[eekthecat]

My new commute includes some toll roads, and that means a toll-transponder for me. The transponders they're handing out here are switchable (to indicate # of people in the car), so they're relatively large, and a big white eyesore, wherever it's mounted. It seems to be nearly an inch thick, so it can't be wedged too closely under the windshield.

Apparently, cops will stop people here (socal) if they show up as a transponder (fastrak) customer and the transponder isn't visible. (not sure how they would determine this, as they also do automated by-license-plate billing)

So... where does everyone mount their transponders? I'm thinking the lower-passenger-side windshield, but even then it's ugly as sin. I wonder if it'd work from the driver's side mini glovebox compartment?

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by eekthecat

My new commute includes some toll roads, and that means a toll-transponder for me. The transponders they're handing out here are switchable (to indicate # of people in the car), so they're relatively large, and a big white eyesore, wherever it's mounted. It seems to be nearly an inch thick, so it can't be wedged too closely under the windshield.

Apparently, cops will stop people here (socal) if they show up as a transponder (fastrak) customer and the transponder isn't visible. (not sure how they would determine this, as they also do automated by-license-plate billing)

So... where does everyone mount their transponders? I'm thinking the lower-passenger-side windshield, but even then it's ugly as sin. I wonder if it'd work from the driver's side mini glovebox compartment?

It's the same here in VA, we have these super large transponders where you flick a switch indicating you have more than 2 people in the car so you can ride the toll lanes for free.

However, we don't need them to be visible so I mount mine to the left of the rear view mirror at the top of the windshield. You can barely see it and the switch on the transponder is in easy reach in case I want to take the toll lanes and have enough people riding with me to ride them for free.

I don't understand why you'd get pulled over if your transponder isn't visible.

[sonystyle02]

i keep my fastrak in the glovebox and only pull it out when i need it (which isn't often). i wonder if you could spray it black with paint that doesn't interfere with the signal... that way it's not so much of an eye sore.

another idea - what if you stuck it on your visor (part facing the windshield). this way you flip it down when driving through tolls and flip it back up to hide it from view (well, outside view at least). if so, i'd put it as close to the hinge as possible to reduce the weight pulling the visor back down... thoughts?

[CHCCubs]

Fortunately our transponders here are black and not that big. I have mine mounted to the windshield behind the rearview mirror on the passenger side (in the dot matrix portion of the upper windshield).

[boggtj01]

Originally Posted by CHCCubs

Fortunately our transponders here are black and not that big. I have mine mounted to the windshield behind the rearview mirror on the passenger side (in the dot matrix portion of the upper windshield).

Mine is white, but I have mine mounted in the same position as it has to be visible to be detected by the toll roads in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. I don't realize its there half the time and often find myself looking when I'm going to use the toll road to make sure it is.

[Professor///M]

In NY they are small, so they are to the top right of the mirror. In some states, especially new england, it is illegal to hold up the transponder while going through a toll booth

[feng]

I just asked this exact same thing in the AU section. I will be mounting mine in the same location as CHCCubs in the spotty dotty section on the passenger side of the rear view mirror. Unfortunately, ours is white, but I figure that it's part of the car, and people just expect it there. I'm not going to loose too much sleep over it

[USC2000]

I stuck it on the windshield just to the right of the rear view mirror. A year later and I don't even notice it anymore.

[aaron90275]

Originally Posted by eekthecat

Apparently, cops will stop people here (socal) if they show up as a transponder (fastrak) customer and the transponder isn't visible. (not sure how they would determine this, as they also do automated by-license-plate billing)

Where did you hear this from? Do you use the express lanes in the LA area?

What I do with mine is just place it on the left side of my dash when i am using the express lanes and once i get off i just put it in my center console. I hate it as well because it is such an eye sore and I am not about to put those velcro strips on my window.

[spuntyb]

Glovebox. Too bad you can't do that...

[eekthecat]

Originally Posted by aaron90275

Where did you hear this from? Do you use the express lanes in the LA area?

What I do with mine is just place it on the left side of my dash when i am using the express lanes and once i get off i just put it in my center console. I hate it as well because it is such an eye sore and I am not about to put those velcro strips on my window.

That's what I was told by the rep that converted my account from plate-recognition to transponder (fastrak). I can't quite figure out how they'd actually enforce this though.

I ended up going back out to my car and looking at the different acceptable mounting locations, and it just sticks out like a sore thumb in the lower locations. As other posters have pointed out, up and to the right of the rearview mirror is far less visible, and it did work there, sitting flush against the edges of the windshield and mirror. The dot matrix helps to hide it, but I think I'll add some gaffer's tape or something to the transponder itself to further obscure it.

[donsbabybeamer]

Don't mount it directly under the rearview mirror if you have AUTO HEAD LIGHTS, it will block the camera for this function

[alphapunk2]

Originally Posted by donsbabybeamer

Don't mount it directly under the rearview mirror if you have AUTO HEAD LIGHTS, it will block the camera for this function

didn't know that. thanks for the tip!