E-Flow

Random

I guess one could argue that if things are unclear they don't make it easy to ask questions.

Numerous times on hold for over 10 mins I have abandoned the call, numerous emails get generic replys with no answers.

Not sure on the specifics though.

Davy

Sinderella wrote: »

They make it so difficult for people who are not regular users to pay their Toll, surely they should be more lenient in the payment window?

In their threatening letters they quote a Law / Act which only refers to people who "fail, neglect or refuse to pay" a Toll. So why send them to people who paid a day or 2 after they used the road?

I find it so offensive that they're allowed to do this. Does anyone know if they have successfully won a case prosecuting someone for late payment?

Well the way they probably look at it, is that if you dont pay it on time, you neglected to pay it on the conditions of using the toll.

When the system works correctly its fine. When you have a problem of any kinda then the customer service has a lot to answer for. No matter who you deal with regarding the tolls, easytrip or eflow or whatever they cant seem to fix things in a reasonable amount of time hence the amount of thread on here.

Sizzler

Sinderella wrote: »

I'm trying to understand EFlow's policy that only gives you up to 24hrs to pay your Toll. I'm actually wondering how they have the Law on their side to start sending threatening letters if you pay a few hours late? Does anyone know how or why they are being allowed to do this?

They make it so difficult for people who are not regular users to pay their Toll, surely they should be more lenient in the payment window?

In their threatening letters they quote a Law / Act which only refers to people who "fail, neglect or refuse to pay" a Toll. So why send them to people who paid a day or 2 after they used the road? They still got their €3, right?

I find it so offensive that they're allowed to do this. Does anyone know if they have successfully won a case prosecuting someone for late payment?

OP, theres a mammoth thread on the farce that is eflow on the motoring forum

link -

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055348839&page=82

You might get more of a response there.

To answer your question though they are piggybacking on the back of the road traffic act AFAIK and are trying to enforce their regs that way.

I have paid some of my tolls when I felt like it, ie weeks after I used it and I keep querying the penalty charges online with them as "Already paid" and eventually they "find" the payment and withdraw the fines. They got their €3 so can sling their hook as far as Im concerned.

Random

By the time you see the T+C of when you have to pay could you argue that you have no chance to avoid it? Yes, the signs say it's a tolled road but nothing more.

Davy

Random wrote: »

By the time you see the T+C of when you have to pay could you argue that you have no chance to avoid it? Yes, the signs say it's a tolled road but nothing more.

If you could read that small print at that speed fair play to ya :pac:

Sinderella

Unclear, unhelpful shambles is what it is. I've used the Toll twice (return) The first time I was North and back the same day and found a garage on the way back to pay the Toll, in time. Still got the threatening letters though.

The 2nd time I wasn't coming back the same day so I made note of the phone number to pay by laser when I got to the North. Their phone number doesn't work in the North... so I was late paying.

But did pay. Then the letters started arriving. I owe them €6. €3 for the toll and €3 for not paying. Ignore this letter if it is a mistake... I ignored it. Then a letter for €3 for the toll, €3 for late payment and €40 (i think) for a fine of some sort. I called them, they said, yes I did pay but I still have to pay, even the €3 I already paid has to be paid again!!! Wouldn't tell me why I had to pay, just "that's their rules"... They must've spent at least that €3 in stamps sending me threatening letters by now, seems pointless. I paid!!!

Random

Davy wrote: »

If you could read that small print at that speed fair play to ya :pac:

I mean all the signs leading onto the M50 show that there is a Toll etc, but the specific signs about the deadlines and full T+C aren't shown until you're actually going through the toll.

The signs are all very clear where the information is provided, just not in the right time etc.

Sinderella

It was a job just to get the phone number before I went!

Thanks sizzler, will ask the Q over there too, wasn't sure where to post this.

I thought "barrier free" was supposed to make things easier

Lollipops23

have to say, when i used it i found it easy enough to pay. just paid with laser card online that evening.however,i know that won't suit everyone expecially if you can't get to a computer or don't have a laser card.

what did piss me off was when they sent me a letter claiming i'd been on the M50 when i wasn't:mad: they sent me an apology though:p

Thoie

I don't necessarily agree with eflow, but I will point out that when the bridge was still there you had to pay cash right then, right there. Would it be easier for people if there was a single drive through pay lane somewhere?

Kotek Besar

Sinderella wrote: »

Unclear, unhelpful shambles is what it is. I've used the Toll twice (return) The first time I was North and back the same day and found a garage on the way back to pay the Toll, in time. Still got the threatening letters though.

The 2nd time I wasn't coming back the same day so I made note of the phone number to pay by laser when I got to the North. Their phone number doesn't work in the North... so I was late paying.

But did pay. Then the letters started arriving. I owe them €6. €3 for the toll and €3 for not paying. Ignore this letter if it is a mistake... I ignored it. Then a letter for €3 for the toll, €3 for late payment and €40 (i think) for a fine of some sort. I called them, they said, yes I did pay but I still have to pay, even the €3 I already paid has to be paid again!!! Wouldn't tell me why I had to pay, just "that's their rules"... They must've spent at least that €3 in stamps sending me threatening letters by now, seems pointless. I paid!!!

Bloody hell. So what was the final outcome?

Sizzler

Thoie wrote: »

I don't necessarily agree with eflow, but I will point out that when the bridge was still there you had to pay cash right then, right there. Would it be easier for people if there was a single drive through pay lane somewhere?

No, because people would drive through the barrier free section. Who would really be bothered stopping to pay for it and Q when you are home free

Thoie

Sizzler wrote: »

No, because people would drive through the barrier free section. Who would really be bothered stopping to pay for it and Q when you are home free

Well, I was thinking of it more as an additional payment option - they could still send out unpaid letters.

Sinderella

Well benifa, I don't know what's gonna happen. I told them they got their €3 and they are getting no more. They said they're gonna send the big bad debt collectors out... to reposess my microwave or something, I don't know... Looks like no-one has got as far as the courts yet.

Thoie, I know exactly what you mean, I thought that myself. Yes, have the eflow system but why not have 1 lane where you can still pay cash if you chose. It's supposed to be a Toll road because it's the most convenient route (my arse).

It's fine for people that use it every day / week but I don't find it convenient at all! :mad:

Kotek Besar

Sinderella wrote: »

It's supposed to be a Toll road because it's the most convenient route (my arse).

My arse too.

I drove up to Newry the other day, from Waterford, and specifically avoided the M50 toll. Glad I did too, as the N2 (which I took) was flowing nicely, hardly any traffic at all. I glanced up at the M50 and could see it was chocka.

I certainly never intend to use that road again. Why pay to sit in a traffic jam? No thanks.


EDIT: Woo-woo! 1000th post! Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Sinderella

Congratulations on your 1000th post!

I would love to know how to navigate my way from avoiding the M50....

Kotek Besar

Sinderella wrote: »

Congratulations on your 1000th post!

I would love to know how to navigate my way from avoiding the M50....

Thanks!

I've set my sat nav to avoid all toll roads now. It's great. Waterford to Newry used to take me 3hr 15min using the tolls (M50 + M1). Now I avoid both tolls and the journey takes 3hr 45min.

So I lose 30 mins but save €4.90. Worth it, imo.

Sinderella

ooo, sat nav, go on then direct me past the M50 toll...

der2

kezarooney wrote: »

Hey, im new here but totally p!ssed off with e-flow.
Like they bring out this new system and dont really tell anyone how it works!!!???
I had a problem a few months back where they sent out a few fines to my house, only worth €6, so I was told in the petrol garage that u have to bring ur bills down to the garage and they scan them in and thats how u pay them, so i brought like 3 or 4 down and 2 of them went through fine but my last few bills wouldnt scan, 3 different garages it would not scan, tried for 4 days would not scan, so I didnt pay them ones. So now all my little €6 bills that wouldnt scan have turned out now worth like €152!!!! Loada me ass!!!! So I have some solicitor letter now saying there threatening my credit rating blah de blah!!!! Whats everyone doing about this sh!te??? Im not gunna pay it, funny thing is the name on each bill is not even my proper name, theres a few letters left out of my surname so if they try threaten me again Im just gunna say, here's my passport, the names do not match, these fines belong to the name on the fine ha!!! Do you think that would work!!!

This happened to me today, I got two letters demanding €152 each. But I got no letters before hand, this is the first I've even heard of these people. Of all the underhanded ways to make more money during a recession. I'm bloody ragin.

There's no justice in it, I'd pay for the toll had I got it. I checked and the solicitors is real.

Is there anything I can do? This will ruin me.

I rang e-flow and they said by law they were under no legal obligation to send me out any notice before this.

MrsMcSteamy

der2 wrote: »

This happened to me today, I got two letters demanding €152 each. But I got no letters before hand, this is the first I've even heard of these people. Of all the underhanded ways to make more money during a recession. I'm bloody ragin.

There's no justice in it, I'd pay for the toll had I got it. I checked and the solicitors is real.

Is there anything I can do? This will ruin me.

I rang e-flow and they said by law they were under no legal obligation to send me out any notice before this.

Der2,

So just to confirm you got 2 notices off E-Flow demanding payment of €152? Have you actually even been through the toll and not paid ?

MrsMcSteamy

Sinderella wrote: »

Well benifa, I don't know what's gonna happen. I told them they got their €3 and they are getting no more. They said they're gonna send the big bad debt collectors out... to reposess my microwave or something, I don't know... Looks like no-one has got as far as the courts yet.

Thoie, I know exactly what you mean, I thought that myself. Yes, have the eflow system but why not have 1 lane where you can still pay cash if you chose. It's supposed to be a Toll road because it's the most convenient route (my arse).

It's fine for people that use it every day / week but I don't find it convenient at all! :mad:

Well I know two people who got solicitor letters and had to pay i think roughly €170 each way for a return trip to Dublin

der2

MrsMcSteamy wrote: »

Der2,

So just to confirm you got 2 notices off E-Flow demanding payment of €152? Have you actually even been through the toll and not paid ?

Thats correct. These are the first letters I've recieved with regards the matter. I have used the road and I accept I owe them the toll, but up until this point I didn't realise what the story was with the road.

We rang up to discuss the matter, they told us that they are under no legal obligation to send any form of notice on owed accounts out. So getting this solicitor letter is good and proper by the law. Both e-flow and the solicitors were very unhelpful, only wanting to direct me from one to the other.

All my post for my car goes back to my parents and having got these letters in the past for their own vehicles would have known to contact me to pay it. They're big envelopes from what I hear. They said it must have got lost in the post, but 2 letters getting lost sounds unlikely.

In the end I think it has to be paid as I'm screwed on the legal end. It just doesn't seem just.

I'm told there was a big marketting campaign about it, which makes me feel worse.

MrsMcSteamy

der2 wrote: »

Thats correct. These are the first letters I've recieved with regards the matter. I have used the road and I accept I owe them the toll, but up until this point I didn't realise what the story was with the road.

We rang up to discuss the matter, they told us that they are under no legal obligation to send any form of notice on owed accounts out. So getting this solicitor letter is good and proper by the law. Both e-flow and the solicitors were very unhelpful, only wanting to direct me from one to the other.

All my post for my car goes back to my parents and having got these letters in the past for their own vehicles would have known to contact me to pay it. They're big envelopes from what I hear. They said it must have got lost in the post, but 2 letters getting lost sounds unlikely.

In the end I think it has to be paid as I'm screwed on the legal end. It just doesn't seem just.

I'm told there was a big marketting campaign about it, which makes me feel worse.

Definitely should have got two notices, one for not paying the toll in sufficient time limit, e.g by 8pm the following day which would have been double the original toll fee.

The second notice should have been for non payment of the late fee which is the same fee as the first notice plus an additional charge of €42.50 i think it is.

der2

MrsMcSteamy wrote: »

Definitely should have got two notices, one for not paying the toll in sufficient time limit, e.g by 8pm the following day which would have been double the original toll fee.

The second notice should have been for non payment of the late fee which is the same fee as the first notice plus an additional charge of €42.50 i think it is.

Thats four letters that were 'lost' then, I just can't accept that they postman lost that many on us. I'm in the country and our service is excellent in that regard. I am getting very angry.

The fact they have no obligation under law to contact me still makes me the offender though.

Thanks for the information about two rounds of letters.

Lollipops23

i just went online to pay my toll and it said that the system is down 10pm-11pm...so at 11.05pm i tried to pay with laser, but an error message popped up and i tried again.same message.
so i try with my mastercard, thinking there may be a prob with my laser. same deal. anyone know if they may have charged me each time??i wouldn't put it past them...:rolleyes:

Sinderella

OMG, really MrsMcS? It went to court? Or they just caved and paid? :eek:

Sizzler

der2 wrote: »

Thats four letters that were 'lost' then, I just can't accept that they postman lost that many on us. I'm in the country and our service is excellent in that regard. I am getting very angry.

The fact they have no obligation under law to contact me still makes me the offender though.

Thanks for the information about two rounds of letters.

Contact the NRA's PR department regarding your experience and simply tell them you are writing into the Indo / Times etc with outlining your experience unless this farce of a customer service experience is remedied.

http://www.nra.ie/AboutUs/ContactInformation/

wrote:

Sean O'Neill
Head of Communications
Telephone: +353 1 6602511 Ext. 284
Fax: +353 1 6680009


Caroline O'Brien
Communications Officer
Telephone: +353 1 6602511 Ext. 254
Fax: +353 1 6680009

dudara

Threads merged.

dudara

beforetheworst

Eflow is a computerised stystem, so yes there can be system errors.

With regard to the mis read number plates, not everyone out there is honest, duplicate number plates, adjusted number plates, or stylised number plates...little boy racers ahem. :P

Secondly its not that difficult to use, there huge bloody signs on the road TELLING you what to do!!! HUGE SIGNS
3 ways to pay....London congestion charges heard of them?? if you don't pay u get fined. Its not rocket science!

netwhizkid

Just to add to this thread (I have not read it all). My Uncle who lives in Kerry but drives a 01-D reg car recently got a letter demanding he pay something like 37 euro in tolls and fees despite the last time he was in Dublin was the All-Ireland last September and that was by train. (and the previous all-Ireland before that - He's an retired older chap)

Anyway he wrote back complaining and demanding compensation for his stress and having to take the time in his busy day to write the letter and posting costs. He looked for €30 compensation and swiftly got a reply apologising for the mistake and how their cameras had read a similar number plate by mistake. They obviously do it get right 100% of the time!