# Sanef toll tags



## Jmdarr (Oct 9, 2013)

We are of to France in April we have a 4ton van 2.8 metres high 
Looking for advice on which tag to go for on french toll roads 
Sanef toll tag puts my weight in class 3 band and will not cover me 
Do I just go to the toll booth and pay by card and pay band 2
Advice please as dartford tolls make me class 2 

John and angela


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

Jmdarr said:


> We are of to France in April we have a 4ton van 2.8 metres high
> Looking for advice on which tag to go for on french toll roads
> Sanef toll tag puts my weight in class 3 band and will not cover me
> Do I just go to the toll booth and pay by card and pay band 2
> ...


My Autotrail is 4ton 3mtr high been using the class 2 tag now for the last 3 years , been charged class 3 only a couple of times once on the Millau bridge otherwise well worth it .


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi,
Our Motorhome is 4 ton and 3.1 Mtrs high and have had the sanef system for 3 years now. Never been charged class 3 always class 2 even over the Millau bridge. 
Infact on 2 occasions we were charged class 1 (I did not complain)

My better half say's it is the best thing since sliced bread! 
No more sorting change or struggling at the booths. 

Nidge


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## buxom (Mar 20, 2008)

We have just come down from Zeebrugge and used the auto sanef and it was great, we are 3700 kgs 3mtr high and got class 2 all the way, and almost perfect except further south we came it would not read the tag(7out of 10 was OK) and my wife rang the auto phone and said auto sanef sil vous plais and within seconds we were on our way so as regards peace of mind and smooth journey it is worth the money


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

nidge1 said:


> Hi,
> Our Motorhome is 4 ton and 3.1 Mtrs high and have had the sanef system for 3 years now. Never been charged class 3 always class 2 even over the Millau bridge.
> Infact on 2 occasions we were charged class 1 (I did not complain)
> 
> ...


Yes same hear , the windows on the van are so awkward along with the position of the ticket machines , makes it a lot easier just to drive through with no hassle .


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## spence (May 25, 2008)

Hi, 

With a 4.2 tonne and 3.2m high the sanef tag is not available for me ! Does anybody that's over height and weight have one?

Spence


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## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

I believe the tolls are accommodating if you exceed the height regs because of tv domes and aerials. Our van is 2.8 but will be over with the dome.
As other posters have said, the benefits of not bashing mirrors, not awakening from a dose and having to work out whether it is card or ticket and whether it is stretching out high or low means that it is worth spending a few quid to try it. From any message boards I have read the toll booth operators appear to readily agree to the concept of all motorhomes (exc twin axle?) being classe 2.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

My motorhome is 6.5 tons and 3.4 meters high and always registers as Class Three on the French tolls. Before last year's trip I emailed SANF to see if I could have a tag and they advised it was not available for my size of vehicle. 

What I have been doing is at the unmaned toll booths I have called them on their speaker system and told them I am a motorhome. Sometimes it is reduced to Class 2 and at other times it isn't. It seems to depend on the operator?

I have thought about still buying a tag for a class 2 verhicle but what would happen? Are there barriers that lift automatically, would these in fact raise or if there are no barriers would I be fined if I sailed straight through??? So far I consider it not worth risking for the few times I use the toll roads.

peedee


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## spence (May 25, 2008)

Peedee,

My concerns are the same as yours. It would be a lot easier with a TAG but not if its refused and trying to get out of the booth with a queue behind you in August!

Spence


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

spence said:


> Peedee,
> 
> My concerns are the same as yours. It would be a lot easier with a TAG but not if its refused and trying to get out of the booth with a queue behind you in August!
> 
> Spence


With an A/T Scout 99% of the time you will get through on the class 2 Tag . If you are refused it's simple you just pay as you usually would by card or sometimes cash . The Tag needs to be clearly visable for the receiver sensor to recognise you . Try it for a year .


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have ALIS tags for both the car and the MH (one for each), the MH we registered as Class 2 and it has always gone through as Class 2, it is important that the tag is placed in the best location - they recommend fitting it behind the rear view mirror on the area that is often dotted with black dots. But that did not work for us....

We have ours placed now where the VED used to be on the low left hand side of the screen and it has always worked well, I suspect that the overcab bed restricts the chances of it being "seen" when it behind the mirror.

Worth thinking about as VED discs are no longer required in the UK. 

We use ALIS simply because there is no charge, no up front fee and it is more economical for us - BUT it has to be linked to a French bank account still at present..... ALIS did tell us they were looking at "allowing" UK bank accounts to be used but nothing seems to have come of it - possibly due to the way the € has weakened against the £ meaning they are concerned they may not do as well..... :roll: 

Great system and we have found it totally reliable.....

Dave


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## nidge1 (Jul 26, 2009)

peedee said:


> My motorhome is 6.5 tons and 3.4 meters high and always registers as Class Three on the French tolls. Before last year's trip I emailed SANF to see if I could have a tag and they advised it was not available for my size of vehicle.
> 
> What I have been doing is at the unmaned toll booths I have called them on their speaker system and told them I am a motorhome. Sometimes it is reduced to Class 2 and at other times it isn't. It seems to depend on the operator?
> 
> ...


Hi,
you do not not need to register weight, height etc of you M/H when applying for the Sanef tag. We are 4 tons and 3.1 mtr high and as said before we are always charged class 2. We also go through the lorry barriers and are still charged class 2. I would think that your vechicle at 6.5 tons would not cause any problems regarding the barrier lifting. At worse you would be charged class 3, I presume.

As others have said give it a go for 12 months. I can assure you it is bliss to use and not have the hassle of fiddling about with getting the ticket, dropped money and the awkward height of the payment booths etc.

Nidge


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

We have the SANEF tag and use the same one on the motorhome (3.8T & mearly 3m high), the car (Audi A4) and the motorbike (ST1100 Pan European).

Never had any issues in the 3 years we have had it.

I dont know how they charge the right amount, but the car and bike are only charged class 1 and 5 respectively and the van has always been class 2.

All with the same, single tag.

Wouldnt be without it!!!!

PS - It is very un-nerving driving at the barrier at 30kph and praying to God that it opens in time!!!


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

> With an A/T Scout 99% of the time you will get through on the class 2 Tag . If you are refused it's simple you just pay as you usually would by card or sometimes cash . The Tag needs to be clearly visable for the receiver sensor to recognise you . Try it for a year .


If this would work, I can imagine all the HGV lorries doing it. :roll:

peedee


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## Evs54 (Mar 11, 2013)

peedee said:


> > With an A/T Scout 99% of the time you will get through on the class 2 Tag . If you are refused it's simple you just pay as you usually would by card or sometimes cash . The Tag needs to be clearly visable for the receiver sensor to recognise you . Try it for a year .
> 
> 
> If this would work, I can imagine all the HGV lorries doing it. :roll:
> ...


Please don't try and put members off this as it actually does work as proven by other members on this forum and myself . I thought Motorhomers were supposed to be Adventurous .


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

There HAS to be a weight or height sensor in and around the toll booths otherwise how would they know to charge me class 1 for the car, class 5 for the bike and class 2 for the motorhome? All with the same tag? 

Strictly speaking, our van at 3.8T is not eligable for the SANEF tag, but we have never been refused passage so far!!! Perhaps there is a tollerance built in to the weight sensors?


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Correct Carl,

Height sensors are widely used, but less noticeable is new WIM (Weigh in Motion) technology being rolled out. No need for expensive weighbridges.






Terry


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

dghr272 said:


> Correct Carl,
> 
> Height sensors are widely used, but less noticeable is new WIM (Weigh in Motion) technology being rolled out. No need for expensive weighbridges.
> 
> ...


Even more chance of being detected as class 3 then!
peedee


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

> *Carl_n_Flo said; * PS - It is very un-nerving driving at the barrier at 30kph and praying to God that it opens in time!!!


Totally agree there, it is also brilliant to watch the faces of those around as you do it...... they expect you to get refused and then to have to reverse out......

Their look of surprise is worth watching.....

We had a tag refused when Barclays mucked up our account BIG TIME and they had not paid the previous month's bill, quite simply it won't open at the start so you have to take a ticket, there is no "beep" to let you know it has worked.....

(The errors cost Barclays the best part of 1000€ and brought them a major letter of criticism from the UK Banking Ombudsman - we are no longer with them.... :roll: )

I reckon having a tag in the car saves me about 30 - 40 minutes driving by myself, from Bergerac to Caen.........

Dave


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## leseduts (Jun 3, 2008)

We have bought a Sanef Tag for the motorhome. 
We had to leave the MH in France last month and we are travelling back by car on Tuesday.
We have a Volvo XC60 with a roof box. There is nowhere on the windscreen to stick the tag, due to a heated windscreen. We have been advised by our Volvo man that he puts them as tight to the top of the screen as possible and they work. But we have a overhang with the roof box, can anyone tell me if it should still work.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

leseduts said:


> We have bought a Sanef Tag for the motorhome.
> We had to leave the MH in France last month and we are travelling back by car on Tuesday.
> We have a Volvo XC60 with a roof box. There is nowhere on the windscreen to stick the tag, due to a heated windscreen. We have been advised by our Volvo man that he puts them as tight to the top of the screen as possible and they work. But we have a overhang with the roof box, can anyone tell me if it should still work.


The sensor needs to be able to "see" the tag, if there is complete overhang it won't be able to do so, the angle is about 45 degrees up to the sensor, so if the overhang would obscure that try it at the bottom of the screen (ours for the MH would be covered by the overhead bed) - ours is now fitted where the VED disc used to be before we left the UK.

Try it before sticking it on, it will work handheld normally, being *stuck* is not essential.

Dave


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## mgdavid (Nov 27, 2014)

just pick it up and stick your hand out of the window.


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## daveil (Mar 14, 2010)

Just come back from ski trip,4 ton 2.8 high, sanef tag worked a treat&#55357;&#56832;Sits where rear view mirror would be.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

daveil said:


> Just come back from ski trip,4 ton 2.8 high, sanef tag worked a treat��Sits where rear view mirror would be.


agree provided you do not have a large overcab bed. :smile2: :frown2:

I don't think the Rapido does have an overhang like that does it?

if you do, our experience suggests it is not reliable as the overcab bed can mask the line of sight between the tag and the gizmo in the gantry which is situated above you - ours seem to respond when the angle is about 45 degrees, the same in the car and the MH.

Hence why we put ours low down where the VED disc used to be.....

it works perfectly there as the overcab bed does not appear to mask it.

Dave


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

For those with larger motorhomes (and who prefer to stick to the rules  ), the following from Saneftolling.co.uk FAQs:-
"4.3. I've got a motorhome?

As long as your vehicle is lower than 3 metres and less than 3.5 tonnes GVW you can use any non height restricted lane that has the Liber-t symbol illuminated. A vehicle of this size falls into the Class 2 fee structure. If your vehicle is larger than this then please contact our sister company Eurotoll.
For more information click here to review the vehicle classifications.
NB. If you have a small motorhome with a "luton" / overhanging sleeping compartment you MUST ensure that the Tag has "line of sight" with the reader (i.e. can see the reader on top of the pole). If you install the tag behind the rear vision mirror it may not be able to see the Tag reader and will not work - in this instance you have to put the tag at the bottom of the windscreen BUT ONLY if you do not have an athermic windscreen - click here for more details."

Like many others, I've been charged various different classes over the years - though I never feel hard done by when I have to pay the correct fee (6.5t and 3.4 metres high - so definitely NOT class 2), and I always feel delighted when we do get charged as a Class 2 (which seems to be the majority of the time).

I'm not sure I could bring myself to deliberately use something that our motorhome isn't appropriate for - but I've become less inclined to use toll roads over the years anyway.

Link to the Sanef site https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/

Regards,
John


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## parigby (Jul 18, 2006)

Having just got my IH PVC on a Fiat chasis, went off and got the Sanef Tag. Stepped inside the MoHome to fit the holder and Tag, to find that the rear view mirror holder and casing takes up all of the shaded area. 

According to the Sanef instructions, l can just stick the holder and Tag onto the plastic casing of the rear view mirror. So l did.

I then saw the following :

" Some vehicles are known to have equipment in the mottled area such as rain sensors or automatic emergency braking sensors. E.g. Volvo XC60 / 90, some Mercedes. The mottled / shaded area behind the rear view mirror will be free of any heat reflective metallic coating that is sometimes applied to the glass in the factory to reflect the sun and keep the car cool on a hot day. The tag must go in the mottled area as it is free of any heat reflective coating, so the signal to it is not blocked by the metallic coating on the glass. In situations like this we have had it reported back to us by customers who have such vehicles that fixing the tag on the middle of the plastic casing of the equipment that is occupying the mottled/shaded area has been successful. "

The above seems to be somewhat different from the original instructions that came with the Tag, the implication being that it has gone from will be fine, to it might work.

Anyone out there with definitive experience of sticking the Tag and holder onto the Fiat rear view mirror plastic holder ?


regards ...... philip


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## iansmithofotley (Oct 13, 2005)

Hi everyone, 

My motorhome has a large overhang above the cab. I simply made a small mount out of a piece of plastic (a rectangular piece of an old milk carton, with two vertical slots cut in, to take the tag. The mount measures about 4 cms by 10 cms). The mount and tag simply slot into one of the windscreen vents above the dashboard. It is simple to remove, when not in use. I have never had a problem with this system and, to date, it has worked every time.

Ian


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## leseduts (Jun 3, 2008)

parigby said:


> Having just got my IH PVC on a Fiat chasis, went off and got the Sanef Tag. Stepped inside the MoHome to fit the holder and Tag, to find that the rear view mirror holder and casing takes up all of the shaded area.
> 
> According to the Sanef instructions, l can just stick the holder and Tag onto the plastic casing of the rear view mirror. So l did.
> 
> ...


We came through on Tuesday in our XC60, thank you for all your advice. Stuck the tag at the top of the windscreen, but it did not work due to the overhang on the top box. At the next page we held the tag at the edge of the windscreen, close to the side where the heated screen wires are not obvious, the tag worked fine. We shall now transfer it to the MH.


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## buxom (Mar 20, 2008)

We have Sanef for 3 years and its been great on our A class apart from the odd time in southern France we have had to back up and try again and just press the intercom and wife says Sanef please and thru we went. However coming back recently from Spain thru France to Zeebrugge we encountered the tolls near Tours and other cars/vans lorries were queing in lanes and it would not let us thru for 20 mins in the end we were instructed in poor English to remove Sanef tag from windscreen and pass it over the red flashing panel (bar code reader) on the ticket machine and at last got thru , it was a scary time as we were trapped by a huge lorry who would not back up for us to try another lane where they had started moving. This was nearly trumped on same journey thru Rouen at the toll booth there we approached the barrier and again nothing happened but this was more scary as there were 3 armed police in front of us as we backed up to try again gesturing to our sanef tag on screen the barrier opened much to our relief and they waved us on.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Just be careful if you are over the 3.0m height limit: the last time we used ours we were we had only around 50% success rate at barriers regarding the height despite being somewhere between 2.99m and 3.10m (depending upon which literature you read and presumably how much load was on board and air was in the tyres :smile2. This was in our Bessacarr.

The weight should not be an issue.


We have since decided not to use toll motorways anymore in France wherever possible, preferring a more leisurely bimble where we get to see more of the route/enjoy the journey.

Graham :smile2:


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