I came very close to being taken out yesterday and it's worth passing on. The location was the left-most EZ-Pass west-bound lane into the Northern Virginia Greenway toll station near Dulles airport and there was very light traffic moving fast. (Dirt Dad knows it well.) The station has arms which drop and block the lane if the toll is not paid. I was wearing a mesh jacket with the EZPass in the chest pocket, which has worked many many times and never been a problem. It works so well that like most people I just slow a bit, but on this occasion, the bike or the pass didn't register as I approached and I had to suddenly get on the brakes to stop.
(Press photo off web)
The "UNPAID TOLL" message was on and the gate stayed down, so I honked for the guy in the booth and he came over to tell me that I needed to pay cash. Irritating but I had it and started to dig for the cash. Suddenly we heard squeezing tires. As my eyes went from the toll booth guy to behind me, all I could see was the grill of a big black Chevy Suburban with the tires locked up and starting to slide when he hit his horn. Clearly that driver too was so used to driving through and having the gate rise without a motorcycle stopped in front of the gate. I had my gloves off, the gate down in front of me, out of gear, a hand in my pocket, and couldn't have moved if I wanted to. Fortunately, the 'Burban came to a stop with his nose at the start of the island and I could hear the driver screaming at me even with his windows up and all the noise.
As the Suburban was coming to a stop, a car had been tailgating him and popped for the next lane over, right at the car already in that path who dodged to the 3rd lane, and suddenly we had all three of them on their brakes and horns. Now that all three EZPass lanes had cars stopped or nearly so, following cars were starting to arrive and a back-up was forming. Once everything came to a stop, the attendant shook his head and said it was still $5.35, almost like it was comic relief. I finished digging out a $20 as he started yelling at a pickup behind the Suburban backing into the now developing backup at the tollbooth. It was total Looney Tunes.
My guess is that the road sensor didn't pick up the bike. Road sensors have always had issues with motorcycles and coming back through another lane at the same booth a few hours later there was no problem. Again, I've never had a problem with the transponder and use it constantly.
So the bottom line that I'm going to pass on is that with looking closer and maybe tilt the bike, it'd just make it past the end of the gate arm. It'll be tight and I doubt it'd work on a 'Wing or dresser, but if or when this happens again, there is no way I'm stopping in the lane.
I'll risk a ticket to squeak past the gate and stop where the end of the concrete island gives me cover. In case I later get sent a ticket, to fight it I'll make sure to get a receipt.
(Press photo off web)
The "UNPAID TOLL" message was on and the gate stayed down, so I honked for the guy in the booth and he came over to tell me that I needed to pay cash. Irritating but I had it and started to dig for the cash. Suddenly we heard squeezing tires. As my eyes went from the toll booth guy to behind me, all I could see was the grill of a big black Chevy Suburban with the tires locked up and starting to slide when he hit his horn. Clearly that driver too was so used to driving through and having the gate rise without a motorcycle stopped in front of the gate. I had my gloves off, the gate down in front of me, out of gear, a hand in my pocket, and couldn't have moved if I wanted to. Fortunately, the 'Burban came to a stop with his nose at the start of the island and I could hear the driver screaming at me even with his windows up and all the noise.
As the Suburban was coming to a stop, a car had been tailgating him and popped for the next lane over, right at the car already in that path who dodged to the 3rd lane, and suddenly we had all three of them on their brakes and horns. Now that all three EZPass lanes had cars stopped or nearly so, following cars were starting to arrive and a back-up was forming. Once everything came to a stop, the attendant shook his head and said it was still $5.35, almost like it was comic relief. I finished digging out a $20 as he started yelling at a pickup behind the Suburban backing into the now developing backup at the tollbooth. It was total Looney Tunes.
My guess is that the road sensor didn't pick up the bike. Road sensors have always had issues with motorcycles and coming back through another lane at the same booth a few hours later there was no problem. Again, I've never had a problem with the transponder and use it constantly.
So the bottom line that I'm going to pass on is that with looking closer and maybe tilt the bike, it'd just make it past the end of the gate arm. It'll be tight and I doubt it'd work on a 'Wing or dresser, but if or when this happens again, there is no way I'm stopping in the lane.
I'll risk a ticket to squeak past the gate and stop where the end of the concrete island gives me cover. In case I later get sent a ticket, to fight it I'll make sure to get a receipt.