Quote: Originally posted by kenren on 30/9/2016
Also for those overcharged there is a specific email address for claims which is reclamations-clients at atmb.net. They also ask you to send a copy of the vehicle registration documents and the badge number when claiming.
If you've used a different address that could explain the lack of response
Ken
Thanks Ken. I will look out the correspondence and see where I was sending my emails & letters. It might be worth another try. Although our own fault, the overpayment is around £25.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
Thanks Ken, "must try harder" seems to resonate in regard to my abysmal French from school reports however, I preferred Latin!! I look forward to not being charged an annual renewal fee! My apologies to other subscribers for my misinterpretation of the rules!
------------- 2018 & so it begins.
April - please, just one weekend!
May - Who knows....
June - Tristram, Polzeath 10 nights
August - Dartmouth Regatta 4 nights
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This may interest some... then again, it may not!!
11 months after my first toll-tag experiences, my colleague borrowed my ATMB Tag back in late August/Early Sept, to see if it was advantageous enough for him.
He was on a motorbike, which should be a cheaper class 5.
He only passed one toll outbound (August), and was mistakenly charged at the car class 1 rate. Obviously, we weren't aware until it showed on my personal account, at which time, I used their "contact us" button and explained the situation in both English and Google-translated-French.
Before the actual August invoice "arrived", and now into September, my colleague returned to Blighty, using 4 or 5 tolls... all but one showed on my account ("current journeys") as class 1 (car) again!
I then had an email thanking me for my first email, and that they had amended the (outbound) charge to the correct class 5.
I thanked them, but reported (by return email) their similar failings for the return journey, (which were all in Sept) and added that "From the 7th, I'll be returning to France, but in a car this time" (I didn't want to confuse matters even further by admitting it was somebody else on the motorbike, using my tag! LOL!
I heard nothing more, and in all honesty, expected to be charged the higher rate (or rather my colleague would have been, after I had passed the costs on to him!) and put it all down to a bad experience!
So the invoice for the single August (outbound) trip arrived, showing solely the class 1 charge!! FAIL!
I didn't follow it up, (then or subsequently) as it was a short journey, which made just 3€ difference.
I've now received my invoice for September. It's messy! There's the original mistaken class 1 charges for the return journey, all and every credits for same, then the correct class 5 charges... then the (correct) class 1 charges for when I went myself from the 7th Sept onwards (In my car).
... And that included the August cock-up too... Credit for the outbound class 1 charge (From the previous month's invoice), and the new class 5 charge added.
I told you it was messy... but they did hear my cries afterall, and they have got it bang on in the end, to the penny. Every wrong charge can be crossed off with the correct credit, all bike tolls eventually charged as class 5, and my own journey all showing the correct class 1.
My colleague is now considering the ATMB tag for himself, but taking my advice to wait for "The Deal" early next year.
But the question remains... why was he mistakenly charged class 1 in the first place, and is he likely to have the same "hassle" next year (Translating/sending emails etc!)
For the above, his class 5 journeys totalled just 19.10€, compared to a class 1 cost of something like 25€ ish, so little difference in the grand scheme of things, but next year he's going a lot further, and if he takes the toll all the way, class 1 charges would mean an overcharge of around 45€ each way (According to Via Michelin).
Anyone else use a tag with a motorbike? Any similar problems, or all good?
Did they automatically associate my tag with the previous years charges for my class 1 car with roof box? I seriously doubt that's the case. Surely they rely on the camera's/lasers etc each and every time you pass through, to determine the vehicle?
... On a separate note, and purely for the record, my colleague can also confirm that the little plastic pouch (that the tag comes in) does actually do it's job, and that the tag won't work unless you take it out first!!
I DID WARN HIM!!!
See question 4.4 in the FAQs on the SanefUK page. "Motorcyclists need to hand the tag to an operator to have it manually scanned and entered as Class 5" But as we all know there are many toll booths which don't these days have an easily accessible operator. Problem !
I know it's the wrong tag company, but as there's no such similar FAQ's on the ATMB site, it's only fair to presume it all works the same with them all anyway!
Reading that in full, I'm now wondering whether he'll even bother! Stopping at a manned booth to get the tag scanned seems a tad similar to slipping your bank card in the slot, even allowing for motorbike gloves, I presume!!
And I know for a fact he hasn't got as much patience as me, for that all-important google-translating and chase up e-mails etc!
I'll pass on the info, and let him decide.
...One thing's for certain, he ain't borrowing mine again, unless he goes in the car!!
Bikes have to stop, and if there's no 'man' then there is a button you can press, but to be quite honest what's the point if you have to stop anyway!
As Opensauce says, if you're having to stop anyway, why not just pay with a fee-free credit card (Halifax, Santander, other providers are available.....) or debit card (Metrobank, Cumberland Building Society....... other providers also available).
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Will not the same problem arise if paying by credit card? How does it know to charge for a motorbike? At least with the tag you get a monthly statement saying what it has done.
All peage 'booths' display the price and the Class being charged for, so you can physically check on the display. If it says anything other than Class 5 you press the button, say Classe Cinq and the payment will be adjusted accordingly. It's very quick - but unfortunately stopping for peage charges is just one of the penalties of being on a motor bike.
Totally agree with everyone who says "What's the point" (of a tag).
I'll advise him accordingly, and I strongly suspect that the outcome will be... he'll go back to paying as before.
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Topic: Tolls in France. Again!
