alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Tried AGAIN to open an account using direct debit. My identity check failed. I had five goes, and finally rang them.
After waiting an age, one of their bods tells me that I CAN'T open an account with direct debit, I need to open with a payment, then trnasfer it to direct debit.

Of course it doesn't say that on the site.......


So I do that.


Will it now let me change it? Nope..."Proxy server error........."

What utter bollox. Why do government websites fail? And why do the whanchors who design them still get paid????

Kwik

iTrader: (10)

Is this using a dart-tag?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It's going to be one way of paying, given that they have gone over to a London Congestion type of charge with ANPR and you have 34 hours to pay.

Given that I will be travelling a few times a year to France, it's easier to set up an account and let them knock off the £1.50 each time...you get the discount too, I believe.

They have raised the charge to £20 to cover for johnny Foreigner who won't pay...they SAY they will be able to chase him across Europe for it through local police forces..aye..right, for £2????

c_maguire

They'll be chasing for the fine, not the £2.
I heard on the news recently that they are very close to linking databases across Europe such that speeding in France, for example, will get you points on your licence.
I am majorly ****@d off about that.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I never speed over there any more..well...I say "never".......

The fines are awful and on the spot, plus it wastes so much time.
80mph on the motorways is fine, the main roads, when empty and straight, at 56mph, however.........
A lot of the french seem to do 110kph on those, it gets them a fine, but not one of the big ones. It's under 20kph OVER the posted limit.
http://english.controleradar.org/speeding-fines.php

c_maguire

Here or there I tend to sit at the ton on the clock in the van which equates to low to mid nineties, although it isn't easy as in reality I want to do 120 as a cruise speed.
Copping a 90 Euro fine is a chance I'm OK with, and have copped a few times. The points is a different story.

warrenm2

ukip are campaigning to scrap the charges, just saying.....

c_maguire

I have probably fallen foul of this now.

Called out to a breakdown in Erith on Saturday, I am aware that the charge should be paid and intended to do so. But between the tunnel and home it's all too easy to forget.
This morning lying in bed the thought "F@ck it, the bloody Dart charge" came to me. So as we are 3 days later the fine is probably already en route. Unlike the Congestion Charge which takes payment for a specific day and will not accept payment after midnight the following day (they had £120 out of me for forgetting before I was effectively forced to open an account) the Dart charge takes the money without specifying anything. Therefore I expect I have effectively pre-paid this morning for a trip I haven't yet made and the fine is probably already on its way for Saturday.
So I decided to open an account, which I had previously not done because I infrequently use the toll and I object to them taking money (£10 only, but it's the principle of it) up front. Anyhow, whilst opening the account you must select manual or automatic top-up of this £10 float they are holding. As chances are I may forget to top-up manually, which probably risks another fine, I opted for automatic top-up. Guess what, the account automatically tops up when the balance reaches £10. So they now have £20 of my money.

Nice little earner.

c_maguire

Ifd it were possible it would be very interesting (to me at least) to know how much the Congestion Charge and subsequently this Dart Charge have taken in fines from people who have forgotten to pay or were unaware they had to, as opposed to genuine evaders.
As said CC have had £120 from me, and DC potentially £60 (or whatever their fine is).

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Well, I got sorted.
Once I had set up an account by paying in a sum £10, 24 hours later it allowed me to upgrade to automatic. Now, every time it falls below £10, it will put me another £10 in.

I have to say, I crossed on Friday night in quite heavy traffic, around 8.45 pm, normally would have been in queues, but sailed through at 30mph with no probs.