Smart Phones

So the other day I was thinking to myself. Hell, I’m always thinking to myself when I’m driving in the car and I’m stuck in a traffic jam.

But anyways, the reason I was stuck in the jam was cos my touch n go card was out of credit. Normally I’d be cruising past tolls on the smart TAG lane.

So I’ve thought to myself before- why doesn’t everyone invest in a smart TAG gadget? Yes it is pricey, but for the amount of money (from burning fuel when your car is idling in the jam) and time you save with it, it is worth every sen! Coming from a smart TAG user, you don’t know how many times I’ve said ‘boy am I glad I have smart TAG!’ the ridiculous amount of traffic you can beat is incredible. Think of it as a long term investment. No, this isn’t an advertorial. (LOL)

Anyways, smart TAG wasn’t supposed to be the main topic of my post, the main point of my post was supposed to be this note I saved on my phone:

“Phones should act as smart tags”.

See, when you’re stuck in the jam, you think of all these strange things. I was thinking about how to solve the problem of traffic jams at tolls. And I came up with 2 answers- abolish all tolls (obviously unreasonable lol) or make smart TAG free. So everybody would be using it and there wouldn’t be anymore toll traffic. But then again, it would be hard to make all these lazy people get off their asses to collect their free gadgets, so why not make phones have the capabilities to act as smart TAGs?

People would enable blue tooth or something on their phone, and when they drive by the toll, the fare would just be deducted from their credit or added to their phone bill! Haha, maybe it isn’t technically possible at this point in time, but I’m sure as technology develops, such an idea becomes viable.

Minister of transportation? Fo sho! lol

8 thoughts on “Smart Phones”

  1. Hi,

    Below is my comment for the 1st 3 paragraphs above.
    I do have touch-n-go card but I do not own any smart TAG. My main reason was, based on my experience on the highway* that I used most of the time (to work), smtimes I see either the car that just went inside the smart lane end up have to reverse. When I see this, there is 2 things come into my mind. One* is the driver forget to bring the smart TAG. Two* is the detector have problem. I could be bias by based on my friends and cousin experience they have couple of weeks ago, they told me when they use the Sprint highway and the LDP highway (Bandar Sri Damansara), the smart* detector deduct their smart TAG balance that is contain at least 50++ (basically there is still enough money to use the highway). This happen twice. But luckily they manage to take back their money.

    Although I use touch-n-go card for traveling, sometimes I still use the manual ‘bayar tunai’ especially when I need to go a place that is job related matters.This is because only that, I can make claims. Maybe you can say is my company policies problem on why not just give us extra allowance or buy us a smart TAG.But, what I trying to say is, there is still a reason for those 3 diff type of lanes to be there. Sorry, I mean 2 diff types since I can also use touch-n-go card on the ‘tunai’ lane.

    Regarding your others comment on smart TAG bluetooth thing*, well yea…it could be done. Assuming this technology is already there, I think it still require some times for people to migrate to newer technology for using toll highway. If the technology not just allow the user to have a free smart TAG service in their mobile but, also allow them to have a ‘receipt’ to be print out from their mobile (just some random thoughts), then I think company (HR) will have no problem at all since they no need to change their policies on making claims.
    Anyway, just my 2 cents.

    cheers.

    Reply
  2. well georgey boy its sort of a good thing they have tolls one of the reason is there are more jobs for your fellow machans..if not the unemployment rate will be high..by the way in melbourne there are tolls like wat u said all of them are “smart tag lanes”if those who doesnt have smart tags they have to pay at 7-11 or online or post office..or even on the phone..so use it then pay later or u can pay in advance..tons of camera pointing towards your car as u pass the scanner device

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  3. They should just learn from Singapore and have an ERP system. Just goes to show what a good government can do!

    George for Minister of Transportation!! Waive my traffic summonses! (Remember, I voted you in, and I’ll vote you out if you don’t waive them)

    Reply
  4. but it is because of ppl who DONT use smart tag that affords u the luxury of skipping toll jams lol. If everyone used smart tags, you ld probably have no toll jams but just ur regular traffic jams.

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  5. passby : yeah, I’ve had some bad experiences with people jamming up the smart tag lane, but it doesn’t happen so much nowadays. back when smart tag first came out, their detectors sucked pretty hard, and the old smart tags couldn’t work if they were too hot (i.e. under the sun for a long time). but the later models have been improved and detectors seem to function better now. so its mostly those people who choose not to replace their batteries that cause jams.

    i guess if you need the receipts for claiming purposes. but i don’t have that luxury at my office, and its mostly for personal use anyway.

    thanks for taking the time to read and leaving feedback, i didn’t expect a serious discussion stemming from my post haha.

    Chung Sin : that’s why we’re still 3rd world. haha

    Kinson : I’d start by banning crappy cars on the roads and making decent cars affordable. haha

    Alvin : one jam less is better than having two jams right?

    bea : hm. good point. haha, well maybe the device could be installed in the car then. taking away the need for phones/smart tag

    Reply

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