******* Dartford Crossing!

[MicrosoftBob]

I actually missed this sign and was expecting to pay at a toll. The passenger spotted the sign, then we had a long discussion how impractical it would be for this to be true - having to go online register then make a payment, nuts. Anyway it was true so ended up trying to pay for the fare on my mobile phone using the slowest internet connection possible in France. On top of that the website could not find my reg so had to manually enter the car make/model etc.

On the way back forgot to pay online before the deadline but paid anyway and I didn't get a fine.

I can imagine they will make a fortune from fines.

Just pay for some in advance, it's better than getting stung with a fine if you don't want to set it up to autopay

[SueEllen]

I reckon SM saw the signs. But being from Yorkshire decided to be tight and tried to get out of paying...

Either that or he didn't read the signs.

There were loads of complaints about lack of signs, the payment period and the fining payment period so they increased all of them.

I went through in June and could clearly see there was a charge unlike when I went through about 4 months earlier.

[VectraMan]

Yes, if you rarely go that way it's going to be pretty easy to miss because it's not what you're expecting. If you know there's a toll then you expect to see a toll booth and barrier of some sort; if not then you're expecting it to be just another bit of free motorway. Fine saying "use the internet", but I haven't used the internet to check that the bit of the M40 I used this morning was free.

Reminds me a few years ago a friend told me he'd driven into London, but not being from London or ever going there he didn't know how the congestion charge worked. He wasn't sure if he'd entered the congestion zone or not and because it wasn't until quite late that he got home he decided to do the right thing and phone them up in the morning to check. And of course got a big fine.

[MarillionFan]

Was completely unaware of that.

Been driving in the US for ages and all hire cars have a box that automatically updates every time you go through a toll and pays automatically online via a registered car. Why don't we have that for UK. Tolls?

[woohoo]

Just pay for some in advance, it's better than getting stung with a fine if you don't want to set it up to autopay

On the way to France did not know about it to pay online. Once in France after I managed to pay I wanted to get on with my holiday.

I'm not that arsed to be honest but the 48 hour deadline is daft and the fine is way out line with the crossing fee.

[SimonMac]

While we're on the topic of the crossing, has anyone else seen an EOD bot go trundling past them at the crossing, or was it just me seeing something you're usually more likely to see in COD or Battlefield

Were you driving a banger?

[SimonMac]

Was completely unaware of that.

Been driving in the US for ages and all hire cars have a box that automatically updates every time you go through a toll and pays automatically online via a registered car. Why don't we have that for UK. Tolls?

We don't have enough toll roads to make it worth while?

Dartford Crossing, M6 Toll and Severn Bridge, I think thats it

[MarillionFan]

Were you driving a banger?

WHS. £2.50 is a lot to pay for Suitys wife.

[Chuck]

Even if you did see the sign, and made a mental note to pay the toll when you get to your destination, how many subsequent distractions could help you to forget?

They should at least send you a letter reminding you to pay before fining you.

[WTFH]

We don't have enough toll roads to make it worth while?

Dartford Crossing, M6 Toll and Severn Bridge, I think thats it

A few other bridges/tunnels - Mersey & Tyne Tunnels, Humber Bridge and maybe a few others.