- Apr 27, 2009
- 435
- 218
- Funster No
- 6,478
- MH
- Dakota
- Exp
- Fulltiming from 2010- 2017
Two friends of ours have just driven into Portugal from Cabopino,
their experiences may be of interest, and actually are quite amusing:
'We had heard a lot of tales about the new electronic tolls introduced on certain Portugese motorways, but specifically effecting travellers coming over the bridge from Spain to Portugal. We crossed over clutching our Euros determined not to be caught out. We spotted the cameras on the overhead gantrys and the toll signs, and pulled over to a police outpost where a company van signed up with the toll logo was also parked, complete with guy handing out explanatory leaflets. :thumb:
Very helpful man who was obviously waiting all day for someone to stop and talk to him. When we eventually got away, dehydrated and hungry, we knew the easiest way to pay was to stop at the next garage (a Cepsa one) and use their electronic wireless machine. As soon as we got close to the paypoint one could hear the sound of tired, angry and frustrated travellers. By the time we reached the bedraggled female operator, she explained for the 700th time that the machine had stopped working 4 hours previously, and that this had been the story most days since its inception a month previously. Reception of the radio waves that carried the signal was poor etc etc.
She said our best bet would be to come off at the next junction and complete our journey by N roads,not the best advert for the system. Alternatively we could pay in one of the Post offices in Albufuria, which was confirmed in our explanatory leaflet. Carried on along the motorway and stopped at the next garage; it was not in the scheme, so onto our camp site.
Set up, and decided to cycle up to the local sub post office about 2 miles away, as the receptionist at the site stated they would deal with it.Yes you guessed, they didn't; it had to be the main post Office in Albufuera.So back to the site to collect my jumper and lights for the bike, and decided I could just make it there prior to closing at 1900.
Huge hill up to Albufuera. but parked my bike outside and stepped into post office with about 8 people in front of me for 3 counters at 1845. Got to counter 3 at 1850 and in my best Portugese/English explained that I wanted to pay my electronic toll The nice lady asked me for my ticket, and I explained very slowly and deliberatly that I didn't have a ticket for the toll. I was an occasional user and smugly pointed out the appropriate section in my now sweaty, crumpled leaflet.
No, she explained even more slowly and smugly, your Post office Counter ticket! oh: As you enter, you should take a numbered ticket from the machine and when your number appears on the VDU, you get served. I walked back with steam coming ot of my ears, daring anyone to even smile or grin my way......
With green ticket number 1567 in my hand, I was now behind six people that I had seen come in after me. At 1900 I went and spoke to the very nice man on counter 2 who told me in poor English that they had no facility to deal with the Electronic taxes.He refered me to the very nice lady, back on Counter 3 who could explain in English.
We pretended that we hadn't met before, and she explained that although the leaflets state that Foreign registred vehicles can pay in cash at a Post Office, they cant, its as simple as that, there is currently no facility to pay at a Post Office.
She suggested I should try the Cepsa garage on the motorways. Do you know that song "there's a hole in my bucket Dear Liza, Dear Liza".
My cycle ride back was full of expletives regarding the whole system. I gave up, and in the words of the Receptionist, at the camp office, when I explained my story,
"My friend you have tried; they dont give a S**T, you shouldn't give a S**T either......oh:
So on our return to Spain we thought we would sneak out avoiding the Toll saga and use the N roads. I had visions of loads of wanted posters, along the way, with pictures stating "Have you seen this van?" but we made it safely to the village of Olhao. I foolishly turned into a Barclays Bank in a slip road off the main street. They were unable to supply cash to Barclays UK customers so I left empty handed, got back in the van and turned left back onto the main road. Sitting in the slip road I had entered previously was a marked Policia Vehicle with three mean looking Hombres inside. As I drew up parallel with them they indicated that I should pull back into the same lay-by and turned on their Blue lights.
Realising I could not out run them, I meekly complied and returned into the space I had just vacated.They zoomed around and blocked me in and all of the other traffic in the slip road.The driver got out backed up by his buddy and they didn't draw their Glocks, but both had mean haircuts and guts to match and neither was clean shaven.The driver told me to get my documents and I wished I had tried harder to pay that toll. He then told me I was being given an instant fine for crossing the Stop Line.When I remonstrated that I had been stopped at the junction for some 3 or 4 minutes waiting to execute my left turn, he said "No you cant turn left here across the road". When I pointed out that the sign was merely a Stop sign, not a No left turn he said "you crossed the single white line in the middle of the road. "When I pointed out that due to the size of the vehicle I would have crossed the white line if I had turned right he told me it was a 50 Euro fine or get nicked I said "Would you prefer cash officer"
Bizarrely he gave me 12 cents change, the exact fine is 49.88,what sort of a country has a 49.88 fine. I felt like asking him. Could I call him a jumped up, red necked, Xenophobe, and he could keep the change but, I didn't. So I escaped the tolls.......... however.........................:Sad:'
Made me laugh, but I'll still go to Portugal anyway.
Billkce
their experiences may be of interest, and actually are quite amusing:
'We had heard a lot of tales about the new electronic tolls introduced on certain Portugese motorways, but specifically effecting travellers coming over the bridge from Spain to Portugal. We crossed over clutching our Euros determined not to be caught out. We spotted the cameras on the overhead gantrys and the toll signs, and pulled over to a police outpost where a company van signed up with the toll logo was also parked, complete with guy handing out explanatory leaflets. :thumb:
Very helpful man who was obviously waiting all day for someone to stop and talk to him. When we eventually got away, dehydrated and hungry, we knew the easiest way to pay was to stop at the next garage (a Cepsa one) and use their electronic wireless machine. As soon as we got close to the paypoint one could hear the sound of tired, angry and frustrated travellers. By the time we reached the bedraggled female operator, she explained for the 700th time that the machine had stopped working 4 hours previously, and that this had been the story most days since its inception a month previously. Reception of the radio waves that carried the signal was poor etc etc.
She said our best bet would be to come off at the next junction and complete our journey by N roads,not the best advert for the system. Alternatively we could pay in one of the Post offices in Albufuria, which was confirmed in our explanatory leaflet. Carried on along the motorway and stopped at the next garage; it was not in the scheme, so onto our camp site.
Set up, and decided to cycle up to the local sub post office about 2 miles away, as the receptionist at the site stated they would deal with it.Yes you guessed, they didn't; it had to be the main post Office in Albufuera.So back to the site to collect my jumper and lights for the bike, and decided I could just make it there prior to closing at 1900.
Huge hill up to Albufuera. but parked my bike outside and stepped into post office with about 8 people in front of me for 3 counters at 1845. Got to counter 3 at 1850 and in my best Portugese/English explained that I wanted to pay my electronic toll The nice lady asked me for my ticket, and I explained very slowly and deliberatly that I didn't have a ticket for the toll. I was an occasional user and smugly pointed out the appropriate section in my now sweaty, crumpled leaflet.
No, she explained even more slowly and smugly, your Post office Counter ticket! oh: As you enter, you should take a numbered ticket from the machine and when your number appears on the VDU, you get served. I walked back with steam coming ot of my ears, daring anyone to even smile or grin my way......
With green ticket number 1567 in my hand, I was now behind six people that I had seen come in after me. At 1900 I went and spoke to the very nice man on counter 2 who told me in poor English that they had no facility to deal with the Electronic taxes.He refered me to the very nice lady, back on Counter 3 who could explain in English.
We pretended that we hadn't met before, and she explained that although the leaflets state that Foreign registred vehicles can pay in cash at a Post Office, they cant, its as simple as that, there is currently no facility to pay at a Post Office.
She suggested I should try the Cepsa garage on the motorways. Do you know that song "there's a hole in my bucket Dear Liza, Dear Liza".
My cycle ride back was full of expletives regarding the whole system. I gave up, and in the words of the Receptionist, at the camp office, when I explained my story,
"My friend you have tried; they dont give a S**T, you shouldn't give a S**T either......oh:
So on our return to Spain we thought we would sneak out avoiding the Toll saga and use the N roads. I had visions of loads of wanted posters, along the way, with pictures stating "Have you seen this van?" but we made it safely to the village of Olhao. I foolishly turned into a Barclays Bank in a slip road off the main street. They were unable to supply cash to Barclays UK customers so I left empty handed, got back in the van and turned left back onto the main road. Sitting in the slip road I had entered previously was a marked Policia Vehicle with three mean looking Hombres inside. As I drew up parallel with them they indicated that I should pull back into the same lay-by and turned on their Blue lights.
Realising I could not out run them, I meekly complied and returned into the space I had just vacated.They zoomed around and blocked me in and all of the other traffic in the slip road.The driver got out backed up by his buddy and they didn't draw their Glocks, but both had mean haircuts and guts to match and neither was clean shaven.The driver told me to get my documents and I wished I had tried harder to pay that toll. He then told me I was being given an instant fine for crossing the Stop Line.When I remonstrated that I had been stopped at the junction for some 3 or 4 minutes waiting to execute my left turn, he said "No you cant turn left here across the road". When I pointed out that the sign was merely a Stop sign, not a No left turn he said "you crossed the single white line in the middle of the road. "When I pointed out that due to the size of the vehicle I would have crossed the white line if I had turned right he told me it was a 50 Euro fine or get nicked I said "Would you prefer cash officer"
Bizarrely he gave me 12 cents change, the exact fine is 49.88,what sort of a country has a 49.88 fine. I felt like asking him. Could I call him a jumped up, red necked, Xenophobe, and he could keep the change but, I didn't. So I escaped the tolls.......... however.........................:Sad:'
Made me laugh, but I'll still go to Portugal anyway.
Billkce