Sanef Liber-T card - worth it?

[AdiT]

Robert Burns said:

martinvantage said:

Just ordered my tag. Like others a little nervous about it working first time. In terms of mounting the tag, does it really have to be stuck at the top of the windscreen.? With all the rain / light sensor stuff behind the rear view mirror there isn't anywhere discreet for the tag. I would much rather keep it in the glovebox and lay it on the dashboard when approaching tolls.anyone tried this?

Can't do it, you must mount it to the windscreen, around the back of the rear view mirror.

Absolutely no problem keeping it in the glove box and just getting it out for the toll booths. Did that last year in our MX5 as the 'screen mount is in my kit car. Put it on the dash, hold it to the 'scren or wave it out the window will all work.

[ncjones]

Buying a telepeage doofer direct is much cheaper. I have one of these:

http://www.aprr.fr/fr/souscrire_telepeage_liber_t/...

Bought online, registered online....can view statements, change credit card details etc.

Yes it's all in French but a bit of school boy French and/or Google translate will get you through.

[Police State]

ncjones said:

Buying a telepeage doofer direct is much cheaper. I have one of these:

http://www.aprr.fr/fr/souscrire_telepeage_liber_t/...

Bought online, registered online....can view statements, change credit card details etc.

Yes it's all in French but a bit of school boy French and/or Google translate will get you through.

What do you mean by much cheaper. The cost of the card/Admin, or the actual tolls. I am somewhat confused by this French toll malarkey. Are Liber f and Sanef rivals?

[silverthorn2151]

I used my doofah, bought from the uk office, for the first time last weekend to drive from Calais to deepest rural France not far from Pau. There were a few nerves at the first barrier, but if it doesn't go up, take a ticket. Mine did even though I have had it over a year without using it.

I found myself hoping for massive queues at the tolls as I sailed past into my own special lane. Only one bad queue near Tours, but it was worth it. Anyone contemplating a trip through France must put one of these at the top of the to do list. Such an easy company to deal with as well.

Looking forward to more toll queues to drive past next weekend heading for home, before we hit the hideous nightmare that is UK motorway network. Two weeks of driving heaven though. That is for another thread though.

[Alex@POD]

I'll just add to the recommendations. I've just spent 2 weeks driving all around France, and this thing is really good! No need to faff, 30kph lanes at most tolls, and billed by direct debit at the end of the following month also helps greatly with spreading the trip costs.
I did have one instance where it didn't register for a few seconds, but the barrier did open as I started reversing to the machine (I'd overshot expecting the barrier to open). For the £20 or so it costs (billed in Euros), it's definitely worth it.

I have noticed a lot of people queueing for the leftmost booth though, when it works in any "t" lane...

[Dblue]

Absolutely brilliant thing, Worth the very limited amount it costs.

Costs 20euros up front and 5 euros per month used per annum (up to a maximum of 10 euros , so 2 months then )+ a 30euro deposit which you get back.
For that you get 2 windscreen mounts which are very small and can be hidden behind a rear view mirror whilst the plipper is out of site in the glove box or at home.

Works all over France and as said on some car parks and toll bridges, allows you to feel genuinely smug as a very smug thing at every peage gate, and if you are on your own is just such a boon.

Its best to remember that the system is designed for LHD cars so mount it on the drivers side of the Mirror not the passengers. Yes you can just hold it up but my experience is that the gates vary slightly in terms of where they detect from and its easy to have it fail if you do it that way, making you look like the plonker French bloke in front of me at Reims last week trying to wave it about in every direction trying to get it to work whilst the line behind got increasingly angry.

Edited by Dblue on Wednesday 31st July 13:03

[silverthorn2151]

Happened to a guy in front of me the other day. He was a German though so nobody really cared.

I do forget to take it off the mount and put it away though. Do they get pinched does anyone know?

Lets have toll motorways in the UK with the same system. Almost dreading the driving at home again. I have done about 1500 miles now and the only hold up was yesterday at a busy junction for some reason in Mont de Marsan.

[Dblue]

silverthorn2151 said:

Happened to a guy in front of me the other day. He was a German though so nobody really cared.

I do forget to take it off the mount and put it away though. Do they get pinched does anyone know?

Lets have toll motorways in the UK with the same system. Almost dreading the driving at home again. I have done about 1500 miles now and the only hold up was yesterday at a busy junction for some reason in Mont de Marsan.

Great aren't they.
I don't know if they get pinched, but they are probably worth stealing if you're French i suppose.

France not quite the paradise of empty roads it once was at least in certain areas. Paris is just hopeless now, worse than London I would say, and other urban areas en route, Lyon, Clermont, etc can be very slow.

[silverthorn2151]

Dblue said:

Great aren't they.
I don't know if they get pinched, but they are probably worth stealing if you're French i suppose.

France not quite the paradise of empty roads it once was at least in certain areas. Paris is just hopeless now, worse than London I would say, and other urban areas en route, Lyon, Clermont, etc can be very slow.

Ah this year we have avoided all those hot spots and come to a villa about 30 mins north of Lourdes. There is a new motorway south from Bordeaux. I drove over25 km at just about 130kph without overtaking anyone or being overtaken. Almost nothing coming the other way.

We stayed overnight just south of Tours and although that was busier, it was easy. I took the diversion around Rouen and sailed past Le Mans. All easy to be fair.

I do acknowledge though that we are having it easy. I usually head for Antibes, stopping over night near Lyon .

[Dblue]

silverthorn2151 said:

Dblue said:

Great aren't they.
I don't know if they get pinched, but they are probably worth stealing if you're French i suppose.

France not quite the paradise of empty roads it once was at least in certain areas. Paris is just hopeless now, worse than London I would say, and other urban areas en route, Lyon, Clermont, etc can be very slow.

Ah this year we have avoided all those hot spots and come to a villa about 30 mins north of Lourdes. There is a new motorway south from Bordeaux. I drove over25 km at just about 130kph without overtaking anyone or being overtaken. Almost nothing coming the other way.

We stayed overnight just south of Tours and although that was busier, it was easy. I took the diversion around Rouen and sailed past Le Mans. All easy to be fair.

I do acknowledge though that we are having it easy. I usually head for Antibes, stopping over night near Lyon .

South West definitely better than the South East to get to on the autoroutes.
The route through Clermont and the Millau viaduct can be busy around parts but its worth it just for that bridge.The A7 south of Lyon can be awful on the wrong day.

But the far south around Montpelier and the Cote D'Azur is always very busy with tourists mainly.

[don logan]

Used mine from Calais to Chamonix yesterday for the first time!

Slight delay at first peage but FANTASTIC other than that, every peage suddenly became an exciting event! (Kind of)

[numtumfutunch]

great gizmo

even better when the UK plated car which aggressively tailgates you for the final 1km to the peage tries to follow you through

[vincegail]

numtumfutunch said:

great gizmo

even better when the UK plated car which aggressively tailgates you for the final 1km to the peage tries to follow you through

[gred]

Had one for a few years, and of course you can take it in any car. We've used it in various cars with no problems, just let them know if you change or get a new charge card.

[Ranger 6]

Just about to book the tunnel for our skiing trip so looking carefully at one of these.

I know I asked on the first page about heights, does anyone with a 4x4 and a roof box use one?

In past years the only queue which I've seen moves quickly is the car height one and I don't want to get a tag only to be held up in a queue of traffic and only save a few seconds at the booth itself?

Here's a good example - Autoroute Blanche heading away from Geneva a familiar bottleneck. I couldn't use the Tag lane and would have a choice of all the others (assuming they're switched on) but would have to wait in line with everyone else - what's the real benefit?

[marshalla]

Ranger 6 said:

Just about to book the tunnel for our skiing trip so looking carefully at one of these.

I know I asked on the first page about heights, does anyone with a 4x4 and a roof box use one?

In past years the only queue which I've seen moves quickly is the car height one and I don't want to get a tag only to be held up in a queue of traffic and only save a few seconds at the booth itself?

Here's a good example - Autoroute Blanche heading away from Geneva a familiar bottleneck. I couldn't use the Tag lane and would have a choice of all the others (assuming they're switched on) but would have to wait in line with everyone else - what's the real benefit?

There are 5 "live" tag lanes in that photo. One of them is cars only and looks like the "high speed" (roll through at about 30 kph) lane. You'll find that there's normally one or two tag only lanes next to it without the height restriction. Benefits ?

No messing about with tickets and change. No leaning across to hand over cash or credit cards. No need to get your car lined up with the window/slot on the machine, no complaints from passenger about how far you are from the booth/machine. Even if you have to use a "slow" tag -only lane, the queue still moves faster than the cash/card lanes.

[Ranger 6]

Sounds good

Thanks!!

[Pixel Pusher]

Had one for a few years now from Sanef.

Lend it to mates as well and they just pay up when the invoices come through.

Brilliant little things and I still have a chuckle every time I scoot through the barrier.

[martinvantage]

If only we could use them for the Dartford crossing as well. As said, great to use.

[Dblue]

martinvantage said:

If only we could use them for the Dartford crossing as well. As said, great to use.

They are talking about including the DART and M6 Toll on the tags sometime soon