How to Deal with Someone Else Using Your ETC on the Highway
3 Answers
After someone else uses your ETC on the highway, you can slightly reverse your car (ensuring safety behind you) to let the ETC system re-recognize your vehicle. Being recognized twice will not affect the final toll charge, meaning you won't be charged twice when exiting the highway. Additionally, you can request manual assistance to lift the ETC lane barrier. If there are staff present, explain the situation to them. The ETC installation process is as follows: Upon receiving the device, first check if the ETC card and electronic tag (OBU) are damaged. Press the anti-tamper button on the back of the OBU; a red light will briefly turn on, and the OLED screen will display 'Invalid, please insert card,' indicating the device is functioning properly. Clean the front windshield, ensuring the surface is smooth, clean, and dry. Then, peel off the adhesive backing of the OBU and stick it to the installation position. Press firmly for 2-3 minutes to remove any air bubbles. Insert the ETC card with the front facing the driver and the back facing the windshield, ensuring the chip is inserted into the OBU device. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Avoids the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Promotes low-carbon travel by allowing vehicles to pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by decreasing the frequency of vehicle starts and stops, lowering wear and fuel consumption. Users also enjoy a 5% discount on toll fees; Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase vehicle processing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC systems more updated, faster, and more technologically advanced. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous.
Last time at the highway exit, someone also piggybacked on my ETC. The car behind me tailgated closely and zoomed past as the barrier lifted, letting them through directly. I was so furious that I pulled over immediately and called 12122 to report it. The staff asked me to note down the time and lane number, and reminded me to check my ETC bill for duplicate charges. Later, it turned out the other car's license plate was captured, and the highway administration directly blacklisted them to reclaim the fee. Now I've learned my lesson—I pay extra attention to the rearview mirror when passing toll booths. If I see a car following too closely, I deliberately slow down and wait for the barrier to drop before scanning again. It's also a good idea to keep a parking contact number card in your car, so you can reach the other party in case of ETC piggybacking.
Last month during my commute, I encountered an ETC toll evasion incident where a black car zoomed past before the barrier could drop. I immediately retrieved the dashcam footage and reported it via the 'China ETC Service' mini-program on WeChat. Within three days of submitting the evidence, I received feedback on the handling. Now when approaching toll stations, I proactively observe the behavior of vehicles behind me. If I spot a suspicious car, I remain stationary until the preceding vehicle fully passes before proceeding. It's advisable to mount the ETC device behind the rearview mirror rather than the center of the windshield, making it harder to evade. Next time this happens, directly report dangerous driving to the police - far more satisfying than just compensating for losses.
