Dartford Toll Crossing...idiot at the gate!

[dasherdiablo1]

Okay...so it was me....

I have been working in the depths of Kent today and as a result had to use the Dartford Crossing. On my way back home I couldn't find my wallet and as I drew up to the toll booth I had to rather embarrasingly explain that I only had 50p in my pocket rather than the £1.50 required.

So there I am feeling like a right twonk with a huge queue behind me and the guy says I cant go through without the full fee. I told him I've lost my wallet and have nothing to spare. He then said do I have any proof of ID - err no cos I can't find my wallet. So there I am searching though my pockets and bag to find any change or ID. I must have been there for a good 4 minutes; nowt. He still won't let me through.

Now by an absolute stroke of luck I look through the car cubby holes (which is a rental) and find 2 No £1 coins! I apologised profusely and handed over the £1 - the look of disgust on his face was unreal - he treated me like a right scum bag. I really don't think he would have let me through if I hadn't found it.

So my question is will anyone else admit to being a plonker like me and has anyone ever been let off paying the money???

p.s. when I got home I found my wallet in the boot of the car amongst all my work stuff!

Edited by dasherdiablo1 on Wednesday 8th February 19:07

[Gixer]

Mate of mine did it when it was £1. They filled out a slip of paper with him. Think he had to send them a £2.50 cheque. wkers. I've had it before where my tag dosent work. I refuse to pay out of principe (the money they make you would think they could maintain the tag system, or, god forbid, upgrade it)

Your not the scum, he is. Pointless no need job

[TheHeretic]

I've had one of those moments where you throw your money in the bucket, and a coin doesn't make it... Scrabbling for another one, or if you don't have it, you have to get out and scavenge on the floor like a desperate hobo!

[tim2100]

Gixer said:

Mate of mine did it when it was £1. They filled out a slip of paper with him. Think he had to send them a £2.50 cheque. wkers. I've had it before where my tag dosent work. I refuse to pay out of principe (the money they make you would think they could maintain the tag system, or, god forbid, upgrade it)

Your not the scum, he is. Pointless no need job

Bit harsh. He is doing a job.

OP turns up to a road that he knows is £1.50 and then tries to get out of paying it. If they let one person through without paying full fair they have to let everybody through.

[vescaegg]

tim2100 said:

Bit harsh. He is doing a job.

OP turns up to a road that he knows is £1.50 and then tries to get out of paying it. If they let one person through without paying full fair they have to let everybody through.

Bit over the top don't you think?

OP genuinely lost his wallet, the bloke could probably have told he was telling the truth but decided to be an arse and hold up loads of other people because the 'computer says no'

[66comanche]

vescaegg said:

Bit over the top don't you think?

OP genuinely lost his wallet, the bloke could probably have told he was telling the truth but decided to be an arse and hold up loads of other people because the 'computer says no'

Of course, every toll booth attendant is a human truth machine.

[sday12]

He must get a load of 'sorry mate aint got it, let us through'

and when it's clear he won't they suddenly 'find' it.

He thinks you're that scumbag.

[blueg33]

They probably hear the same thing 100's of times a day, most not genuine.

[dasherdiablo1]

tim2100 said:

Gixer said:

Mate of mine did it when it was £1. They filled out a slip of paper with him. Think he had to send them a £2.50 cheque. wkers. I've had it before where my tag dosent work. I refuse to pay out of principe (the money they make you would think they could maintain the tag system, or, god forbid, upgrade it)

Your not the scum, he is. Pointless no need job

Bit harsh. He is doing a job.

OP turns up to a road that he knows is £1.50 and then tries to get out of paying it. If they let one person through without paying full fair they have to let everybody through.

I didn't try and get out of paying. Like many other people I started my journey thinking my wallet was in my jacket pocket. I knew I had the money in my wallet. Problem became apparent half a mile before I approached the barrier. When I started my journey I was 50 miles away. In my own cars I alway have a stash of coin the parking/tolls but being a rental this wasn't the case.

[172ff]

So the OP isnt organised but it's the toll staff who are at fault?

[dasherdiablo1]

sday12 said:

He must get a load of 'sorry mate aint got it, let us through'

and when it's clear he won't they suddenly 'find' it.

He thinks you're that scumbag.

I doubt many people sit there rummaging through their stuff for nearly 5mins in a desperate attempt to locate the shortfall!

[S10 GTA]

Little toll bridge near my house that I use often on my bike (free) charges £1 for cars. One day I drove that way thinking they had knocked off for the day only to find the charging times had changed. They let me past without paying, which was nice.

[jamei303]

dasherdiablo1 said:

I didn't try and get out of paying. Like many other people I started my journey thinking my wallet was in my jacket pocket. I knew I had the money in my wallet. Problem became apparent half a mile before I approached the barrier. When I started my journey I was 50 miles away. In my own cars I alway have a stash of coin the parking/tolls but being a rental this wasn't the case.

How was he meant to know you had genuinely lost your wallet? I bet he gets loads of people every day with a similar story. It's not like he's psychic.

Next time check that your wallet is in your pocket.

[PumpkinSteve]

tim2100 said:

Bit harsh. He is doing a job.

OP turns up to a road that he knows is £1.50 and then tries to get out of paying it. If they let one person through without paying full fair they have to let everybody through.

I seriously thought the OP was referring to himself

[Himself]

blueg33 said:

They probably hear the same thing 100's of times a day, most not genuine.

^^^^

They turn you around if you try it on the Severn Crossing, don't ask how I know.

[vrsmxtb]

What does happen if you haven't got the cash? Are you one of those cars that does the shameful escorted drive across all the barriers to the HQ building? What happens there?

Mate of mine once thought that the Severn bridge crossing took card, bloody Londoner! Think they either had to reverse him out or close all the lanes and escort him across the toll to fill out a form or something...

I'm off to stick some change in a cubby hole in case my DART tag plays up!

[David87]

Only one near instance of this at the Dartford Tolls for me.

Going to a track day at Brands Hatch, me in my car and my mate in his Saxo VTS behind. I get a phone call just as we approach the tolls and my passenger answers it: it's my mate behind and he has no money. I explain I'll pay and he can go through after me. The woman at the barrier was quite obliging and queue avoided.

Always wondered what happened if you had no money.

[orange_dodo]

My OH went anti clockwise on the M25 instead of clockwise toward home and ended up at the Dartford crossing. She realised she'd gone the wrong way at this point and told the toll booth bloke who proceeded to shut every lane of traffic so she could do a massive U-turn.

Thing is she was coming back from her Mums and has done the exact same journey hundreds of times so how she got it wrong I don't know. I still bring up the fact she effectively closed the M25 regularly (usually when I'm losing an argument )

[br d]

Been behind people frantically searching their car for coins at the Dartford tolls. Scrambling through jackets and glove boxes, emptying ashtrays and sliding seats backwards and forwards.

I don't blame them at all, there are obviously too few signs and warnings about having your poxy £1.50 ready, how can it possibly be their fault?

Personally, I think they should be helped back onto the peak of the bridge and pushed over the edge into the freezing, murky fking depths of the Thames to drown like the ignorant morons they are.

Too harsh?

[cheadle hulme]

Himself said:

^^^^

They turn you around if you try it on the Severn Crossing, don't ask how I know.

I won't ask because I know!

4x4 escort round the one way system and back you go! Little cashpoint on the English side for you chap.....