Driver is let off M50 fine after covering up car number plates

Hotwheels

And a number of other motorists who covered their registration plates at the front of their vehicles were sent a bill anyway -- because they forgot to cover the rear plates which were filmed. :D:D

By Paul Melia

Saturday September 06 2008

Paul Melia

A DRIVER has been let off with a warning after gardai caught him trying to avoid the new M50 toll cameras by covering up his number plates.

And a number of other motorists who covered their registration plates at the front of their vehicles were sent a bill anyway -- because they forgot to cover the rear plates which were filmed.

Sources said the motorists tried to laugh off their deception, claiming it was only done as a joke.

But if the National Roads Authority had pressed charges, the drivers could have faced a €5,000 fine or six months in prison for evading the toll.

The barrier-free tolling was introduced on the M50 last Saturday.

Instead of paying at a toll booth, motorists now have three payment options. The first is to have an electronic tag fitted to your car, which incurs a €2 charge to use the road.

The second allows motorists to open a video account by registering their details with the NRA. This incurs a €2.50 charge. Both methods have pre- and post-payment options.

The third option does not involve registration, but requires road users to pay the €3 toll online, by phone or at 1,100 payzone outlets.

Cameras mounted on gantries above the road record car number plates, and a computer system checks to see if the plate is registered. The toll is then deducted from a prepaid account, or recorded so people can pay for their trip later.

Complain

The National Roads Authority said yesterday that 15,000 people had called their help centre last Monday, the first "normal" traffic day under the system.

A significant number were calls from people ringing to complain about having to pay -- while others wanted advice about how the system worked.

Other drivers rang asking for directions, including one who wanted to travel from Dublin Airport to Dundalk, which doesn't involve driving on the M50. Others sought the location of payzone outlets.

One visitor to website www.askaboutmoney.com said he had been charged 10 times for a round trip last Sunday -- leading to a bill of €60.

The NRA said with 100,000 transactions a day it could not confirm whether that incident happened, but it did admit there had been other problems.

Double-charging had occurred where people registered twice, by phone and over the internet. The NRA said it had upgraded its software to stop the problem occurring.

The number of motorists choosing to open a tag or video account has rocketed since Monday by 25pc.

Altogether more than 300,000 people have now registered -- up from 240,000 last Friday when the barriers were removed.

Fines are being waived for people who "forget" to pay the €3 toll levy until September 14. Anyone who used the road but failed to pay by 8pm the next day must take a letter from the NRA to a payzone outlet. The fine will be waived, but the toll charge still applies.
- Paul Melia

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eringobragh

Pure Bollocks I reckon...Just a ploy to deter drivers from doing this.. They done this before with the "court case" of a motorist for flashing drivers warning of a speedtrap.:rolleyes:

Turner

Ya smells of poo.

The Gardai wouldnt care less if he was avoiding the toll or not. Its none of their business and up to the toll operators to prosecute him.

Their only interest would be that his number plates were obscured and he was committing an offence under the road traffic act, for which he would have been prosecuted.

Same as the little boy racers having itallic writing or green or whatever crap they think looks good on their number plates.

Run_to_da_hills

Chief--- wrote: »

Ya smells of poo.

The Gardai wouldnt care less if he was avoiding the toll or not. Its none of their business and up to the toll operators to prosecute him.

Their only interest would be that his number plates were obscured and he was committing an offence under the road traffic act, for which he would have been prosecuted.

Same as the little boy racers having itallic writing or green or whatever crap they think looks good on their number plates.

Just like INFACT pay An Gardai Siochain huge sums of money to chase after travellers selling counterfeit DVDs at open air markets you can be sure the NRA are paying the Gardai similar sums to chase after and prosecute those avoiding the tolls.

Turner

Emm the Gardai get their funding from the exchequer.

The only time they get paid from any other source is at concerts and Gaa matches as far as i know where they perform non public duty.

Run_to_da_hills

Chief--- wrote: »

Emm the Gardai get their funding from the exchequer.

The only time they get paid from any other source is at concerts and Gaa matches as far as i know where they perform non public duty.

Not from what I heard, Most of the DVD raids of the past were on Sundays, which would be considered overtime for many members, extra Gardai and detectives would be drafted in to do the markets. In some cases such as the Balbriggan, Kilkee, and Draugheda market raids were almost a weekly event. Members of INFACT and Customs would often accompany the Gardai in follow up searches. It would be in the interest of the Gardai to show results for PR such as placing a potential market value on stuff confiscated, equipment used etc and show press photos.

Back on topic, the fact that this guy was discovered with false plates is a good enough warning for copy cat cases not to try it. ANPR tracking has been tried and tested by the London Metropolitan Police imposing the congestion charge and also around the globe in bus lanes and toll roads and I am sure the NRA & Gardai are well informed and aware of every potential scam that could be tried.