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Autoroute telethingies?


Jonzjob
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I know that I have seen reference to the thingies wot let you drive through the péage and doc yer bank? I have tried to search, but difficult when you can't remember wot they are called?[8-)][:$][8-)]

So, question. We will be driving back to the U.K. early next year. Can anyone tell me if it would be worth getting one of these thingies for the one return trip?? I realise that they can save time and hassle at the péage points...

Edit :-  Forgot to point out that we are a long way from the short ferry crossings, 1000K+...

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I think you'll find the technical term is 'Doofer'  [;-)]

No, seriously, its a télépéage badge and is available from various outlets or online http://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/particulier/decouvre.jsp

They charge you about 1 euro a month (free for the first 6 months I think) and its worth every cent.

Mine is linked to a direct debit on my bank account and I get a statement every month.  No queues at the péage (well mostly) and just sail on by.

When I had a UK registered car, I used to see how many Brits would  follow me down the télépéage réservé lane [6]

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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

When I had a UK registered car, I used to see how many Brits would  follow me down the télépéage réservé lane [6]

[/quote]

 

and how many French won't [:)]

 

For one retrun trip it may not be worth it (30€ deposit) RIB and forms to fill out - but I would not be without mine

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Yes, its only a little box about the size of a mobile phone.  It comes with a holder to stick inside your windscreen but I've never bothered, I just hold it up and it goes 'Beep'.  I leave it out of sight in the glove box as I think it could be a temptation to someone if it were on show.
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No not just online, if you follow the link Iput in my first reply you will see on the right of the screen a section 'Souscrire' and then a link to 'Agences commercials'

This gives a map where the Doofers are available over the counter.  It only gives north East France so maybe there is another website for Autoroutes Sud ?

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You can go into one of the offices, as mentioned above, and get one over the counter.

The thing to remember is that, if you set it up to debit a credit card with the tolls, you must tell the motorway company when your card expires and you have been issued with a new one.  Otherwise the box will not work next time.  [:$]

Angela

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[quote user="united"]The crdit/bank card lane can be just as quick in a French car or with a UK car and passenger. We use our French bank card they do not ask for a pin.[/quote]

 

You obviously have never tried the Northbound A7 or Southbound A6 booths at Lyon in July and August!!  Minimum 40 minute queues are the norm - telepeage and you sail straight through.

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I've had one now for a couple of years. The two biggest pro's are that you don't need to queue, (mostly), and that you aren't having to mess around trying to pay at a LH peage or wake up your passenger to do so.

I LOVE sailing past queues of French Espaces, Picassos and Scenics, (WHY do the French drive those things as if trying to prove that they aren't a van with windows?),  all of whom raced past me on the 110 and 90 limited approach to the peage.

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[quote user="Jonzjob"]As a matter of interest FA, what do you drive and is it RHD?[/quote]

Yes, both are RHD, one's a 7 year old Xantia HDi, and the other is a 9 year old Impreza with around 320bhp. LOVES to drink 98 octane stuff at £1 a litre[:@] I keep saying I'll trade it for a smaller TDi, but I do so love it..........boys toys and all that. It's the Ford RS200 I never got[;-)]

The "Vans with windows" crack is from a comment my youngest made when we first had the Impreza. It didn't seem to matter WHAT speed I drove it at, I was ALWAYS passed by one of those thingies, usually towing a ridiculously small trailer with TINY wheels at over 100mph. When I commented on the stupidity of it, my lad, then aged 10, piped up, that it was just the French drivers trying to prove that their cars weren't really "vans with windows". The name has stuck, at least in our family[:P]

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I've just today made my first Dunkerque - Cahors trip with my Telepaege and I think it's wonderful.

The only slight drawback for me was the fact that you can't go through the dedicated lane in anything over 2m high so with trailer in tow. Still quicker though because on the major routes there is usually an ordinary lane also labelled "Telepage" and the transponder is recognised so no need to take a ticket or waste time paying at t'other end, just means I have to queue with the hoi polloi [:(]

Thankfully this was the last trailer run [:D]

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