M50 toll fine. I was out of the country.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 09:40PM #1

I have a car that is parked outside my parents house. I live abroad, and having come home recently I found a stack of letters from the eFlow telling me about the car being used and failing to pay the toll fee, the next letter has another warning and fine and so on. I think the total is around €300 now. Obviously I didn’t see the letters as they arrived to my parents house and they never opened the letters because they were addressed to me. There’s photo evidence of the car, and it’s my car alright but I was out of the country. One of my family must have driven it. What legal grounds do I have to dispute this?

Thanks for any advice.

kippy · 16-05-2023 09:41PM

Find out who was driving your car, send them the bills?

Jim_Hodge · 16-05-2023 09:44PM

Unless you can get the family member to own up and pay, it's on you. Your car, your responsibility and you enabled somebody to drive it through the tolls. If taken without permission you could report it as a theft but it's a bit late for that now,

elperello · 16-05-2023 09:47PM

Are you certain that it was your car and not one using your number ?

If it definitely was your car you owe the money and better pay it asap.

Also you need to have strong words with the driver.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 09:53PM

Thanks everyone, my Dad would have driven it on the day, he’s almost 80 and from looking at text messages at the time his own car was getting fixed and two close friends had passed away so quite possibly he was driving to a funeral, he rarely drives so I can forgive him for forgetting I think. So the consensus is this is completely unavoidable. I have to pay, I’m still responsible? Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate it. And yeah the photo only has the bonnet and reg and it all looks the same.

Clareman · 16-05-2023 09:55PM

Ring them and explain it, offer to send your flight details, chances are they'll give you a good will gesture of some sort.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 09:56PM

Funny to add I actually was getting text messages at one point about having to pay the toll. Months ago. Because I wasn’t in the country I assumed it was a scam. I never click links in text messsges like that. But I actually sent my parents a warning at the time to be careful of scam messages from pretending to be eFlow 🤦🏻‍♂️

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 09:58PM

Can I appeal based on the fact that I never got the letters? I’ll give them a ring first thing in the morning.

Jim_Hodge · 16-05-2023 09:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605755#Comment_120605755

Sorry but it's not their fault you didn't get the letters because you were abroad.

poppers · 16-05-2023 10:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605755#Comment_120605755

The letters were delivered to your registered address, dont see how Eflow were to know you were not at home,. Give them a ring there is a good chance they will let you pay off the original fee and not the fines.

Mrs OBumble · 16-05-2023 10:04PM

You chose to leave your keys with someone who failed to take account of their responsibilities to pay tolls. (Were they even insured to drive the car?).

You failed to make arrangements for dealing with your mail while away, and you think that's the mail-senders problem.

Really???

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 10:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605765#Comment_120605765

I understand that, I’m not blaming them for anything I’m just explaining why it wasn’t paid. Not everything is black and white, would be nice if they have space to see that but I can imagine it won’t be easy.

Sir Galahad · 16-05-2023 10:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605733#Comment_120605733

Ring them. They are very easy to deal with, my daughter had run up over €120 in fines etc and was avoiding facing up to it. She called them and got 70% written off the arrears. If you explain you being away . . . .your Dads age and the funerals I'd say you will get a deal. Try it.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 10:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605784#Comment_120605784

Jesus, this is escalating, I’m not blaming anyone. It’s an unfortunate situation, which in a pleasant world might be responded with some type of understanding.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 10:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605739#Comment_120605739

Thanks, I’ll call and I’m definitely open to paying some type of fine, meet half way but €300 on a €6 fee is a bit much. That said I will if I have to. Just hoping there might be some level of understanding. Thanks everyone.

Captain Kidd · 16-05-2023 10:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605797#Comment_120605797

Thanks I appreciate that, will call first thing and let everyone know how it goes.

kippy · 16-05-2023 10:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605818#Comment_120605818

Be nice on the phone, explain the situation and plenty mea culpa (as opposed to blaming others) and you'll probably get a reduction. Nothing ventured nothing gained with something like this.

Mrs OBumble · 17-05-2023 12:47AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605809#Comment_120605809

Was your father insured to drive the car?

irelandrover · 17-05-2023 07:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606203#Comment_120606203

Why does that matter in relation to the question asked?

Just ring them, they must be one of the best companies to deal with if you engage with them.

It wasnt me123 · 17-05-2023 07:26AM

Before I got the tag, I used to often forget to pay and then had to pay 12 euro (dbl fee). But when I forgot that another time and it racked up, I phoned them, they are very easy to deal with, and they put it back down to 6 euro.

Explain about your dad’s age and funerals etc. and I’m sure you’ll get a sympathetic ear - dont offer to pay half, see what they offer first. If you’ve never done it before, or your dad, they might drop it right down to a normal fee.

On an aside, there is a scam link for e flow, so don’t click on it. But if you are away often, then you need a more efficient way of dealing with your post. Either get email, kinder to the environment or get mum/dad/sibling to open the mail and let you know if its urgent.

DownByTheGarden · 17-05-2023 08:13AM

This happened to me a few years ago but I was out of the country with my car that supposedly drove through the toll roads twice. Once when I was out of the country and once on the day I came home but I was nowhere near the toll road. Total nightmare trying to get it sorted out. Would have been easier just to pay the toll.

Captain Kidd · 17-05-2023 09:21AM

Just off the phone with them, explained the situation and the gentleman I was talking to was incredibly helpful and understanding. Dropped the last two fines from the total, so went from €300 down to the original initial fine of €13. Can’t argue with that. Thanks for all the comments on this. Seems great advice to always call. Thanks again everyone.

Del2005 · 17-05-2023 11:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120606203#Comment_120606203

Even the RSA don't care about that. I was caught speeding on my brother's motorbike years ago and all they cared about was the fine getting paid as they never asked was I licenced to ride the bike or insured, I was both.

Marcusm · 17-05-2023 01:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120605809#Comment_120605809

Ring them; offer to open a video account (no fees) so it doesn’t happen again and I suspect you will get a good hearing based on what people have posted here before.

whippet · 21-05-2023 02:08PM

The level of fines is geared towards people who just don't want to pay. If you call and explain the situation and accept that you are responsible for the unpaid tolls - you have a very good chance of not having to pay the full value of the fines. If you dig your heels in and refuse to accept responsibility eflow will use the full extent of their processes to enforce payment and the next level of fines. If you take notice of the new recently there have been some mental fines dished out by the courts for some people who just refuse to engage.

M50 toll fine. I was out of the country.

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