Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

And so it continues

Taxachusetts?

Easy... Register your car in another state that doesn't do that crap. Then there is no tracking of your vehicle by the Masshole tax department.

Now, I wonder, will they tax your vehicle if it breaks down and has to be towed?

Uakronkid Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

would a powerful rare earth magnet suffice?

Wouldn't raising the gas tax be a low-tech solution to the same problem?

pizen: Wouldn't raising the gas tax be a low-tech solution to the same problem?

Stop making sense! Masshole's don't care much for sense, unless it's nonsense.

I don't know where to start re: taxing per-mile for gas... there are so many reasons why this won't happen anytime soon (it's been discussed in Oregon). For instance, our economy.

Looks like Dumbass Deval is at it again!

pizen: Wouldn't raising the gas tax be a low-tech solution to the same problem?

deval is talking about that too, up $.29. it's not like they hike RMV fee's every year, or double the tolls on the pike, or increase state police ticket quotas.

farkers!

Why is this not responsible budgeting? Sounds like it is.

DamnYankees: Why is this not responsible budgeting? Sounds like it is.

Because this puts the entire cost on the residents of that state and not others who don't live there, but drive there. You know, like tractor trailers. You know, the ones who tear up the road the most because they are the heaviest. Plus, you have to invest in a system to do all of this. How is that device on the window sticker going to get charged? etc, etc...

labman: Because this puts the entire cost on the residents of that state and not others who don't live there, but drive there.

Equally idiotic is that Massholes would then be charged per-mile by Massachusetts for driving on other states' roads as well.

Uakronkid: Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

My car doesn't fit in the microwave. The refrigerator maybe.

Wouldn't raising the gas tax be a low-tech solution to the same problem?

That's one low tech solution. Another is paying for roads out of general revenue because they are used by a large majority of the general public. Another is taking everybody involved in Big Dig management and anybody who collected more overtime than regular pay on the project and selling their organs.

How is that device on the window sticker going to get charged?

Passive RFID exists. Alternatively, it could be illegal to drive with a dead battery (charging it becomes your problem). Alter-alternatively, use a battery good for a year and change it every year during inspection.

Looks like Dumbass Deval is at it again!

He has help. There is a coordinated nationwide lobbying effort to track all vehicles, with the "crisis" of fuel efficient cars or a decline in driving invented as an excuse. Several other states have proposals pending.

labman: Because this puts the entire cost on the residents of that state and not others who don't live there, but drive there. You know, like tractor trailers. You know, the ones who tear up the road the most because they are the heaviest. Plus, you have to invest in a system to do all of this. How is that device on the window sticker going to get charged? etc, etc...

Shush, you. Paying fees to the government, no matter how ludacris, expensive, and assbackwards it may seem is your patriotic duty

Don't shatter DamnYankees world view.

Wow, good thing I'm going to get rid of my car!

Dust: labman: Because this puts the entire cost on the residents of that state and not others who don't live there, but drive there.

Equally idiotic is that Massholes would then be charged per-mile by Massachusetts for driving on other states' roads as well.

Where are my income tax payments going again?

The state would work to implement a pay-per-mile system by 2014 to eliminate tolls inside of Route 128. Officials would track auto use through a chip inside the state's vehicle inspection sticker. Drivers could get a gas tax refund to avoid double billing.

I look forward to downloading and tracking what politicians and state workers do with their vehicles!

State Rep. Steve Walsh (D-Lynn), who has called for a gas tax instead of a proposed toll hike, called the measure a good first step.

Note to self: drive around Mass when going to my NH and Maine destinations.

Sadly, I think you can expect this to happen on a national level within 20 years.

As we get closer, and closer to alternative fuel vehicles, and this will insure that they still get "their cut".

Also, the repugs will push it as needed for national security, and eventually, they'll be able to track you to such a degree, that you get speeding tickets automatically.

TommyymmoT: Sadly, I think you can expect this to happen on a national level within 20 years.

As we get closer, and closer to alternative fuel vehicles, and this will insure that they still get "their cut".

Also, the repugs will push it as needed for national security, and eventually, they'll be able to track you to such a degree, that you get speeding tickets automatically.

well, for the democrats - it's a tax issue. For the Republicans, it's a national security thing. For the rest of us - it's a big pain in the ass.

so much for 'land of the free and home of the brave'. we will meekly submit to government monitoring (for tax reasons or national security, take your pick). The reasons for why we'll submit aren't important. what's important is that we'll just give up more of our freedom, and we'll do so happily and without a fight.

what is it going to take before people wake the f*ck up?

I take it that there will be different tracking chips for different sizes vehicles, with SUVs paying more per mile than Honda Civics.

I see the beauty of this plan.
1) put RFID chips in inspection stickers (add cost/complexity/payroll)
2) give drivers a gas tax rebate so they're "not double billed" (which means "you've been double billed and we created another 1000 state jobs to shuffle more glorious paper."
3) retch all over yourself.

SchlingFocker: I take it that there will be different tracking chips for different sizes vehicles, with SUVs paying more per mile than Honda Civics.

Huh? You'll just be taxed at the rate that your specific vehicle was assigned. It wouldn't require "different chips", it would be taken care of in the billing system.

The tax part isn't so terribly bad, but if you think the information coming from these chips will only be used for revenue-collection purposes, I've got a nice bridge I'd like to sell ya.

Just jack up the gas tax and call it a day.

As someone with a boyfriend who drives from MA to NH every weekend (to see me!), I am NOT getting a kick out of this.

Da Bum: Easy... Register your car in another state that doesn't do that crap. Then there is no tracking of your vehicle by the Masshole tax department.

Then you can't park...anywhere. Due to the massive influx of college students, cars with out of state plates can't get a residential sticker, and unless you live in the Berkshires, everywhere you go is on street parking w/ residential sticker.

Uakronkid: Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

I'm thinking I could make a killing selling stick-on Faraday cages...

gustakooka: Where are my income tax payments going again?

I enjoy non-sequiturs as well. Panda Pajamas!

timujin: Uakronkid: Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

I'm thinking I could make a killing selling stick-on Faraday cages...

Wouldn't a piece of metal window screen stuck to both sides accomplish the same thing?

Dust: gustakooka: Where are my income tax payments going again?

I enjoy non-sequiturs as well. Panda Pajamas!

That's funny that you think its a non-sequitur. There exists a gas tax already, and our transit board is notoriously wasteful and corrupt. As long as you feel mismanagement of public funds is ok, then, PANDA PAJAMAS to you, sir.

Register your car in another state that doesn't do that crap.

Massachusetts set up a tip line for people to narc on their neighbors with cars registered out of state. The state and cities both get revenue from registration.

TommyymmoT: Wouldn't a piece of metal window screen stuck to both sides accomplish the same thing?

Hey now, you're cutting into my business model! But it's okay, there are people out there who wouldn't want to bother doing it themself.

I could get Billy Mays to hawk it on late night television... Have a couple of videos of people trying to cut their own screens, only to chop off a finger or stab a small child, with him yelling, "Is cutting your own screen too hard? Get the Insta-Farady, guaranteed to block all unwanted radio transmissions!"

ZAZ: Massachusetts set up a tip line for people to narc on their neighbors with cars registered out of state.

pfft, my county has a whole fleet of cops that drive around all day, mostly in the blue collar and apartment-heavy neighborhoods, just looking for sticker and plate violations. There was a big debate a few years ago about whether they would have the right to enter underground parking garages of apartment buildings to look for violations.

Ooo. I came here to see Gary mention they're talking about similar idiocy with GPS in OR. He must be off today.

I thought conservatives were big on "user pays" models and disliked the idea of the state providing expensive services to people for free. Huh.

This sounds like the best possible way to do it. People who use it pay for it. Yes, I know that we ALL in some way use roads, but this makes sense to me. If you don't like it, then drive less.

I'm moving out of MA this year so I finally don't give a fark what they do.

what_now: Then you can't park...anywhere. Due to the massive influx of college students, cars with out of state plates can't get a residential sticker, and unless you live in the Berkshires, everywhere you go is on street parking w/ residential sticker.

That's such a lame state. Good thing I have no desire to live in or visit Taxachussetts.

I'll take my flyover state and easier vehicle laws over those in the NE. Plus, I'm less likely to run into all those nanny state liberals.

Disapproves

lunchinlewis: ZAZ: Massachusetts set up a tip line for people to narc on their neighbors with cars registered out of state.

pfft, my county has a whole fleet of cops that drive around all day, mostly in the blue collar and apartment-heavy neighborhoods, just looking for sticker and plate violations. There was a big debate a few years ago about whether they would have the right to enter underground parking garages of apartment buildings to look for violations.

now there are systems mounted on cop cars (i saw it on video two years ago) and then in person a year ago in the burbs of NYC, basically two cameras mounted at the ends of the light bars pointed down and out to read the plates of parked cars and then basically OCR the plate and run it without the cop doing anything but driving by it.

i also recall reading an article about two years ago with NYS putting RFIDs into the registration stickers to get you speeding on stretches of highway. if i recall the article said the system was in testing outside the albany region.

FootInMouthDisease: Uakronkid Just run it in the microwave for 5 seconds. Problem solved.

would a powerful rare earth magnet suffice?

Probably not, though if there is any more of a mechanism than a silicon chip,the magnet will probably keep it from working while you keep the magnet close to the chip. I haven't tried this with rfid, just other random things.

Get your inspection stickers here.....Looks just like the real thing.

RFID jammers available for a slightly higher price.

I'd flee to New Hampshire, but the Massholes have already overrun the state. That would not be so bad, but they bring their bad voting habits with them.

/

Thank you Massachusetts...just when we Rhode Islanders feel bad about our state sucking, you lower the bar.

Da Bum: I'll take my flyover state and easier vehicle laws over those in the NE. Plus, I'm less likely to run into all those nanny state liberals anyone.

Kinda strange how midwesterners are so nice and friendly but live so far apart.

Wolfmanjames: I'd flee to New Hampshire, but the Massholes have already overrun the state. That would not be so bad, but they bring their bad voting habits with them.

Yeah, but you'll be thinking ahead for the upcoming NH revolution!

Wait, they are going to pay for highway with taxes? That's crazy talk, right subby? I mean, normally those things are built by alien slave armies.