Crossing the channel...

[Terry Casey]

But why would someone who hasn't used the crossing for years and didn't even know the system had changed have had a Dart Tag, even if they were still available?

And my memory of the Dart Tag ws that you had to drive through the lane fairly slowly while your tag was read (based on the delay between entering the booth lane and the barrier lifting).

So we are back to somebody suddenly braking to a crawl in the middle of fopur lanes of fast moving traffic. Of course, someone who went through too fast for the tag to be read would incur a penalty charge because they would be caught by the ANPR system, so it's a lost cause however you look at it.

Much easier to register for automatic payment even if you rarely need to take advantage of it.

[Marland]

To be honest my reply initially was an attempt to build on that ?Joke? rather than correct you, but you took it all serious and personally so f*ck you and take the advice of your link yourself.

Must be a reason for your bad temper,Ponds dried up or something.

GH

[Theo]

I've commented before about M25 signs telling you about ways to pay your 'Dart Charge', but no mention WTF the Dart Charge is for. Is it a type of council tax for Dartford, or is it something you pay to the person behind the bar?

Theo

[Roland Perry]

In message , at

12:42:46 on Thu, 5 Jul 2018, Terry Casey remarked:

They, or a better equivalent, would have continued to be available.

Tags like this have been used on motorways abroad for decades without barriers and without the need to slow down.

[Terry Casey]

But Tim Ward, who started this conversation about the Dartford Crossing had only ever paid cash previously, when Dart Tags were still available, so obviously never had - or wanted - one.

So the contiued use of Dart Tags wouldn't have made a jot of difference in his case - so why are you furiously endeavouring to create a (totally useless) mountain out of a molehill?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Quite. It might be possible these days to use some system which could read from the ordinary lanes, but why would you want to when the current system works just fine for 99.99%?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Hope you understand the signs saying 'closed from J5 due to an accident' rather better, then. ;-)

Of course you could always get a sat nav that will route you round toll charges?

[Roland Perry]

In message , at

14:33:47 on Thu, 5 Jul 2018, Terry Casey remarked:

The conversation's struggling with the number of straw men being introduced. The answer for the likes of Tim is for them to have a few lanes taking either cash or contactless.

[Theo]

The problem with that is if they get busy enough that they back up onto the motorway. But if they do, it rather suggests paying online is less convenient than the promoters suggest.

The general issue is systems designed for regular users, who are prepared to put in some upfront investment in time to save time over the long run. They can end up putting a disproportionate burden on those who aren't regular users - in terms of time overhead to understand the system and in jumping through the hoops.

(I see you can now pay for the Dart Charge online without an account - I thought you had to sign up for one previously, so this is an improvement)

Theo

[Chris Green]

The French Telepeage 'drive through' lanes certainly require you to slow down, I think it says either 20kmh or 30kmh if I remember correctly.

[Cynic]

Why not subject yourself to flying to one of the secondary airports miles away from the city you really want to reach? There are some cheap flights but for maximum savings book via the magic of modern communications from Germany rather than from the UK

[Tim Ward]

I have decided not to choose an unsustainable car-commuter lifestyle. How happy should I be at being inconvenienced for the benefit of those who have?

[Tim Ward]

Sounds like a *plonk* to me.

[Tim Ward]

Or - shock horror! - simply use some technology.

If they can send you a bill through the post for a massive fine using ANPR they can send you a bill through the post with a small surcharge, rather than a massive fine, for the first two or three crossings per year, say, with an encouragement to sign up if you're going to use it more regularly.

[charles]

I use the crossing about once every two years. If it's a planned journey, I pay in advance; if unscheduled - like last weekend - I paid the next day. Both payments made on-line. No account.

[Alan Jones]

I am not sure that people choose to commute unsustainably by car unless the alternatives are quite horrendous. But why do you choose to unsustainably fly (:-) For the avoidance of doubt, I am not trying to get at you Tim, just being a bit forgiving of the car-commuters.

I am surprised (like Roland) that there is not an exception lane or two where you can queue to pay the Dart charge by cash/card. How do people temporarily denied a bank account manage it? Find a payzone store within the next day or two?

Alan Jones.

[Alan Jones]

putting a single toll plaza on a stretch of motorway, so that one can simply drive around it on local roads for a bit of a change, and the rest of the motorway is free. Only one of my three favourite navigation programmes handled it properly when you said "avoid tolls" though - and that was Here WeGo. The others just avoided large sections of useful motorway, or refused to find a route.

Alan Jones.

[Tim Watts]

I wonder if "Huge" is such an arrogant arse in real life?

[The Natural Philosopher]

So what unsustainable lifestyle HAVE you chosen, then?

[The Natural Philosopher]

They alreday do.

I drove through last year 'as yopu havent used this befire, just pay ius a coule of quid'

This yime I just registered for PAYG. If my plate goes through, £1.67 allegely.