The M50 Barrier Free Tolling Thread

Mary D · 10-03-2009 01:54PM

That's for the reply, Think I might send them off a letter tonight with a cheque of €6 to cover the charges and also to state in writing that because they have my wrong address I was never served with the notices. In case anyone else comes across this situation, a solicitor friend of mine has told me they wouldn't legally be able to proscute in Court, they have to prove service first and also have to prove they have the correct address. He said Eflow won't instruct their Solicitors to proceed any further on this basis cos it will only run up costs for them.

Our man in Havana · 10-03-2009 02:22PM

Even legal people agree with us. Eflow won't sue anyone.

Carawaystick · 10-03-2009 03:50PM

Mary, even in the worst case scenario, the fact they got your address wrong throws all their other evidence into doubt, making it unlikely for them to try anything further.

I'd advise anyone not to contact the nra's solicitors. If you beieve you owe them anything post a cheque to the nra at st martin's House, Waterloo road Dublin4. But only for 3 euros as that is the price advertised on the signs.

do not waste your time with the people across the border in Newry. They are so incompetent they don't even work for the civil service.

Our man in Havana · 10-03-2009 03:58PM

Don't send them a cent more than €3.00.

Seth Brundle · 10-03-2009 11:41PM

Mary D wrote: »

I noticed the Solrs had my address wrong, they had left out the "Avenue" part. I pointed this out and she said this is the address the NRA have for me. I said this would explain why I hadn't received the other letters, they obviously went to another house in our estate as it didn't specify the correct address. She said this was not her problem and I'm liable to pay.

They got your address wrong when (allegedly) you were sent letters. Somehow they imply its your problem?

Stop wasting your time with eflow and their solicitors!

fletch · 11-03-2009 09:39AM

I think I might just cancel my tolltag account wander freely across the M50, seems everyone is getting away with it

nava · 11-03-2009 09:45AM

fletch wrote: »

I think I might just cancel my tolltag account wander freely across the M50, seems everyone is getting away with it

I was thinking about it yesterday, but I was just going to take the tag off all together and when I get the letters ignore them.

Mary D · 11-03-2009 11:46AM

Thanks everyone, I've sent them a letter today (by registered post) with a cheque for €6 (an extra fee of €3 because the toll wasn't paid on the day). I told them I am happy to pay for usage of the M-50 but said that since they had my address wrong, I was never served with late notices so I can't be held liable to pay them. I have asked them to confirm that this is the end of the matter. If I get any more non-sense letters from them my friend I mentioned earlier said he would take over the case and send them back a Solicitors letter. He said again they don't have a leg to stand on.

niceirishfella · 11-03-2009 11:53AM

Mary D wrote: »

Thanks everyone, I've sent them a letter today (by registered post) with a cheque for €6 (an extra fee of €3 because the toll wasn't paid on the day). I told them I am happy to pay for usage of the M-50 but said that since they had my address wrong, I was never served with late notices so I can't be held liable to pay them. I have asked them to confirm that this is the end of the matter. If I get any more non-sense letters from them my friend I mentioned earlier said he would take over the case and send them back a Solicitors letter. He said again they don't have a leg to stand on.

Sweet. Rest assured Mary, that'll be the end of it. They are a bunch of POX BOTTLES!

Seth Brundle · 11-03-2009 10:58PM

fletch wrote: »

I think I might just cancel my tolltag account wander freely across the M50, seems everyone is getting away with it

everyone is getting away with it except those who haven't used the bridge

(mind you they still haven't sent me a fine- its not good enough - how long do I have to refuse to use the bridge for before I get fined?)

ART6 · 12-03-2009 12:08PM

kbannon wrote: »

everyone is getting away with it except those who haven't used the bridge

(mind you they still haven't sent me a fine- its not good enough - how long do I have to refuse to use the bridge for before I get fined?)

You have just made an excellent point here. Since they are clearly unable to collect tolls from those who have used the bridge, maybe they should abandon that and simply charge everyone who hasn't. The income would be much greater and it wouldn't need tags or cameras. Since the number of people who don't use it must be vastly greater than those who do, the times when any of them actually use it would be insignificant by comparison:D

boarddotie · 16-03-2009 08:40PM

Hi everyone,

I have just read the full 1,000 and whatever posts in this thread and its interesting that the first many hundered are all about teething problems etc and the last few are more 'serious' solicitor type querys. So can I add one and look for some advice:

I took two trips on M50 (first and last) in December and didnt pay my toll within the 48hours. When I remembered I went to website and imputted my reg in (what I thought was) the main/only casual use payment section. 2 trips. It quoted me €6. Pefect and I paid. Thought no more.

About a week later got 2 letters for the trips saying I owe €6 for each for unpaid tolls. I had heard about the teething problems so (stupidly) assumed the payment hadnt been processed by the time the letter was issued so I ignored them. (I would say I stupidly ignored them but a lot of poepl seem to be doing that!).

Two weeks or so later I got another two relating to my trips saying I owed €46 each. That spurred me into action and I ranf e-flow, told them my stroy and girl in the call centre and when I said I have the transaction on my Lasercard statement she said sorry there was/must have been a problem. She then said she would 'put a note with these UTNs' to say that I had rang up to sort it out and it was cleared. I made her promise to do this as I didnt want more letters..

So low and behold, a week ago I got the 2 dreaded solicitors letters from our Kerry friends saying the usual: you owe €146 (times2), non payment will be taken to court, found guilty, stubbs gazette, never be able to get some credit again! So I didnt freak out because I have my trusty payment done and on my Lasercard.

Got onto the people working for/with the solicitors/e-flow (dunno what the combination is at this stage) and lady said she would look into it. Perfect. Then she rang back 2 days later (takes 48 hours for e-flow to release the details even though the people at e-flow said that once its handed to the solicitors they dont 'own' that info anymore) to say that by the time I had paid this €6 I actually owed €12 as it was beyond the 48 hour deadline and that I had paid the toll in the wrong section (should have been under pay a penalty tab). Frick. So I calmly said I had rang the e-flow centre to query the letters alright and that the girl didnt bring any problem to my attention at that time. Off to investigate that. No record of that on my 'profile' or whatever. I told her the exact time/date and call duration of this call from my online call history but said I couldnt remember the girls name and I (stupidly) didnt ask for written confirmation that I was in the clear. Rings back to day there is no evidence of this call happening and when I tell ehr I have it in my call history she says that I could have been on hold that entire time, that proves nothing. Each tim, at the end of the voicemail that the leave me (im always the one ringing them back) they end the call with 'so your notices still stand'. Never missing an opportnity to mention that I will be brought to court, stubbs gazette, credit rating kaput. This last call happned on Friday when I was out foreign on hols and I was getting angry. I said I had paid that €6 in good faith and assuming if the system tells me €6 when I put in my reg number. Said I had tried and in my opinion suceeded in rectifying the situation and just because e-flow cant find a record of my call, does not mean it didnt happen. She said I have to prove myself innocent, thats not e-flows problem. I asked her by the way what happened to that €6 I did pay-it seems to have just gone into thin air and be related to no trups at all. he cheeky mare said they would refund me that €6 but the fines still stand. I told her I am not letting it lie, no way. And she said ring back today which I didnt do yet.

Since then I have been freaking the bean that I will be taken to court! I can see now what I did wrong when paying originally but is it my fault the system doesnt connect the reg imputted in one section to the pay a penalty section (probably)? But only the letters alerted me to the problem but the subsequent phonecall to the centre didnt and she said I was ok. It has really upset me. Im young and while I can scrounge up the €146*2 Im now feeling so bullied and threatened Im considering legal advice and going to court (if they take me).

I have read a few previous posts who have argued with the solicitors but what has happened? ANy outcomes? ANd I know people have said 'ignore the letters' but that hsant helped me. The FoI idea is interesting and I would do that, how is this possible.

Its bullyboy tactics and im sure many people have succumed regardless of their innosence when the words 'court' and 'credit rating' are mentioned.

All advice and reality checks are welcome and needed!

Our man in Havana · 16-03-2009 08:59PM

Ok please relax.

They cannot damage your credit rating or put you into stubbs unless they take you to court and they win and you then do not pay. You won't see anyone in stubbs for less than €1000. It is all mind games.

They will not take anyone to court as they will have a huge burden of proof to overcome. That is their problem and not yours.

You paid the money to eflow, matter closed. Leave them to make the next move.

Seth Brundle · 16-03-2009 11:35PM

Good advice there from Bond!

kaiser sauze · 17-03-2009 12:53AM

More eFlow crap...

Made Northbound trip on 12th of a month, forgot to pay the €3. Hands up; I got letter(STR), that I don't dispute, for €6.

Proceeded to forget about STR [dated 14th] until 28th of same month. Now letter clearly states 'you must pay this within 14 days', so I thought, log onto site and pay €6, case closed.

The site was already looking for €46!

I screenshotted the page and highlighted the date so I can prove I logged onto the site within the timeframe specified on the STR and since the site would not accept a part payment I left it.

I rang eFlow, advised them that I have disputed the €40 fine, and paid the €6 (got payment number reference).

I have yet to hear anything further from them, but I am wondering if my reading of the STR is accurate, that when I logged onto the site on the 28th I was within the timeframe?

jor el · 18-03-2009 01:43PM

After forgetting to pay my toll on Saturday, I went on to pay the bigger toll, only to find out that you have to wait until you receive a letter before paying this. OK, so I'll wait and then pay the 6 euro, if and when the letter arrives.

Anyway, I've decided I'm not going through this crap again, so going to register a post-pay video account. What could be simpler, right? Wrong. That website sucks like a Dyson, i.e. loads. After putting in the details, I go to the payment section and it won't let me change the payment type from Laser to Credit card. I'm not paying by Laser, as there's no charge back facility, and I simply don't trust this shower of idiots with it.

Has anyone managed to set this up for post-pay with a credit card? If so, can I borrow your gun, or whatever it was you used to coerce them into it?

Alun · 18-03-2009 01:52PM

jor el wrote: »

Has anyone managed to set this up for post-pay with a credit card? If so, can I borrow your gun, or whatever it was you used to coerce them into it?

Yes, no problem at all.

niceirishfella · 18-03-2009 02:36PM

jor el wrote: »

I simply don't trust this shower of idiots with it

good call;)

jor el · 18-03-2009 03:00PM

I figured it out. You click the radial button for "register a video account" then wait half an hour before the card type selector gets un-grayed out.

Still not inspiring confidence.

edit:
And even less confidence

We were unable to process your request for the following reason:
Error occured. Please try again later.

"Error occurred", how very helpful. Idiots.

niceirishfella · 18-03-2009 03:02PM

They are a shower of Dingbats!

Our man in Havana · 18-03-2009 03:05PM

jor el wrote: »

I figured it out. You click the radial button for "register a video account" then wait half an hour before the card type selector gets un-grayed out.

Still not inspiring confidence.

Nothing on their website inspires confidence.

Alun · 18-03-2009 03:07PM

jor el wrote: »

I figured it out. You click the radial button for "register a video account" then wait half an hour before the card type selector gets un-grayed out.

Still not inspiring confidence.

edit:
And even less confidence

"Error occurred", how very helpful. Idiots.

I just did exactly the same here (5 seconds ago) and the card selector was un-greyed out within less than 1 second of selecting the Video account option. Possibly something up your end ..

Our man in Havana · 18-03-2009 03:08PM

Use IE7 if you dare.

Alun · 18-03-2009 03:12PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

Use IE7 if you dare.

I used FF3 .. works just fine.

the_syco · 18-03-2009 03:53PM

Both me and the little sister got fined within a day of each other a few weeks back. Both of us rang up and got the charge revoked. Her ankle is broken, and the car was sitting in the driveway for the previous month, and I've never been on the M50, so meh. When I rang, I was told that the "8" may have been a "6"... you have to wonder about their machines AI, sometimes.

Our man in Havana · 18-03-2009 03:57PM

ANPR is not perfect. Also all those fancy script plates cannot be read at all.

Mary D · 18-03-2009 04:07PM

Boarddotie, what you should do is a detailed letter to the Solrs in Kerry setting out in bullet points the history of events. Send them a copy of your credit card statement showing the payment made (and also enclose a copy of their letter, because they'll need the reference number). I rang them before and trust me, the people in this office are trained monkeys, and only know how to recite two or three lines of the law but aren't capable, trained or knowledgeable enough to know that every case is different. You would think that they would know by now that Eflow and this shower of ambulance chasers are capable of making mistakes and that they are not always right. Tell them that you have paid the toll charges and have made every effort to rectify the situation. Also mention that if they do not desist from their wrongful action, you will fully defend their proceedings and costs and will seek to have costs affixed to them. That should put an end to it. They won't bring you to court where there are clearly holes in their case.

towger · 18-03-2009 04:10PM

Alun wrote: »

Possibly something up your end ..

Ouch ... sounds painful :rolleyes:

Seth Brundle · 19-03-2009 12:40AM

Mary D wrote: »

Boarddotie, what you should do is a detailed letter to the Solrs in Kerry setting out in bullet points the history of events. Send them a copy of your credit card statement showing the payment made (and also enclose a copy of their letter, because they'll need the reference number). I rang them before and trust me, the people in this office are trained monkeys, and only know how to recite two or three lines of the law but aren't capable, trained or knowledgeable enough to know that every case is different. You would think that they would know by now that Eflow and this shower of ambulance chasers are capable of making mistakes and that they are not always right. Tell them that you have paid the toll charges and have made every effort to rectify the situation. Also mention that if they do not desist from their wrongful action, you will fully defend their proceedings and costs and will seek to have costs affixed to them. That should put an end to it. They won't bring you to court where there are clearly holes in their case.

I wouldn't waste the time and effort in doing this!

Our man in Havana · 19-03-2009 12:49AM

kbannon wrote: »

I wouldn't waste the time and effort in doing this!

Agreed, I would save the paper and the stamp for something more productive.

I reckon in 12 months time we will still be awaiting the first eflow court case.

The M50 Barrier Free Tolling Thread

Comments