I drove through castleknock toll by mistake

Reati

BaRcOe wrote: »

So am I the first person in the whole wide world to have made this mistake?

Nope and I hazard a guess they didn't get letters either till the fine was pretty large.

ted1

BaRcOe wrote: »

Reati wrote: »

You reported posts for telling you to pay more attention on the busiest road network in the country? Grown up.

You got opinions but you don't like most of them. It's a running theme on boards the people come on, ask a question and don't like the answers and start referring to posters with insults like ***...s.

But people completely ignored the fact that I had never been on these roads before, the fact that I was a new driver and had the car just 6 days.

Stating the obvious like "open your eyes" just sounds like my Mom. I didn't come on here to get a Mom response. I was looking for somebody who can relate as a new driver on motorways.

Also as an L driver I wasn't allowed on Motorways, so its all new to me. During the heat of the moment, I was keeping an eye on my lanes and concentrating at switching lanes, and listening to google maps directions.

If you just had the car 6 days. The system may not have been updated and the notice went to the previous owner/ garage

endacl

BaRcOe wrote: »

And they didn't notify me of my fine because? There's no reason they shouldn't have sent me a letter saying I owe them €46. It goes up to €103 each way in two weeks. Still I wouldn't have known. No letter. No call. Nothing.

You only had the car a few days. Perhaps the notice went to the previous owner, who ignored it because it wasn’t their problem?

Just in case it hasn’t been mentioned, by the way, there are loads of bleedin’ massive signs all along that stretch reminding you to pay the toll!

BaRcOe

Sleeper12 wrote: »

There is a way around this fee.

First thing is to phone them and explain everything. They will either have pity or they won't. If they still want full payment ask about registering for a video tag. "usually" they will wave the fines if you set up an account with them. You'll be on their system then & they like this. A video tag is free & it reduces the toll by 50c per crossing. With the video tag you will only ever pay for each use. No standing charge or anything like that.

Good luck & please let us know how you got on

Thank you for a constructive, non-criticising response. I will look into a video tag and call and register with them tomorrow

Fighting Tao

BaRcOe wrote: »

So am I the first person in the whole wide world to have made this mistake?

99.99999% of people are observant enough to see the signs. Even people coming up from the country know about it. Observation skills are hugely important while driving.

There are many other threads like yours on Boards. Your mistakes are your responsibility.

BaRcOe

Fighting Tao wrote: »

99.99999% of people are observant enough to see the signs. Even people coming up from the country know about it. Observation skills are hugely important while driving.

There are many other threads like yours on Boards. Your mistakes are your responsibility.

Agreed, fair enough. I will try and be more observant

With great power comes great responsibility.

BaRcOe

endacl wrote: »

You only had the car a few days. Perhaps the notice went to the previous owner, who ignored it because it wasn’t their problem?

Just in case it hasn’t been mentioned, by the way, there are loads of bleedin’ massive signs all along that stretch reminding you to pay the toll!

Omg no way, is there purple signs? And 20 of them? Great! I will look out for them from now on!

pleas advice

'Toll' ?
Wheres that? Shur that's nothin to do with me, I'm goin to Naas

BaRcOe

Del2005 wrote: »

why would you miss your exit? And more importantly it'll reroute you so in Ireland missing a junction isn't a major issue.

I missed it because I wasn't sure which lane to be in. So then google maps re-routed me up the m50 through the toll. So I blame Google Maps for bringing me through the toll twice! :rolleyes:

Effects

Isn't it only €6.50 if you don't pay on time, and then it increases after that if you don't pay?

ligerdub

BaRcOe wrote:

People who are saying "DID YOU NOT SEE THE SIGNS?". I was concentrating on my lanes whilst my girlfriend kept an eye on the phone with google maps directing us. She doesn't drive so she definitely had no idea about the toll. I do recall seeing m50 toll sign, but thought it was a pre warning for an upcoming toll. I was keeping an eye on my road position / lane so that I wouldn't miss my exit. If I started to read all the signs I would have missed my exit.

Don't mind them. Mostly idiots who have forgotten what it's like to drive on the motorway the first couple of times and the things you're focusing on is different to an experienced driver.

It is reasonably easy to forget paying the toll later on. Yes you are informed via the big signs that you have to pay, but that's not to say you can't let it slip your mind when you get home.

I myself forgot once and was only able to keep the fine down because i paid the first notice. You obviously didn't see/receive this for some reason.

I suggest getting in touch and explaining you've not seen the notice and to double check the records versus yours. You should be able to come to some sort of fair deal.

Sleeper12

BaRcOe wrote:

Thank you for a constructive, non-criticising response. I will look into a video tag and call and register with them tomorrow

Oh I forgot : you should look at where you are going in future!

Joke.

I live in Dublin and drive for a living. I spend over 100 per month on tolls so you'd think that know my way around. I've gone onto the toll road in error too & I'm driving over 30 years

twowheelsonly

OP, Welcome to the land of perfect drivers who lie in wait for posters like you, who'll admit to making a mistake, then swoop to condemn you for having the temerity to admit that you're not a perfect driver.
These people have zero penalty points, never speed, are in the correct lane at all times and most importantly they see every roadsign, hazard, pothole or obstruction on the road without fail. All that, and more, despite the fact that they were never learner drivers themselves..

Observation skills and road intuition will come with time and experience (unless you're one of the above... in which case you were born with it..) so don't sweat it too much. You've driven the motorway now so you'll get more comfortable with each passing journey.
Regarding the fine, do as advised earlier - just contact them, explain your story and set up a video account asap. I'd be very confident that they'll quash or reduce the fine.

Good Luck..

salmocab

I forgot to pay a toll, then got a fine out but never got the 6 euro each way standard one the following week, I rang them and explained I never got the first letter and the girl checked that I hadn’t done it before and said I could pay the 6 euro each way. Give them a ring they are grand

wonski

This thread is just one of the reasons I don't care about motors forum any more.

One lad is planning to change his lights with a cheap kit without adding washers etc and advised to replace them just before nct to pass. Not an issue. The motors brigade accepts it.

The op asked a question. Made a mistake after being on the road for a week or two. The motors brigade is up to murder him...

Filter the answers op and you will find some helpful advice. Ignore the rest

yabadabado

BaRcOe wrote: »

So am I the first person in the whole wide world to have made this mistake?

You are the not the first and won't be the last. No need to be a child about it though.

L1011

wonski wrote: »

This thread is just one of the reasons I don't care about motors forum any more.

One lad is planning to change his lights with a cheap kit without adding washers etc and advised to replace them just before nct to pass. Not an issue. The motors brigade accepts it.

The op asked a question. Made a mistake after being on the road for a week or two. The motors brigade is up to murder him...

Filter the answers op and you will find some helpful advice. Ignore the rest

This isn't the Motors forum.

Charles Babbage

Ring them up and say that you made a mistake and that you want to register a video account to make sure it doesn't happen again and would they please let you off the fine.

jcd5971

Ah lads get off the high horses.

The lad made an admittedly silly error but haven't we all at one point.

Op you have your advice there is no reason they have to waive the fine, but if you ring up and are genuine with them that you never meant to go through the toll they may waive the fee as a goodwill gesture.

I think what your saying is you were never notified by post that you accrued a toll charge. I have gone through that toll a few times over the years and with the best intentions in the world forgot about it once or twice until a letter came out so I can sympathise with you there.

Now that road is very very well sign posted though, so going forward it's well worth training yourself to look for signs especially on motorways, often they can carry crucial information.
As a new driver I'm sure it's very stressful on a busy road like that, but consider it a lesson learned if nothing else.

wonski

L1011 wrote: »

This isn't the Motors forum.

That's how I found it...

mrcheez

Angela Unimportant Hamster wrote: »

6 replies. 5 repeats of telling the OP to be more observant, 3 actually trying to help. Nice.

It's more typical of older boards.ie threads, although some forums do still retain those type of unsympathetic responses.

I recall casually reading a thread and was shocked at the number of "holier than thou" responses... then spotted the thread was around 2006. It was endemic in those days throughout the site, but thankfully relegated to less forums now.. Dublin City obviously being one of them

Heckler

Yerra don't worry. If thats the worst mistake you make driving you'll be ok.

I've driven around a lot of european cities and had no problem but I hate driving in Dublin (I'm from Cork)

When my ex wife lived in Dublin for a while I used to travel up regularly. Got caught a few times by the M50 toll but I get knots in my stomach from Kildare onwards. Just hate it. The last time a few months ago I had to be in Dublin for around 11. I left Cork at 4 in morning and arrived about 7 just to avoid the nightmare of Dublin driving in the morning rush.

andreoilin

I forgot to pay a toll and got fined, so I called them and they said if I signed up for an account with them they'd wipe it and they did.

flatty

In my experience, they have an absolutely fantastic customer services team. They have always been helpful and decent,and should be commended on it.

the_syco

BaRcOe wrote: »

was completely unaware of this toll

Sell your car. If you didn't see the signs, I doubt you'll see a pedestrian on the side of the road.

wonski

the_syco wrote: »

Sell your car. If you didn't see the signs, I doubt you'll see a pedestrian on the side of the road.

Think of the children... On the footpath.


Should he hand in his license with his car, too?

tricky D

Not the apt forum. /killjoy Take it up in Motors if you want. Closed.