The ‘blasted’ Liber ‘t’ toll tag. (1 Viewer)

[ambo2camper]

I wrote about my disastrous trip through France for a skiing trip last year trying to use the automatic toll badge, our journey was lengthened by over 2 hours each way! I am just updating this story but here’s a brief recap…. 5 ton camper, already have the BroBIzz for Norway etc. which was brilliant. I decided to get the French Tag so i could speed through the tolls at 40kmh whilst waving at the tourists in their manual payment queues (joke). It basically didn’t work the entire journey there and back except at one toll. So that proved it DID actually work. Before you all cry out that i had it in the wrong place we moved it, held it up, out the window, on the roof, in fact every place we could think of. At most tolls it took 15 minutes to get through after talking in English to the person at the other end of their post mounted phones. Most told us to pay with card, some told us to pay cash into a box. One (expensive long distance one) told me it was fine and set the green light to proceed. When i returned home I had great pleasure in returning said tag to french office for a refund and leave it at that. My bank statement showed various payments that i made en-route. Although i was somewhat confused by the total as i paid some in cash and didnt make notes of those places but on elimination of the receipts both directions i managed to work it out.
A couple of months go by and i get some french email asking for payment for some tolls! I ignored it. I get another one, i ignored that. A year has gone by and i got a few emails asking for payment of around 100 euros. I ignored them all as my thought process was ‘iv’e done the journey, they charged me for each toll (either bank, cash or on one occasion the tag worked). Now i get a letter saying they are passing the debt to a collection agency! (It’s about a hundred euros).
I am now a little worried as i am expecting to go through France in the summer with the same vehicle and I’m now wondering if my number plate is ‘black listed’ for travel on their toll roads. I could try the option of using A roads completely and stay off them tolls . My questions are; 1/ Is it possible to stay off the tolls from Calais to Paris? 2/ Has anyone else had a disaster with the tag system? 3/ Can anyone offer advice on what to do to sort this debt out ( i know i could pay it but I’d prefer to fight it). Do i keep ignoring it?
(PHOTO of last year’s excellent skiing trip in Montgenevre)

 

[zac]

Did you check to see if you actually owe the money as some tolls take so long to show up it could be 2 months before they are on the bill, if you are sure you dont owe it then i would not pay but without knowing for sure i would absolutely check it first. If the dates match up to your trip away there is no way to argue it without proof which by the sounds of it you do not have so i would pay it, as if they do black list your reg it's going to cause more than 100 euros worth of issues whilst on holiday and more importantly stress you don't want or need.

 

[Lenny HB]

Are the toll gate detecting your weight or height as you said you are 5 ton, the tags are only valid for vehicles up to 3.5t and under 3m height.

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[zac]

Are the toll gate detecting your weight or height as you said you are 5 ton, the tags are only valid for vehicles up to 3.5t and under 3m height.

I had similar issues with the Sanef toll tag, that thing never worked or when it did it would work say going into one toll where usually you would take a ticket but on the other end of this it would not let you out.

Since converting to Fulli tag never had an issue and I am 5T and tag axle and usually tow a small single axle car trailer and with the A/C i am def over 3m high although not sure how this is calculated.

 

[Littlewheels]

I agree with Lenny looking at your Avatar you appear to have items added that will increase the height, this being picked up by sensors thus voiding your TollTag that has a restricted limit.

 

[TDub49]

Could this be another case of operator error I wonder? This from the terms and conditions:

6.3 Conditions applicable to the use of Tags on the Network​

a. Classes of Permitted Vehicles

The Liber-T System can be used by the following classes of vehicle:

Class 1: vehicles of height less or equal to 2 metres and maximum weight (GVW) less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes;

Class 2: vehicles and rolling assemblies of height more than 2 metres and less than 3 metres and maximum permissible weight (GVW) less than or equal to 3.5 tonnes;

Class 5: motorcycles, sidecars and trikes; and

Vehicles declassified in Class 1: Class 2 vehicles equipped for driving disabled people (with vehicle paper evidencing the "disability" when requested by toll staff or police).

The OP says that he was driving a 5 tonne camper. A bit more than the permitted 3.5 tonnes methinks . . . .

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[zac]

There are a number of people on this forum who are aware of the restrictions on the toll tags but have them working anyway, if they work for one over weight vehicle then i would expect it to work with others of a similar like mine. Although mine is with a different company the same restrictions are in place but still work.

Curious myself on how they say yes to one and no to another.

 

[surreyhills]

As with some of the earlier posts, I think the failure was the overheight aspect. I read somewhere that the sensors are set to 3.05m to allow for slight variations in tyre pressures. Weight measurement is likely to be rare if not non-existent. The advice to pay the excess of 100€ is the best way to proceed to ensure future use of the autoroutes will be trouble free. At least you will be prepared next time and if it is possible keep your roof projections to conform to the requirements.

 

[CAB96]

I'm sure I have read other posts where it was said that the height for the classification is determined by the vehicle body , not any additional items on the roof (like AC, Sat dish etc.).

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[ambo2camper]

All very interesting answers, thanks to all of you. I am now weighing up all the info you have put forward and going to make an educated decision on how to go forward . Yes it is a worry about the overdue toll so i will most likely pay this. Before doing so however i will sit down with all my paperwork from that trip to try and ascertain if i do actually owe this. My main complaint really was the irregularity of it in the way of paying etc when the badge didn't work. I was angry and frustrated at the time and left very confused. I hope to get to the bottom of this and will report back in the future. Thanks once again for detailed and sensible answers.