European tolls question.

Probably the best tip for the tolls is, don't go in behind a MH with a GB sticker on it, [emoji38]-049: or any vehicle with a GB sticker really.
Especially true when heading back, you'll be there for hours as they sort through all their euro coins tryng to pay a 50 euro toll with the smallest of coins. :p
Yeap, that's what my wife did before Sanef tag. [emoji16]

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Probably the best tip for the tolls is, don't go in behind a MH with a GB sticker on it, :lol-049: or any vehicle with a GB sticker really.
Especially true when heading back, you'll be there for hours as they sort through all their euro coins tryng to pay a 50 euro toll with the smallest of coins. :p

Have you ever got behind an old French car? First they have to find the ticket, then sort out the coins between them, before finding they are 5 cents short and have to get a note out. It's a bit like getting stuck behind an old lady at a supermarket checkout when they show signs of shock that the cashier is asking for money.
 
I tend to avoid tolls but occasionally it can be cost effective, for example I paid €6.30 to cross the Pont de Normandie bridge yesterday, it would have cost more in diesel to go around the long way. I have tried driving as close as possible to the booth and reaching over to pay through the passenger window. This doesn't work as the dog travels in the passenger seat and goes ballistic at these funny people in booths who approach his personal space, especially as some of them wear hi-viz jackets which really set him off. So now I just get out and walk around to pay. There's no rush, the barrier won't go down until you have passed and I wouldn't worry about people behind getting impatient, the idea that one should hurry because there is a big queue of people waiting to be served is alien to the French psyche! :D
 
We have a LHD motorhome so no problem in Europe but my satnav is set to avoid toll roads anyway, the problem we have is in the UK, impatient drivers waiting behind me while I get out to pay for fuel, you just don't let it bother you and as someone else said in France they are more tolerant if waiting behind you
 
Don't do like I did on my first solo trip and pull up a few yards before the barrier to make it easier to get out and walk over to the ticket machine. Unless you drive up to the barrier it can't tell what sort of vehicle you are so it won't issue a ticket - no matter how many times you press the button or whatever language you curse it in!
 
Tag Didn't work

This afternoon went into a Toll section near Rouen, barrier opened, drove on. Came to the end payment toll took a 'Tag' lane NOTHING Happened :scared:
Panic, hazards on, reverse up a bit to try again. nothing -queue's getting longer.
A unmanned both as normal but I caught glimpse of a lady going in another both, shouted over to her, she came over and checked the system and said a lot in french I didn't fully understand, anyway gave here 10 euros and she sorted it.
A few horns were blowing in the que.
First time it's not worked.
My thoughts are maybe as it was a fixed price short section of toll the barrier opened but no ticket is issued as there is only one section and it didn't read the Tag on entry. Have to check my Tag account when home.
 
Every time we pull up to a toll in France we register as a class 4. If that happens just press the intercom button and tell them you have a Camping Car.

On most occasions this resulted in a downgrade to Class 2, on a few occasions Class 3 and on just one occasion they insisted I pay for Class 4. The difference in cost can be significant.
 
This afternoon went into a Toll section near Rouen, barrier opened, drove on. Came to the end payment toll took a 'Tag' lane NOTHING Happened :scared:
Panic, hazards on, reverse up a bit to try again. nothing -queue's getting longer.
A unmanned both as normal but I caught glimpse of a lady going in another both, shouted over to her, she came over and checked the system and said a lot in french I didn't fully understand, anyway gave here 10 euros and she sorted it.
A few horns were blowing in the que.
First time it's not worked.
My thoughts are maybe as it was a fixed price short section of toll the barrier opened but no ticket is issued as there is only one section and it didn't read the Tag on entry. Have to check my Tag account when home.

Used toll roads for the 1st time this year as we were limited on time to get to Spain so got the sanef tag. We did not stick the tag on because of the over hang but just as we found the right spot bottom of the screen the sensors swapped from being on the left to being up above in the centre. That's when it all went wrong😂 missus is waving the tag about nothing happens cars behind beeping french guy gets out of car moaning in french. So i got out held the tag up and hey presto it worked. But have noticed i have a few tolls on my account that are missing the entry toll booth but they are low like 5euro.

Mike
 
I tend to avoid tolls but occasionally it can be cost effective, for example I paid €6.30 to cross the Pont de Normandie bridge yesterday, it would have cost more in diesel to go around the long way. I have tried driving as close as possible to the booth and reaching over to pay through the passenger window. This doesn't work as the dog travels in the passenger seat and goes ballistic at these funny people in booths who approach his personal space, especially as some of them wear hi-viz jackets which really set him off. So now I just get out and walk around to pay. There's no rush, the barrier won't go down until you have passed and I wouldn't worry about people behind getting impatient, the idea that one should hurry because there is a big queue of people waiting to be served is alien to the French psyche! :D

I don't think there are any manned booths in France any longer.
 
We're you charged the LGV rate if the ticket came out from the top spot?


The tickets normally come out of the top slot on the Péage booths with us but we only ever get automatically charged Class 2 despite being 4,100kg :dance:

We put that down to being a low-profile :idea:
 
The machine decides what class you are by your height. I often drove a flatbed Mercedes Sprinter to Toulouse with a Rolls Royce aircraft engine cowl in a box 4 metres high. The peage always said I was class three. I always had to press the intercom to get them to change the class back to two.
 
I don't think there are any manned booths in France any longer.
Perhaps not on the autoroutes, I can't say as I tend to avoid them, however I can confirm that there was definitely a real Frenchman manning a booth on the Pont de Normandie last Thursday. Pleasant and polite he was too, took me by surprise! :D
 

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