Dartford crossing rip off

[stringa]

Just thought I'd share this with you. We went to Dover from lincoln having put in the address into the sat nav off we went, straight there easy peasy after a month in Spain we returned home only to find my post, there was a letter from the Dartford crossing office presenting me with my bill of £250.00 for the crossing, the poxy crossing over the Thames, my appeal was turned down as I did not pay within 12 hours, I explained I was out off the country for 30 days or so but they had the last word pay up or it will go up to £500 and then £750.........The standard charge for my 17 year old mh would be £100.00 because of the emissions, anyone else had bother like this or is it just me.

 

[chaser]

I think its bad to be too negative on the original post after all if he has drawn attention to something that might save someone else aggro its a good thing. I think he knows with hindsight he made a mistake but I respect people who admit they made a mistake a lot more than those who think the sun shines out of theres!!!

That's not the point though, everyone sympathises with him over the huge fine, even though he seems to have got it wrong somehow, but what we would like to know is , just what did he get wrong, and save us from doing the same.

 

[Don Quixote]

Who being negative? I have read each post and cannot see anyone being negative towards the OP. The point is we do NOT know all the facts - He posted to allow others to read it whatever way they want after all it is a forum! The lesson, all be painful that he has learned will be a warning for others on here.

 

[GJH]

I am fairly sure that when the LEZ was started it only covered commercial vehicles

It has always covered all the (diesel engined) vehicles within the categories defined at BROKEN LINK. Basically, the only vehicles that are not covered are cars, presumably because of the number of diesel cars in use by private individuals who would be too adversely affected.

and only covered central London

That is the separate Congestion Zone.

 

[scotjimland]

presumably because of the number of diesel cars in use by private individuals who would be too adversely affected.

or because all the Hackney cabs are diesel.. around 21,000. many of which are smelly polluting old vehicles.. .. but they are owned by powerful people ..

won't go as far as saying they are the Mafia .. but you get my drift

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[GJH]

or because all the Hackney cabs are diesel.. around 21,000. many of which are smelly polluting old vehicles.. .. but they are owned by powerful people ..

won't go as far as saying they are the Mafia .. but you get my drift

Good point Jim. I forgot about them

 

[sedge]

I've only met one Black Cab driver from London socially as far as I know and he owned his own - he didn't strike me as being very powerful! LOL

ISTR many moons ago probably before 2009, when Germany introduced the LEZ they had a whinge on Top Gear about it, a good while before London joined in. It was one of the things that Ken Livingstone oversaw I think. I don't know why or how anyone in the UK wouldn't know it existed, maybe 'that won't affect me' - but it's still there at the back of your mind.

 

[Zigisla]

or because all the Hackney cabs are diesel.. around 21,000. many of which are smelly polluting old vehicles.. .. but they are owned by powerful people ..

won't go as far as saying they are the Mafia .. but you get my drift

The very thought of my ol' man being one of the "powerful" people made me laugh. Although he did and still does own his own cab.. Mafia Saying that, he did used to use a cafe run by an Italian

 

[GJH]

It was one of the things that Ken Livingstone oversaw I think.

The process was started under Livingstone but brought in under Johnson. In principal there is nothing wrong with it (certainly as far as we asthma sufferers are concerned).

I did write to both Livingstone and Johnson pleading the case of existing owners of non-compliant motorhomes but was not successful in changing either of their minds.

 

[sedge]

There you are then - Pete reckoned I was wrong but I was certain I'd heard Ken on Radio 2 probably, talking about it.

Possibly on Jeremy Vine when he used to conduct rather decent lunchtime interviews with interesting people about all kinds of cutting edge and 'In the News' stuff. (My God! everyone exclaimed. That was indeed a long time ago!)

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[stringa]

Gordon Bennett.....I wish I ain't said owt now ....blimey ......yes sir it was me I'm as guilty as sin.
I have never heard of LEZ before, I have now believe me, even if I did see a sign with the word LEZ on It didn't mean anything to me ........it might as well as said fish n chips. All I did was to put an address into the sat nav and just follow, if I've never heard of it how would I know what it was and what to look for and what to avoid. I'm not sure what the sat nav was set to but it did say quickest route so I thought that'll do for me. I haven't got a clue as to what road I was or wasn't on I was just following my nose as you do when your just cruzing, If the sat nav took me on various roads I just followed no big deal apart from the fine that is, it seems to me that some of ya are more bothered about it more than me. All I did was just to mention it not for it to become a great debate, what ever you do don't let the daily mail get hold of it.

 

[Steve and Kat]

Good on you mate, but if your sat nav said drive off the white cliffs of Dover, would you have done it !!

 

[tofo]

@stringa it doesn't matter what is posted
It's a starter for a conversation
Some go of course this one surprisingly
Stayed on course
Making for an interesting post to follow

It also Brings it to the notice of newcomers to m homing
with older vehicles

Just please don't mention gassing or dribbling grey stuff

 

[sdc77]

Well it has focused on the issues of driving around London. It's also highlighted differences in sat navs.
The garmin one we use would warn about the lez by highlighting the route entering an environmental zone and a toll. Or you can avoid both
Seems some others don't.

 

[MattR]

I'm pleased to have learnt more about the LEZ - I know that I have taken some of these roads in the past to avoid jams. I'll be a lot more cautious next time I'm in the area with our MH.

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[tonyidle]

I was pretty sure my 3 litre 05 Renault Master was compliant but computer sez no Is there any other way of finding out your Euro rating ? Last time we got in the queue for the Dartford crossing, the satnav highlighted the congestion and wanted to send us via the Blackwall tunnel, Val was driving and was gonna take the diversion till I explained about the LEZ.

Just checked my '05 Hymer & it IS compliant.

Although I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than visit London.

 

[gus-lopez]

How would you find out about specific requirements for anywhere you haven't been to before? Do some research before you set off!

Or do you just set off and hope for the best?

I suppose it's much easier to blame someone else than take responsibility for your own actions

Tax collection, which is what The LEZ is nothing else, has nothing to do with me driving a car . If it had anything to do with restricting/reducing emissions it would have been applied to the biggest causes of the pollution being the untested bus engines followed by the untested mini-bus engines , neither of which at the outset were required to be tested & the old diesel black cabs. It wasn't therefore it was solely to generate revenue. Same as the Congestion charge , & fat boys "outside bus lane" on the M4 .

& yes I get in & go . A map , sat-nav ,jobs done.
I am not "blaming" anyone else. London emission zone has nothing to do with driving.
Why do you think they wanted to bring in vehicle seizure ? For times like this. If I still lived in the UK I wouldn't be paying , they'd want to seize the vehicle , I'd want to top them. I could see where it was all going & decided I'd keep out of jail by leaving.

Evidently, as this thread shows. That's up to them.

What I don't understand is why it's always someone else's fault when they get caught out.

It isn't ,It shouldn't be there. In the event of a blockage on the Dartford crossing then you should be able to use the Blackwall/Rotherhithe tunnels or Woolwich ferry.The onus should be on keeping the traffic moving at the maximum speed limit at all costs.

It has always covered all the (diesel engined) vehicles within the categories defined at BROKEN LINK. Basically, the only vehicles that are not covered are cars, presumably because of the number of diesel cars in use by private individuals who would be too adversely affected.

That is the separate Congestion Zone.

As Jim said apart from the biggest polluters.