Dartford Crossing has no toll booths now, how this affects YOU !

You may have seen on the news that the Dartford Crossing no longer has toll booths, you either have to use a prepayment scanner card, pay on in advance Online or use a mobile phone.

Now, you may ask, why should you be bothered about that ? You might think you won`t ever use the Dartford Crossing, and if you do you`ll just pay Online before you leave (if you remember) or using your mobile or Smart Phone [assuming it doesn`t break down and you`ve got credit on it....]. There are two assumptions there, but we won`t push them and move on to the broader point. It will come in the not too distant future where, if you don`t have an Smart Phone, you`ll be a second class citizen in your own country*. It`s already the case if you`ve no internet access and before long the same will be true if you haven`t got an Smart Phone. It`s bad enough that more and more private companies discriminate against you if you haven`t got Internet access or an I phone, but when your own Government is doing it it`s totally unacceptable. But it`ll get worse and worse, you mark my words.

* And I really really don`t want an Smart Phone. The thought of being permanently connected to the internet and all my E Mails fills me with dread....

UPDATE.....

I was right wasn`t I ? Did I hear they`re getting rid of the paper section of the driving licence and replacing it with a web based system ?

Alternatively you can make one-off payments in advance or by midnight the day after crossing:

online at http://www.gov.uk/dart-charge

over the phone by calling: 0300 300 0120

via a payzone retail outlet

Why can't you do that on other types of phones? Why are you singling Apple Iphone here?

You may have seen on the news that the Dartford Crossing no longer has toll booths, you either have to use a prepayment scanner card, pay on in advance Online or use a mobile phone.

 

Now, you may ask, why should you be bothered about that ? You might think you won`t ever use the Dartford Crossing, and if you do you`ll just pay Online before you leave (if you remember) or using your mobile or I Phone [assuming it doesn`t break down and you`ve got credit on it....]. There are two assumptions there, but we won`t push them and move on to the broader point. It will come in the not too distant future where, if you don`t have an I phone, you`ll be a second class citizen in your own country*. It`s already the case if you`ve no internet access and before long the same will be true if you haven`t got an I phone. It`s bad enough that more and more private companies discriminate against you if you haven`t got Internet access or an I phone, but when your own Government is doing it it`s totally unacceptable. But it`ll get worse and worse, you mark my words.

 

* And I really really don`t want an I phone. The thought of being permanently connected to the internet and all my E Mails fills me with dread....

I have mixed feelings on this. On the one hand its a truly awful bottleneck. I queued for ages on the bridge over the past few years. Once you've given your hard earned over one of 12 (?) counters, you join the whacky races where you all dash for the best position in the 3 lanes available.

That said, you raise a valid point we will end up with two classes of citizens. Well, 3 classes of drivers. Occaisional foreign visitors might just stick their fingers up at the camera and drive by in the knowledge they won't get chased for payment - I don't think I've got that wrong but would be prepared to wrong if someone shows me otherwise. If I am right, is that a bit of an oversight considering the reletive distance to to South Coast ports and channel tunnel?

Yea no-one is going to bother chasing foreign drivers for non-payment, just like you can't really chase someone for a speeding fine (although some do try).

If it sorts out the horrible traffic bottlenecks at the crossing then it's a good idea, they also say proceeds are going towards a new crossing.

iPhone.

Just saying:)

You may have seen on the news that the Dartford Crossing no longer has toll booths, you either have to use a prepayment scanner card, pay on in advance Online or use a mobile phone.

 

Now, you may ask, why should you be bothered about that ? You might think you won`t ever use the Dartford Crossing, and if you do you`ll just pay Online before you leave (if you remember) or using your mobile or I Phone [assuming it doesn`t break down and you`ve got credit on it....]. There are two assumptions there, but we won`t push them and move on to the broader point. It will come in the not too distant future where, if you don`t have an I phone, you`ll be a second class citizen in your own country*. It`s already the case if you`ve no internet access and before long the same will be true if you haven`t got an I phone. It`s bad enough that more and more private companies discriminate against you if you haven`t got Internet access or an I phone, but when your own Government is doing it it`s totally unacceptable. But it`ll get worse and worse, you mark my words.

 

* And I really really don`t want an I phone. The thought of being permanently connected to the internet and all my E Mails fills me with dread....

That's pretty much what I thought when I heard it on the news. It's amazing; we have things in place to stop all sorts of other discrimination, then introduce something like this, which is discrimination, pure and simple.

That's pretty much what I thought when I heard it on the news. It's amazing; we have things in place to stop all sorts of other discrimination, then introduce something like this, which is discrimination, pure and simple.

In fairness if you can afford a car, or afford to hire a car (complete with deposit of £250) it's not beyond the possibility you own a cheap smart phone or maybe one of your passengers does. Or you can go through london or round the other way.

Actually I've read the link now of what actually happening. You can pay online up to midnight the next day or "at one of thousands pay zone retail outlets" just like the london congestion charge. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-2853183/Three-million-drivers-fall-105-fine-trap-weekend-Dartford-Crossing-goes-boothless.html

It's a storm in an egg cup. It's freeing up a bottle neck, nothing more or less.

I saw on the news that the company that runs the crossing has an agreement with many countries that the non payers will be forced to pay. Including New Zealand!!!!

The NPR software recognizes the plates of all those foreign cars.

Alternatively you can make one-off payments in advance or by midnight the day after crossing:

 

online at http://www.gov.uk/dart-charge

over the phone by calling: 0300 300 0120

via a payzone retail outlet

 

 

Why can't you do that on other types of phones? Why are you singling Apple Iphone here?

Depending on the transaction time the phone costs 9p min, up to 40p from a mobile.

As for how it affects me..it doesn't.

What if you're a spur of the moment crosser with no phone? are you penalized with an excess?

Edit: Pay before 12 midnight the following day and £70/35 penalties will not be enforced.

Yea no-one is going to bother chasing foreign drivers for non-payment, just like you can't really chase someone for a speeding fine (although some do try).

It works both ways

I've flashed a few cameras on the continent, especially in Poland, and not heard anything, although they may be waiting next time I drive there!

As for the phones, I have an old circular dial phone at home, and its a pain if you have to select an option when calling businesses.

You may have seen on the news that the Dartford Crossing no longer has toll booths....

This proves that SCC is anti-car.

Do you mean smartphone generally, or an iPhone specifically? Because if you mean iPhone specifically then you are wrong.

I suspect Justin means a smartphone generally and is using iphone as a generic term. A bit like when people say 'Hoover' when they haven't actually got a Hoover, they mean 'vaccum cleaner'.

The implementation of a pre-paid automated system is generally a good one if one is a frequent user, or live in the area. It's a bit of a pain if you use it from time to time, once a year to get to Dover or wherever. You've got to know in advance about it. I realise you can pay later, but it's a bit irksome if you're going to get the ferry and what have you, and trying to be well inside France or wherever by midnight. Progress I suppose, but even at busy times, I've rarely waited more than 4 or 5 minutes to get through.