Tolls!

[Bruce Wallis]

So......here is a scenario.......

Car hirer A doesnt pay his tolls..
Car hirer B goes to pay, but finds he has to pay both tolls....or not at all...so says "sod it" and doesnt pay.....
Car hirer C finds he his hit with A+B+C....so also says "sod that for a game of soldiers!"
Car hirer D........
You can see where this is going cant you?

I'd hate to be car hirer Z, at the end of the season!!

[pointersister]

We plan to pay our toll charges when we get back to the care hire company. We have yet to decide whether to go by 125 or 22 But we have a photocopy of our charge so we will just hand over the cash. Wouldnt it be so easy if you could just pay for the return journey at the P.O. Why has it to be so complicated? Right! I'm off for a walk over the cliffs to clear my head Sun shining so what could be better? Bet you are all jealous

[cereza]

So similarly, when you rent a car, you will pay an approximation of tolls. Its just the Portuguese way. We, and all tourists, will just have to get used to it.
.

This may well be the case but I totally disagree with the sentiment !! If Portugal wants to get out of it's current financial predicament it has to modernise and instil a better work ethic in the people. With these electronic tolls they have tried to embrace the latest technology but they are showing themselves incapable of applying it properly. The technology already exists to allow the rental companies to know and charge your tolls upon return of the car - why has this not been used ? As it is now the result is a complete fiasco. They should either revert to the old toll booths or else make the new technology work properly. By just accepting this fiasco there will be no end of problems in the summer which may well result in lower tourism revenue in future years.Shrugging your shoulders and accepting mediocrity will not benefit this country at all.
Maybe the rental companies will arrange to pay a block sum which will result in increased rental rates but the sum is bound to be a subject of disagreement and even if it happen then the question has to be why didn't they just impose a general road tax in the first place ?- far easier and cheaper to introduce. The mind boggles

[cereza]

[joeysoap]

"pointersister": Sun shining so what could be better? Bet you are all jealous

Yes

[joeysoap]

So......here is a scenario.......

Car hirer A doesnt pay his tolls..
Car hirer B goes to pay, but finds he has to pay both tolls....or not at all...so says "sod it" and doesnt pay.....
Car hirer C finds he his hit with A+B+C....so also says "sod that for a game of soldiers!"
Car hirer D........
You can see where this is going cant you?

I'd hate to be car hirer Z, at the end of the season!!

I can see the problem arising when the 5 day limit passes ie say Bruce's scenario about takes place but hirer D has the car for 7 days but does not use the motorway, after 5 days the toll company have a period with no toll use so they end the period during D's usage. Poor old D gets stuck with the charges racked up by A/B/C.

anyone think its time for readers rant in the Sunday Times?

[EMM]

You hand your money to the car company ( Some less honest in their dealings than others ), mayne they pay your tolls maybe they do not, perhaps they take 2 weeks to pay,Guess who would be liable for the surcharge ????

[ceh]

I hired a car last Friday (3 Feb) and was told I needed to go the PO after 48 hours and pay the tolls. I pointed out that I returned to the UK on the Sunday (5 Feb)ie 48 hours+ later. I was told I would subsequently be billed - I wait in anticipation/trepidation............

[joeysoap]

I hired a car last Friday (3 Feb) and was told I needed to go the PO after 48 hours and pay the tolls. I pointed out that I returned to the UK on the Sunday (5 Feb)ie 48 hours+ later. I was told I would subsequently be billed - I wait in anticipation/trepidation............

Godot will be there first

[shanagarry]

Re Bruce Wallis's A+B+C etc.

Friends of ours went to pay for their single trip from the airport to Carvoeiro on Thursday, having arrived on Tuesday morning - knowing to the cent the amount they had to pay.

The nice lady in the post office produced a print-out for €53.75. On investigation they could see that the previous two hirer's had not paid the tolls and a combination of fines and tolls added up over time. They offered to pay for their part - but that can't be done - it's the lot or nothing. They did not pay but intend giving the amount to the rental company when they return the car - making sure they get a name and signature.

If this situation continues into the summer - there will be complete and utter chaos as rental companies have back-to-back rentals. The broker market will be the worst affected - as the rental company will pass the charge to the broker plus an admin charge who in turn will pass it to the renter (if they can find them and who won't pay anyway) plus another admin charge.I suppose it could be handled by way of a deposit - but that's open to abuse.

In this particular case the rental company is Goldstar. Our friends were fully aware of the tolls before they got here but wanted to see how the rental company armed them for the experience. It was not mentioned during the pre-rental process. They raised it and were told - "Don't use the A22" - nothing more.

I suspect the next episode of this sorry mess will be credit cards being 'zapped' for the toll, the fine and the admin charges.

Another friend decided to use the 125 to get his 11.00am flight to Manchester on Friday leaving Cvo at 8.20am - because he would not be around to pay the toll within the 48 hour period. At Boliqueime they were held up for 90 minutes in roadworks and missed their flight. Picture that same scenario in July/August.

You couldn't make it up

[laserblazer]

Another friend decided to use the 125 to get his 11.00am flight to Manchester on Friday leaving Cvo at 8.20am - because he would not be around to pay the toll within the 48 hour period. At Boliqueime they were held up for 90 minutes in roadworks and missed their flight. Picture that same scenario in July/August

We were stuck in the same roadworks after leaving cvo at 8.10am, we made our 10.55 flight but only just.

[MaisieK]

This whole situation is just crazy our friend went to pay at the post office as I had told them
2 days after coming from the airport on the A22 and the car number plate didn't appear on
the computer they went back again after 4 days and still nothing, they have now returned to
the U.K. and, of course, havn't paid anything, they returned to the airport on the 125 allowing
5 hours before their flight. What a mess this all is and it could have been so simple!!!

[laserblazer]

We recorded some 15 minutes on BBC called Talk Portuguese. One of things they pushed was that the Portuguese led Europe in technology. They cited Via Verde as an example!

[RichardHenshall]

...At Boliqueime they were held up for 90 minutes in roadworks and missed their flight...

We were stuck in the same roadworks after leaving cvo at 8.10am, we made our 10.55 flight but only just.

Can you pinpoint exactly where the roadworks are/were and do they look like they'll still be there on Thursday?

[pointersister]

We were in Cvo last week and travelled there by the A22 clocking up 3.26 in toll charges. We went to Cvo P.O, Intermarche and Lagoa P.O to try to pay. After 2 1/2 hours we couldn't pay 'cos paperwork for the car didn't match what the computer had on record. With that in mind we decided to travel back to the airport on the 125, which we did in 55 minutes. That was last Tuesday. When we got to the guy at Travelrent, we tried to give him the 3.26 for the toll but he said he couldn't take it. The girls in the office deal with it using credit card details and the rental agreement for each customer which shows when they picked up the car and when it was returned. He said they hold onto the credit card details for 30 days during which time they should be able to charge the appropriate amount due. If no toll charges come up they then dispose of the credit card details and you will not be liable for any charges. I have a photocopy of the amount which we were due to pay which was kindly given to me by the young woman in Lagoa P.O. so I have proof. The guy at Travelrent told me to hold on to it and if there was any dispute I could fax/email a copy to them. He advised us to use the A22 next time we come over as it is their responsibility to pay tolls due on their cars. We intend to do so particularly on the way back to the airport to avoid the stress that traffic jams on the 125 will inevitably cause. The Portuguese authorities really haven't thought this one through and they will need to get their act together before the holidaymakers arrive. The rental companies are as frustrated as their renters are.