M50 toll penalty and appealing it

theoneeyedman

Hi
Just at the butt end of a few tough weeks here at home, where the wifes dad spent a few weeks in hospital and sadly passed away last week. During this we had 1 return trip to Dublin, crossed the M50 and forgot about the toll. 2 penalty notices landed today, e46 each!! Quite apart from the fairness or otherwise of a e40 penalty for administering the penalty, is there any appeal that can be made to this, or what is the best way to go about it ?

MagicMarker

Why do you want to appeal it? You used the toll bridge and didn't pay for it. It sucks but that's life.

Jimbob 83

You used the toll and didn't pay, it will only go up.

I would just pay it tbh

crosstownk

Did you not get the earlier €6.00 notices?

Anan1

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Hi
Just at the butt end of a few tough weeks here at home, where the wifes dad spent a few weeks in hospital and sadly passed away last week. During this we had 1 return trip to Dublin, crossed the M50 and forgot about the toll. 2 penalty notices landed today, e46 each!! Quite apart from the fairness or otherwise of a e40 penalty for administering the penalty, is there any appeal that can be made to this, or what is the best way to go about it ?

Ring them, talk to them, come to an arrangement.

CiniO

Only what can make you feel better is that you are not alone.
I use M50 toll bridge few times a year (up to 10 usually) and I can't remember last time I paid it in time. It's always a penalty notice which is reminding me to pay it for double the price.
I think it must be some part of my brain missing, which is responsible for remembering to pay this particular toll.
I'd say on average 10% of those toll are paid by me on time, while remaining 90% are paid with fines.

Looks like I just have to live with it.

theoneeyedman

crosstownk wrote: »

Did you not get the earlier €6.00 notices?

Yea came one of the days of the funeral....tbh that was more important at the time and clean forgot it since.
Might just ring them and see how i get on...

Anan1

theoneeyedman wrote: »

....most of the heartless bastards seem to be on here tonight, so i might have a chance of coming to an arrangment

That attitude will get right up their noses - if you want their help then i'd treat the person you talk to with a bit of decency.

crosstownk

Ring them. I did it before as I'd missed the €6.00 deadline because I was on holidays. They reverted the €46.00 back to €6.00 and the woman I spoke to said that she would "do it only once for this registration number". I don't know if this is the official policy but it does sound reasonable. Give it a go.

Jimbob 83

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Yea came one of the days of the funeral....tbh that was more important at the time and clean forgot it since.
Might just ring them and see how i get on....most of the heartless bastards seem to be on here tonight, so i might have a chance of coming to an arrangment

You got straight answers and you didn't like them, i would just have rang the company tbh as 100 people all saying "Shurrre aren't they awful feckers" achieves nothing.

Just explain your situation

Madam_X

Theoneeyedman, it's not about being heartless "bastards" (nice). It's just the reality. The toll crowd don't know your situation. You'd have gotten earlier notices for the initial, smaller penalty I think two/three weeks ago anyway.

Definitely ring them to see if they'll set up a payment plan or something.

Cinio, they have a non tag account just for the m50 which has no standing charge - why not register for that? I have it ages and used it once - the toll is cheaper and that's the only charge. I've other family members' cars on it too.

Eggonyerface

If you set up a video account they will probably put the tolls minus the fines on the account. It doesn't sound like you use the toll much but in future tolls will be taken once a month from the card you gave them at a reduced rate. You won't need to remember to pay each time

-Corkie-

That e flow crowd have a talk to forum here and they generally are very helpful but as said above be nice and explain your situation. Sorry for your loss too.

crosstownk

Slightly OT but I'll throw this up anyway as I used the M50 for a long time before coming to my senses and getting a tag. I've wasted hundreds of Euros by missing the 8pm deadline.

1. The 8pm deadline is not exact. You'll usually be OK if you pay the toll within 24 hours of the 8pm deadline but obviously this is not guaranteed but in my experience it works just fine.

2. If you use the M50 and forget to pay you incur a €6.00 fine. Let's say you completely forget about this fine. Then you use the M50 twice a week later (the €6.00 notice for the previous toll hasn't arrived in the post yet). You go to a Pay Zone outlet and pay for your two most recent trips. BUT the €6.00 gets allocated to the initial €6.00 fine that you forgot about. Next thing you know is that you get two more €6.00 fines! I've been stung many times with this. Bear it in mind, folks!

Jimbob 83

You have 24h+ to pay i don't get why it's so hard tbh, even us culchies manage it

CiniO

Jimbob 83 wrote: »

You have 24h+ to pay i don't get why it's so hard tbh, even us culchies manage it

In the worst case it's only 20 hours - if you are crossing just before midnight.

Madam_X

Well you're not speaking for all culchies in fairness.

Nah it's easy to forget - but whatever about people using it once or twice a year, it seems madness for those using it every month or so not to register for the free account.

Henry Ford III

Sympathies to the OP. Small things like road tolls are unimportant when people are sick.

I too recommend contacting the operators. Maybe they'll show some leniency and decency?