e-tag be painted black? that sounds like a good suggestion and hardly likely to affect the transmission at all (if its radio and not visual)

jus my hunch. i jus wish i knew how the sensor at the toll plazas work. olorin, how about next time you go through the tolls, cover it with a hankerchief or something to see if it's still detected. if it is, then mayb they can be painted (but then are we tampering with RTA property and therefore be penalised?). and will the paint affect the unit?

all for the sake of style!

 

[olorin]

yeah. next time i go through i'll hold it up behind the dotted area... otherwise i'll just pay the toll when they send me my picture in the mail!

if it works behind the dotted area i'm sticking it there.

 

[Supernova3]

yeah. next time i go through i'll hold it up behind the dotted area... otherwise i'll just pay the toll when they send me my picture in the mail!

if it works behind the dotted area i'm sticking it there.

and do let us know!

 

[Supernova3]

yeah. next time i go through i'll hold it up behind the dotted area... otherwise i'll just pay the toll when they send me my picture in the mail!

if it works behind the dotted area i'm sticking it there.

Olorin! quit playing in your Mz3 and reply to your own post! did you try the tag behind the dotted area??

 

[olorin]

zipping around a bit but have yet to go through the tolls since that last post. can't think up a reason to go to the north shore or down to liverpool just yet. krispy kreme is a good reason...

 

[Supernova3]

zipping around a bit but have yet to go through the tolls since that last post. can't think up a reason to go to the north shore or down to liverpool just yet. krispy kreme is a good reason...

if you can't think of a reason give me a call and i'll give you $2.20 (M4! haha) jus to try it out.

it's not such a big deal no more though 8)

 

[olorin]

sorry sorry! things got a little busy at work - had one day off in 21... so time to travel around extroneous places was minimal.

where did you end up putting yours?

 

[Supernova3]

just below the rear view mirror, there's no where else to put it. i can see the scanner above me at the toll plazas, and it looks like a camera - maybe it does need a clear line of sight and clearly visible.

 

[olorin]

yeah, there's a camera to take piccies of your plate if you don't have a tag... and also a fine now of $10 for unmounted tags - which i don't see how they can tell unless they take intermittent photos?

 

[chy]

I went over the harbour bridge the other day, and just held up my E-tag toll (mirror height), i looked a bit silly, but otherwise it worked fine..... A bit of a hassel, but i just leave the e-tag in my side compartment and pull it out when i need it.

 

[olorin]

oh yes... the e-way tag works if you place it in a clear section of windscreen - either just beside the rear-view mirror, or even just under it. sometimes i just put it on the dashboard and it is read even then.

the trick now is to see if it works if one holds it up behind the black dots of our faux rain sensor (the bit above the rear view mirror). looking at my timetable it seems as if i'm not going past again for another week

 

[chy]

I should cross it again this week.... Friday by my timetable....

Oooo i like experiments. Will post outcome.

 

[jeffyg]

My g/f holds the e-tag up when she goes through a toll point as she likes to keep it hidden. She thinks it is a reason for someone to break into her car... fine if she wants to think that but I know there would always be times I would forget to hold it up, and get the extra charge, so for me it just sits behind the mirror... I cant see it from inside, but its really obvious outside. O well, everyone has them so it doesnt really matter I guess...

 

[Steve-o]

Any update on if the e-Toll tag works behind the black dots on the windscreen? I just got mine today and want to know if I can mount it there.