[Astonite]

Originally Posted by Coyote

Here's another real life scenario - what if the person whose car it is, is not present in the country or otherwise unable to add balance to the fastag? My parents are presently abroad and I use their car from time to time to ensure it runs well....

I guess you're trying to say you don't know if there is enough balance or not. I use 3 cars and none of them are in my name (I just sold mine). I can check the balance whenever I know there is going to be a charge on my fastag. Would even suggest to recharge for 500rs or so to ensure your family doesn't have to go through the same ordeal as yours.
Apps like CRED even allow you to check the balance (attached image below) - you can add it to any UPI app without it directly linked to you and do recharge.

In your suggestion of UPI, say the money has been debited and the merchant hasn't gotten the money. I've had cases where I had to resend again, and the next day both the times money got debited.

It's not a fair argument to say UPI is better than fastag or vice versa. Fastag reduces the time spent at tolls/parking, the hassle of payment going through or not going through (UPI), no signal in basement for card machine etc while it adds an additional wallet layer which can be done at your own leisure.

[Coyote]

Originally Posted by devilwearsprada

I would rather have people use Fastag than stand behind someone waiting for them to take out their card and ask the parking guy to get the machine and then take another minute for the transaction to go through.

If it as close as parents I am sure you can add their fastag account to your UPI provider(paytm) I dont see this as an issue :P

It isn't a question of whether I can add to the fastag balance, it is that in cases where the fastag is not linked to my number, I am not aware of the exact balance without checking for it on the spot / recharging on the spot, or if there have been excess deductions. Further, the onus is on me to correct deductions, if any. This, to me, is a needless hassle.

If I had the option to choose whether to pay via fastag or cash or other mechanisms, I would much rather opt for that. Yes, fastag makes it convenient, but there are real hassles that come with using it to pay in places you do not expect fastag as the payment mechanism.

Originally Posted by binand

There is a defined procedure to deal with excess deductions on Fastags. There is a procedure to deal with disparities in quoted charge and deducted charge as well. They don't involve holding up the entire line while you argue it out with the minimum-wage, zero-discretionary-power parking attendant.

Also malls in Bangalore are dime a dozen - you can always choose to vote with your feet.

These seem to be berating the system for one's own failures.

Different strokes I can choose to vote with my feet by not returning to the mall, but it does not help the first time around.

There is indeed a process to deal with disparities. The onus however is still on me. This also extends the transaction beyond a simple payment for a service availed. If I were given the option of using fastag or other payment modes, I would be thrilled. However, by the time you get to the payment booth the deduction has already happened from the fastag, negating my choice entirely.

Originally Posted by Astonite

I can check the balance whenever I know there is going to be a charge on my fastag. Would even suggest to recharge for 500rs or so to ensure your family doesn't have to go through the same ordeal as yours.

I do absolutely check when I know when there is going to be a charge, say when I'm going to be on the highway. I do not however know I will need fastag payments for running around in the city.

In any event, I am in the minority here.

[Haldian]

Brookfield Mall at AECS Layout and Forum Shantiniketan (BLR) had this implemented and its super convenient to not hunt for wallet or phone at the exit.

There certainly should be an option to pay alternatively. I usually borrow my cousin’s car when I goto NCR and I remain totally in dark about the deductions from ‘his’ fastag account. In absence of alternatives, here’s what I do. I try to keep adding the toll charges on the big boards at toll but it’s possible to miss due to placement or traffic in between. Anyways, I figured out the Fastag issuing bank from the sticker on the car and can pay a round amount into the fastag account via paytm etc.

So, is there a way that a fastag can be temporarily blocked? And should there be a mobile ‘personal’ fastag that can be temporarily taped to car so has to have absolute control via sms etc. But thats not allowed since a fastag has to have a car associated with it.

In a nutshell, the dynamics have shifted more towards having ‘personal’ vehicles rather than shared ones for sure.

[Malyaj]

Originally Posted by Coyote

My issue is that if the parking structure is enabled with fastag deduction, I have no say on the payment mode to be used. Earlier, I could choose cash or card or even UPI based payment mechanisms. Now, that choice is taken away.

Did we have any say when cash was the only method of payment at parking lots (and continues to be in some)?

Let's imagine some scenarios:

1. A vehicle is not Fastag equipped - No problemo. You pay cash, same amount as everyone and not double.
2. A vehicle is Fastag equipped but has less balance than required. Again no problemo. You pay cash, same amount as everyone and not double. Has happened few times with me at Sakra Hospital.
3. A vehicle is Fastag equipped, but does not belong to the person driving it and this person doesn't want the owner to bear the massive brunt of parking charges. But alas, the fast tag is 'fast' and deducts before the driver can yell "Hey, I was going to foot that bill". In such a scenario you can always have an understanding with the owner of the car about who would bear the charges. I am sure that if you are driving someone else's car, there is some kind of amicable relation between the 2 parties and it is not a very difficult conversation.
4. A vehicle is Fastag equipped, but the owner wants to pay cash, because they anticipate using a toll road subsequently and believe that they have just enough balance for the toll road and will not be able to recharge after leaving the parking lot, for some reason. I can't imagine what this reason could be, but let's say it is very compelling, I still can't see any system in the world that accommodates all possible scenarios. Systems tend to be one size fits all, not just Fastag. Just think how many times this last scenario is likely to play out in real life.

Originally Posted by Coyote

It isn't a question of whether I can add to the fastag balance, it is that in cases where the fastag is not linked to my number, I am not aware of the exact balance without checking for it on the spot / recharging on the spot, or if there have been excess deductions. Further, the onus is on me to correct deductions, if any. This, to me, is a needless hassle.

Under what scenarios will you not know the Fastag balance?

1. The vehicle belongs to a friend/relative. Isn't it better to enquire about the Fastag balance while accepting the car? That is also a courteous thing to do, to avoid petty feelings about small parking or toll charges later?
2. The vehicle is shared in the family, say between husband and wife, like my car is. The same principle as above applies.

I get your point fundamentally, that the system creates a scenario where you might be found wanting. But think realistically how often is that likely to happen. The best practice is to always maintain sufficient balance. Even if you are driving the cheapest car in the world, maintaining a Fastag balance of Rs 500 or something is not a big deal at all. You are unlikely to require more than that on regular intra city drives, or even occasional toll roads.

My point is that to benefit from certain systems we also have a bare minimum responsibility. If we want to be free of the hassle of carrying change, we need to have a UPI app and sufficient balance in the wallet / account. You don't simply wave Rs 20 to a pani puri wala do you? You need a certain technological preparedness yourself.

[sidpunjabi]

Originally Posted by Coyote

Here's another real life scenario - what if the person whose car it is, is not present in the country or otherwise unable to add balance to the fastag? My parents are presently abroad and I use their car from time to time to ensure it runs well.

G-Pay and many other UPI apps, which have Fastag as a biller, allow you to add money to the Fastag, even if the car is NOT in your name. All you need to do is select your Fastag issuer and enter the car number and it's done.
I top up the tag on my parents' cars all the time. It's near-instant and there's no surcharge on UPI transactions, so you get 100% of your money's worth.