Beware the thieving toll operators.

robbie99

Last Saturday morning I was going through the new M7/M8 toll at Portlaoise and handed over a fiver to the cashier at the booth. He asked me if I wanted a receipt and I said no thanks, the change will do. I saw on the approach that the toll was €1.80 and when I got my change I rolled up the window and floored it. But later at the Watergrasshill toll where I thought I'd have enough, I realised that I was given €1.80 in change rather than the expected €3.20. .

At first I thought that the cashier can't count or must've pulled a sly one and is pocketing the difference but when I got onto Midlink the operators I was told that what likely happened was that the cashier mistook my car for a commercial vehicle!! She said that if the car has tinted windows and the cashier can't see the rear seats then they charge the commercial rate which is €3.20. WTF, my car's a 3 series coupe not an effing van... And the windows aren't tinted, they're shiny because I keep them clean... I asked them if there's anything that can be done to correct this mistake and that maybe they could review their video footage and get back to me (they didn't offer to refund and have yet to come back to me).

Anyone else with this experience?

jaffa20

Could have just been a genuine mistake. Ah well. Happens to me all the time in Dunnes or Tesco. Never on a toll though.

Nonoperational

I'd put my money on the operator getting confused with taking in €1.80 and giving back €1.80. Genuine mistake if your dealing with it for hours on end I'd suggest.

GTE

It could have been a genuine mistake but the real thieving part of it is when you come off the M4 to find diesel, get it and then find out that you have to pay again!!

They dont make it clear you need to have a receipt to get back on for free.

Anger.

Henry Ford III

I passed through there also on Saturday morning, and got an extra €1.40 in the change :D

John Lynch Ph.D

On the way to Limerick it seems they've decided its ok to toll for an unfinished motorway

Lord Nikon

I have a better story.

Yesterday, heading Westbound through the M4 Toll, I kept to the right to get through the Express lane. Fail. Camera/RFID reader doesnt read my Tag, so I have to cross about 6 lanes to get to the other Tag Only lane, and this doesnt read it either. Guess what comes up on the meter, €4.30. WTF, I'm driving an A4 Avant.

Meh, had to use the intercom to get them to let me through.

Typical, put the 2 Tag lanes as far away from each other as you can.

flanzer

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

On the way to Limerick it seems they've decided its ok to toll for an unfinished motorway

Too true. Anyone who uses this toll is getting thieved.

I drove down to Tipp on Friday and back yesterday and timed the journeys from the end of the Portlaoise bypass to the small roundabout on the Limerick side of Borris-in-Ossery and vice versa on the way back but not using the motorway. This sector of the journey saved me 3 minutes by using the motorway on the way down but was 4Km longer all for a fee of €1.80.

Until the motorway is completely finished, I'll still be going through Mountrath and Borris-in-Arse!

hurleronditch

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

On the way to Limerick it seems they've decided its ok to toll for an unfinished motorway

Already discussed here, quite a regular occurence. The watergrasshill motorway was tolling when there was only about 15 miles of it back in 2006, plus i believe there are many other examples.

Noone likes it but it happens.

EPM

I've had them charge me a multiple of the service fee on my tag for a number of months.

Hard to sort it out afterwards. Customer service is poor. Confrontational at times.

I wouldn't back down OP

Bogger77

neuromancer wrote: »

I have a better story.

Yesterday, heading Westbound through the M4 Toll, I kept to the right to get through the Express lane. Fail. Camera/RFID reader doesnt read my Tag, so I have to cross about 6 lanes to get to the other Tag Only lane, and this doesnt read it either. Guess what comes up on the meter, €4.30. WTF, I'm driving an A4 Avant.

Meh, had to use the intercom to get them to let me through.

Typical, put the 2 Tag lanes as far away from each other as you can.

you can use your tag through any of the open lanes, even the cashier ones.

I usually have trouble with the M8 N @ watergrasshill not reading, but i just go to the cash only lane, wait a couple of seconds, and the sign flashes paid, and the barrier lifts.

sesna

OP may I politely suggest that in future you check your change before "flooring" it.

Lord Nikon

Bogger77 wrote: »

you can use your tag through any of the open lanes, even the cashier ones.

I usually have trouble with the M8 N @ watergrasshill not reading, but i just go to the cash only lane, wait a couple of seconds, and the sign flashes paid, and the barrier lifts.

Yeah, but you have to give your tag to the cashier to enter the code in. So much for Express.

BrianJD

The toll at the Watergrasshill is 1.90. I regularly just put 2 euro in the unmanned barriers. I wonder how many people do this and how much extra Direct Route make from lazy people like me.

H8GHOTI

BrianJD wrote: »

The toll at the Watergrasshill is 1.90. I regularly just put 2 euro in the unmanned barriers. I wonder how many people do this and how much extra Direct Route make from lazy people like me.

I do that as well. And I'd say we'd not the only two :pac:
Trying to get €1.90 change out of your pocket and count it while doing 120km/hr isn't the easiest. I don't go through it that often, so never remember to get the change ready before I leave.
They must be making a fortune off us, all those 10c would add up.

rebel.ranter

Get the change ready before you leave the house, that's what I do, although the odd time I do just throw the €2 in.
It amazes me the carry on of some people approaching & at the toll scrambling for change holding those up behind them, or worse weaving dangerously as they pull the change out of their pockets.
I'm travelling the route every week now so plummed for a tag, by the sounds of the above it looks like it will be no more easier!

Lord Nikon

Somewhat off-topic, but nothing annoys me more than someone going straight for the righthand lane, while there is nothing to overtake. Only cutting me off while I exit the Express lane...

unkel

sesna wrote: »

OP may I politely suggest that in future you check your change before "flooring" it.

Aahwww don't spoil his fun. One of the few remaining nice things about driving in this country is doing a 0-200km/h at full blast

L1011

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

On the way to Limerick it seems they've decided its ok to toll for an unfinished motorway

*sigh*

Once again. Midlink's section of the M7, the only bit they are responsible for building and for tolling, is finished.

Every further section of the M7 will be free.

Why are people finding this hard to fathom?? I never saw this when the other toll roads opened on then unfinished MIUs.

Absurdum

unkel wrote: »

Aahwww don't spoil his fun. One of the few remaining nice things about driving in this country is doing a 0-200km/h at full blast

I'm sure you meant 120 km/h amiright

*mounts high horse, calls cops*

brownacid

H8GHOTI wrote: »

I do that as well. And I'd say we'd not the only two :pac:
Trying to get €1.90 change out of your pocket and count it while doing 120km/hr isn't the easiest. I don't go through it that often, so never remember to get the change ready before I leave.
They must be making a fortune off us, all those 10c would add up.

I remember hearing a few years back before they got rid of the toll booth on the M50 that the Christmas party and bonuses used to be pretty much paid for by the extra cash they'd get from the baskets.

Stinicker

I keep about 6 money bags in my car with exactly €1.90 in them which will get me from Kerry to Belfast return.

Fermoy €1.90
Portlaoise €1.80
M1 Gormanstown €1.80
M50 €3 unregistered ANPR

Which means that to drive from Kerry to Belfast costs €17 in tolls which is bloody expensive.

Victor

bbk wrote: »

It could have been a genuine mistake but the real thieving part of it is when you come off the M4 to find diesel, get it and then find out that you have to pay again!!

They dont make it clear you need to have a receipt to get back on for free.

You expect them to just believe you?

Several motorways have this option, if you pay, exit and re-enter the same tolled section within X hours, you only have to pay one toll.

roosterman71

John Lynch Ph.D wrote: »

On the way to Limerick it seems they've decided its ok to toll for an unfinished motorway

Oh man

The PPP is finished and opened. So the toll is opened too. The contractor has fulfilled its obligation to build the M7/M8 scheme and so is well within their rights to charge you to use it. If you don't like it, go around it on the old route.

KamiKazi

Genuine mistake I'd say, we're all human.

Gregor Samsa

brownacid wrote: »

I remember hearing a few years back before they got rid of the toll booth on the M50 that the Christmas party and bonuses used to be pretty much paid for by the extra cash they'd get from the baskets.

Dublin Bus give unclaimed change to charity after a certain period. The change receipts they give out (they don't give cash change) are only valid for a certain period of time, so they need to hang onto the money in case someone claims it during this time, but after that, they donate it. The toll companies should be made do the same thing - particularly for the bucket lanes where it's not possible to get change.

robbie99

KamiKazi wrote: »

Genuine mistake I'd say, we're all human.

That's what most people are suggesting here and is what I initially thought but if it's a genuine mistake why don't they offer to refund me now that they know about their mistake?

Morpheus

hmmmm €2 for a €1..90 fare....

theres a coin return slot on those automated cash toll booths... i always find change in there and take it

Also, you ever opened your door and looked down? tons of change on the ground!!!

monkeypants

Morphéus wrote: »

Also, you ever opened your door and looked down? tons of change on the ground!!!

That's my Ma's money. Whenever I'm in the car with her, she just drives up and throws money at the basket. Misses completely most times. Can't be told.