Technology

I don't know the correct answer to this exactly, but given that I've only driven my car (hybrid) about 4k miles total over the last 2 years since I got it (April '24), and paid less (but not $0) in gas tax, but still got hit with the full $130 extra fee is absolutely infuriating. I hadn't even owned it a full year yet but still had to pay a non pro-rated amount (my previous car was a regular gas car).

I'm basically paying almost 6x the rate per mile since I drive so little. I'm the one stuck paying extra because I can't afford to drive enough to justify the full amount, and subsidizing some high mileage driver out there.

I realize tracking mileage has privacy implications, so I don't know a perfect solution, but it fucking SUCKS to get ripped off this hard. While being on disability due to injury and other surgeries, too. I mean I'm still building strength and endurance back to be capable of working again, preferably this year, but I'm the meantime, taxes are fucking killing me.

At least with an EV I would have 0 in gas taxes instead of paying the "not paying gas tax" fee on top of the gas tax- while gas is almost $5 a gallon.

So much bullshit.

Edit- I just noticed that my state does offer a mileage based option, but you have to plug a doodad plugged in the ol Ob2 port or whatever it's called. And then use an app to upload your mileage information, which I believe happens more than once a year, which is weird and more privacy breaking, given that registration is only assessed once a year (or less, if you pay 2 or 3 years ahead). That gives them not only your total mileage for the year, but which month you got those miles in.

I assume per month, but I don't actually know. I assume it's once per year, because they added that in addition to using that device and the app, that you have to annually send a photo of your odometer to what they actually called "true up" your info.

If they're relying on that photo to be the most reliable part, then that should be the only part needed. It's basically screaming in our face that the device and app is definitely just for "spying purposes that we actually make money on".

Personally I don't want to even give them the photo, especially since it's about a $150 fee a year. So given that I drive less than a quarter of whatever is normal now (I've heard "normal" is 10-15k miles per year, but I've only heard it from my parents, so I don't actually know- and again I've gotten about 5k over 2 years), I see this as being assessed it to be a little under $40 for the actual fee, and a little over $100 for the "keep your nose out of my business" fee.