# Unmanned Toll Booths-A Cautionary Tale



## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Having just returned from a very enjoyable 3 weeks in France I would like to relate my experiences with the peages.I didn't use toll roads on the way down to the mediterranean preferring to set the sat nav to avoid the tolls and use the D and N roads,and very nice it was too.

However after finding myself slightly behind schedule for returning to Calais I decided to use the toll roads on the route back north.It is possible to really get a move on as they are excellent roads,but when I reached the peages I was being categorised as class 3 which is lorries and quite expensive.

On approaching the first toll barrier there is a height sensor which identifies which category your vehicle is in,the ticket is then issued automatically which you have to take from the machine to open the barrier.

When reaching the next peage you have to insert the ticket into the machine and the cost comes up on the screen.You then have the option to pay cash or card to raise the barrier to get through.

Unfortunately I was categorised in class 3 and had to pay 38,28,and 24 euros respectively so quite expensive.As most of the toll booths were unmanned there is no chance to appeal to anyone and the only way to get through the barrier and appease the impatient motorists pipping their horns behind is to bite the bullet and cough up. :x 

I certainly will not be using the peages next time as the minor roads were quite good and you tend to see the real rural France. :wink:


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

This used to happen to us. All you have to do is press the intercom button and tell the operator you are a camping car class 2. Never failed for us and we were actually class 3.

Derek


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

Don't speak any French just say in English "Camping car" works every time we use it. When going though an attended booth they always let me though as class 2. 

Like you I tend to stay clear of them. 

Andy


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Posted*

As per the previous two posters, we do the same.

I have posted this in several threads on the subject.

As for the horn pippers......

When in France, do as the French do. Fecking Ignore em (but you may wave your hands around gesticulate that you shall not be moved for it to work).

Have a good read through this post here

TM


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Another point to bear in mind is getting the "Blue Badge" discount when using the unmaned toll booths. :? :? :? 

Has anybody come across the problem yet?

Don


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Don Madge said:


> Another point to bear in mind is getting the "Blue Badge" discount when using the unmaned toll booths. :? :? :?
> 
> Has anybody come across the problem yet?
> 
> Don


Hi Don,

Press the button on the machine, before you insert the credit card, and say 'Handicapes en camping car, classe un, s'il vous plait' and they will reduce you down to Class 1.

Mike


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

We regularly encounter this problem as the 'van is 2.98m high and our folded satellite dish just catches the height sensor. We always use the intercom button to argue the toss and usually get them to reduce the charge to classe 2 but on the odd occasion have come across stubborn operators who simply won't reduce the charge despite a long drawn out argument and a queue of furious beeping frenchmen behind us. Travelling on a Sunday can be a drawback as many booths that are usually manned switch to auto-only.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Heart Attack*

You could be having a Heart Attack at the wheel and you would still get blaring horns.

If a que develops for whatever reason (Even if you are trying to get away with class II when you are class III). The problem (that being said que) lies with the Autoroute company, not you.


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## capitanjohn (Nov 16, 2006)

We went over the MIllau bridge in Dec and expected to pay the usual 9euros and was shocked when asked for 22euros, I explained that I have been over about 6 times and always charged 9, they produced a booklet that stated anything over 3.5 is classed as a truck. So I now go the long way through Millau which is quite pretty but steep.


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## Hydrocell (Jan 29, 2011)

HI Don

I was not aware that the toll roads were discounted if you have a Blue Badge more info Please

Regards
Ray :?


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

*Re: Heart Attack*



teemyob said:


> ................ The problem (that being said que) lies with the Autoroute company, not you.


Precisely :wink:

After going through 3 unmanned tolls(yes it was a sunday :roll: )and being stung as class 3 I arrived on a superb Dutch run ACSI site.The owner spoke better English than me.......not difficult I know :lol:

I explained the problems I had been having and as he also spoke fluent French he offered to ring the toll company to enquire about a rebate.

After several frustrating calls and being passed around the building to different departments he came to the conclusion that they are a difficult company to deal with,the only information he was able to glean from them was that they were very busy with similar complaints :x

In the helpful Dutchman's words ''they think it is an easy way to make money''.

Next time I will allow more time for journeys and reduce the mileage
per day as it was a little ambitious and avoid the peages like the plague. :wink:


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

What height do you have to be to trigger the automatic Classe 3?


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## pavie (Jul 10, 2010)

*Tolls - France*

Hi All,

I have just returned from a trip from Cherbourg, France into Spain and back again using the motorways at a total toll cost of........... 217euro (for the France parts of the journey). Atleast dick turpin wore a mask. It has left a bitter taste in my mouth were France is concerened, therefor will not be returning anytime soon.

It would have actually worked out a lot cheaper for me to get the boat to Santander, and would have saved a lot of hours driving. Once bitten.....

Glen


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

The tolls in France are horrendous - we just paid well over 60€ from the Swiss border near Besancon to Laval in the North West. Yes it's a longish journey, about 6 hours, but we paid about half of that for a year's motorway use in Switzerland, 13€ for ten days in the Czech Rep, and 7.9€ for ten days in Austria. We try to avoid the tolls but this time had no choice, so we paid the money and made good time. We know lots of French who will not use the motorways, so what seems to happen is that these are virtually empty and all the little town centres and villages are clogged.
I'd have thought it was more sensible to take in more revenue by reducing prices so that more people use the motorways, and take the traffic away from populated centres. Still I'm not French so cannot really figure out the thought processes. Must be something to do with bureaucracy!!!
lala


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## pavie (Jul 10, 2010)

*Tolls France*

Forgot to mention that part of my journey also included travelling from the north of Ireland to the south (Rosslare) which included a total of 3.5 hours of motorway driving at a cost of a mere 4.80euro. Though maybe Ireland are too cheap hence the economy problems.

Lala, I did notice that the motorways in France are very quiet, most likely, as you say, due the toll costs and the good ole bureaucracy.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Tolls - France*



pavie said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I have just returned from a trip from Cherbourg, France into Spain and back again using the motorways at a total toll cost of........... 217euro (for the France parts of the journey). Atleast dick turpin wore a mask. It has left a bitter taste in my mouth were France is concerened, therefor will not be returning anytime soon.
> 
> ...


I would not let toll roads put you off France.

TM


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## trevd01 (Oct 26, 2007)

trevd01 said:


> What height do you have to be to trigger the automatic Classe 3?


anybody know?


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Pavie, if you paid 217 e for Cherbourg return, why after seeing how much it cost one way, did you return the same way?

tony


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## clianthus (Jul 8, 2006)

trevd01 said:


> trevd01 said:
> 
> 
> > What height do you have to be to trigger the automatic Classe 3?
> ...


Over 3 metres


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

trevd01 said:


> trevd01 said:
> 
> 
> > What height do you have to be to trigger the automatic Classe 3?
> ...


Don't know exactly but my truck is 3.1m high with the sat. dome fitted,I assume it is lower than that because when my Dutch friend rang the toll companies apparently they had been inundated with complaints from motorhomers.


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

clianthus said:


> Over 3 metres


Dammit,I knew I should have left the crankie on :roll:


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Just to add that you will know if you have been categorised as class 3 the same as the lorries.

On approaching the first toll barrier where you have to take the ticket to raise the barrier the height of the vehicle is measured by the automatic sensor.

The ticket pops out of the machine at different heights according to which class you are in.If you have to reach up high to take the ticket from the machine then it thinks you are a lorry and you have been zapped as class3 :x


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Here's a suggestion......................

Like us, your 'van is less than 3.0m high but you break the height sensor because your satellite dish sticks up beyond the roof line. So is the satellite dish part of the structure of the vehicle? I would like to put forward the argument that it is in fact an antennae (like a radio aerial) and should therefore not be considered as part of the vehicle structure.

Now all we need is a fluent French speaker with a 'van just under 3.0m who has a satellite dish fitted and is prepared to take one of the French toll operators to court and prove the point. 8)

PS: Sales could be looking up for manufacturers of removeable roof mounted satellite dishes. :wink:


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## 04HBG (Dec 9, 2007)

wakk44 said:


> Just to add that you will know if you have been categorised as class 3 the same as the lorries.
> 
> On approaching the first toll barrier where you have to take the ticket to raise the barrier the height of the vehicle is measured by the automatic sensor.
> 
> The ticket pops out of the machine at different heights according to which class you are in.If you have to reach up high to take the ticket from the machine then it thinks you are a lorry and you have been zapped as class3 :x


Not true,
Being 2.98 mtrs high we nearly always have to take the ticket from the highest point, quite a stretch for the wife, but always come up as Class 2 when paying.
We have used many unmanned Peages and only ever came up as class 3 once and paid up without quibling being 3850 kls.

It does seem to be pot luck unless you are over 3mtrs.

RD


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## chrisndeb (Feb 7, 2007)

Hi

I dont mean to offend anyone , but why do "blue badge" holders get discount and park free and get free road tax?????? WHY????

Chris


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

wakk44 said:


> Just to add that you will know if you have been categorised as class 3 the same as the lorries.
> 
> On approaching the first toll barrier where you have to take the ticket to raise the barrier the height of the vehicle is measured by the automatic sensor.
> 
> The ticket pops out of the machine at different heights according to which class you are in.If you have to reach up high to take the ticket from the machine then it thinks you are a lorry and you have been zapped as class3 :x


Not in my experience. My MH is 2.9m high and I have always been charged at Class 2 but the ticket can come out of the top or bottom slot.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

chrisndeb said:


> Hi
> 
> I dont mean to offend anyone , but why do "blue badge" holders get discount and park free and get free road tax?????? WHY????
> 
> Chris


Here we go again - knee jerk alert!

They don't.

Only free parking in some places, depending on the local authority - Banbury for instance now charges everybody the same even for town centre disabled spaces
.

The VED exemption is a completely different situation that is related to DLA not to the Blue Badge and you have to get the higher level DLA, not the lower rate.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Lorries*



wakk44 said:


> Just to add that you will know if you have been categorised as class 3 the same as the lorries.
> 
> On approaching the first toll barrier where you have to take the ticket to raise the barrier the height of the vehicle is measured by the automatic sensor.
> 
> The ticket pops out of the machine at different heights according to which class you are in.If you have to reach up high to take the ticket from the machine then it thinks you are a lorry and you have been zapped as class3 :x


Only Diddy lorries are class III. Big ones are IV

TM


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

gaspode said:


> Like us, your 'van is less than 3.0m high but you break the height sensor because your satellite dish sticks up beyond the roof line.


Hi Ken

This was certainly a consideration when we got our "antenna".

We liked the one Steve has, but decided on a Planar array which (when parked) sits below the level of the roof and adds nothing at all to the height of the van.

_(Our van has raised sides, with the main roof line sitting below them. Others are similar I believe.)_

We chose the Alden, which is (I think) only 14cm high when parked, but any of the planars would be similar.

Hope this might help someone decide. :wink:

Dave


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## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

wakk44 said:


> Just to add that you will know if you have been categorised as class 3 the same as the lorries.
> 
> On approaching the first toll barrier where you have to take the ticket to raise the barrier the height of the vehicle is measured by the automatic sensor.
> 
> The ticket pops out of the machine at different heights according to which class you are in.If you have to reach up high to take the ticket from the machine then it thinks you are a lorry and you have been zapped as class3 :x


The autoroute classes: here

Lorries are in fact class 4, and look see what else is in that class!

For example, a Hobby 750FML (MPAM 4,500 kg, triple axle) oh and let's tow a car trailer to avoid all doubt!

In fact, being a low-profile jobbie, we invariably squeak through with a class 2 (phew!) manned or automated.

The exception was at the Reims South péage when the lady glared back at my cheerful 'Bonjour' and quite correctly hit us for class 4 ... £40.64 for the stretch up from Langres. OW! The date was Sunday 14th October, 2007, the day after a bloke called Wilkinson dropped-kicked France out of the World Cup Rugby in Paris. I wonder if that had any bearing on the situation?

8O


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Interesting thread! I must admit that I was unaware that you could appeal :? 

I remember the first time we went to Garda via France (autoruotes all the way), through the Mont Blonc tunnel and across Italy, and working out our costs on arrival at Lake Garda - tolls amounted to around £80 (from memory).  I seem to recall the tunnel being around £35 one way alone! :evil: So, we came back through Switzerland.  

After last year I have decided that we will never use the A26 toll road that heads from Reims up towards Calais again (time permitting). Having used several from Basel which were usually small(ish) charges this last one was very expensive. I suppose they capture all us Brits heading back to the UK - certainly 70% of the traffic appeared to be British.

We never know which slot our ticket will come out of as sometimes it is the top one and other times the bottom one, so does the height differ I wonder? :roll: 

Mark


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I've circumnavigated France four times and have never voluntarily used a peage apart from electing to 'do' the Millau bridge.
A couple of times I have strayed onto peages by mistake and got off asap. 
On my last trip we drove from Calais to Denier in Spain totally toll free and completed the trip in 5 travelling days. The free roads were excellent, apart from a couple of 'oops, blimey we should have turned back there', and interesting and we saw France and not an endless strip of tarmac.

Not a criticism of anyone's travelling choice, just pointing out that toll roads can be avoided easily and driving is just as reasonable.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Quite agree Spacey - we always do the same.

It's not only being a skinflint (_though partly, I admit_ :roll: ) but as you say, after a while the appeal of the same strip of tarmac stretching into the distance begins to wear off. :roll:

OK if you have a limited time and want to get somewhere fast (_or have to, like OP Steve_), but otherwise - no thanks.

Dave


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Zebedee said:


> Quite agree Spacey - we always do the same.
> 
> It's not only being a skinflint (_though partly, I admit_ :roll: ) but as you say, after a while the appeal of the same strip of tarmac stretching into the distance begins to wear off. :roll:
> 
> ...


If you want to drive along a motorway go to Belgium, Holland or Germany (or even the UK) at least they are (mostly) free there. Paying megaeuros to do so in France - NON!


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## mjpksp (May 8, 2010)

Tobysmumndad said:


> The autoroute classes: here 8O


So having a MH 3.1m in height and 3875kg puts me in Class 3 if I've worked it out correctly? :roll:

I'm not sure I'm looking forward to my hols anymore although I can't remember any of the tolls being that expensive last year (apart from the tunnel that we ended up going through somewhere around the Netherlands/Belgium - the operator at least had the courtesy to wear a stocking over his head whilst he robbed me :x )!


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

mjpksp said:


> Tobysmumndad said:
> 
> 
> > The autoroute classes: here 8O
> ...


Chances are that you will still cop class II - ours is 3m high and 3850 GVW, but have never been hit for class III - only II.....

Always head for the manned booth where you can, and argue the toss where you cant!!!!
C


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

If the van looks like a 3.5t but has been uprated to 3.85t or even 4.2t keep it to yourself. It is most unlikely Madame or Monsieur will leave their air conditioned booth to pop your bonnet and check your weight plate.

My MH is 3.85t and 2.96m high (inc. crank-up)

I've never paid other than class 2


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