Telepeage battery life

[Keith]

I have recently got one of the brilliant telepeage devices for my car. It is especially useful when travelling alone in a right hand drive car.

One worry though. Does anybody know how long the batteries last in these devices and whether there is any way to test if the battery is getting low.

Many thanks

Keith

[Cassis]

Look up "doofer" in the search box.  The Télépéage Doofer has a whole thread and fanclub to itself.

I think it's at least 2 years. Someone said they start to squawk rather than bleep when the battery is going.   If it happens to go flat tell the peage operator - they are used to it, I guess.  The distributor will replace the doofer.  You can't change the battery yourself.

[Gardian]

1. There is a significant difference between a 'squawk' and a 'strangled squeeek' (which mine was emitting after 2 yrs).  Now righted itself after a return to lower seasonal temperatures.

2. There's no real knowing how long the battery will last - if the doofer doesn't bleep / squawk / squeek, and the barrier doesn't rise, then it's a back-up job, with the grumpy Parisien behind you moaning like hell.  Take a 'normal' ticket' at another booth and go through a manned booth at the other end - they'll scan your doofer.

3. In the event of (2) above, change your doofer at the first available telepeage 'boutique' (the phraseology is now well understood by the personnel).[8-|]

[Cassis]

I haven't seen a doofer boutique - are they on the motorway service areas, Ian?

[Loiseau]

They're Sanef offices, Cassis.

There's one at the Herquelingues peage on the A16, north of the viaduct at Boulogne. There's one south of Arras, I think; and another north of Amiens.  I suppose they're open normal office hours, i.e. maybe not at weekends or in the evenings.
Maybe the sanef site has a map of them?   Ah, just found a link to a map, hope it works

http://www.sanef.com/fr/ecommerce/particulier/agences.jsp

Angela

(also a tad worried about battery conking when in "t" lane!)  [;-)]

[Cassis]

I had no idea they had shops!  Here's the doofer shop equivalent for the area where we are, west of Paris:

http://www.cofiroute.fr/cofiroute.nsf/web/relation-clients.htm

Always remember - the French are never ashamed of blocking the way - why should you be? [:P]

[Gardian]

Although they call them 'boutiques', that's probably over- glamourising them a bit !

Don't know about the north, but down here. they're usually just on the south side of the major peages.  Opening hours decidedly fluid.  Staff helpful though. 

[Alane]

Ours went at just over 3 years. No warning, it just stopped working. The lady at the booth diagnosed the problem immediately and I got a replacement by sending an e-mail to Sanef requesting one. I've noticed that the beep varies depending on which autoroute I am driving. On the new A28 south of Rouen it doesn't beep at all but gives a cheery whistle on the A16 on its home ground on the Sanef network between Abbeville and Boulogne.

 

[Andyphilpott]

Alane, did you not have to return your old telepeage badge before getting a replacement? If not, did they make another one off charge for the new one? I recall that when I obtaiuned it there was a one off fee which you get back if you hand it in to them.

I have had mine around 4 to 5 years with no problems so far but in view of other comments I guess I should expect it to fail before much longer!

Andy

[Kate]

How much does this doofah cost, please? Is it a saving on the normal tolls? (presumably some saving, or do people get them simply for convenience?) And can you buy one if you aren't resident in France? I have a friend in Switzerland who has to drive a lot in France and would desperately like to save some money (not being a rich banker but a poor retired teacher). come to that, I'd like to save some  money, too!

[andyh4]

Hi Kate

cost 30€ deposit plus a subscription charge.  There are various packages available depending on which motorway system you regsiter with and which package you subscribe for.  Some will save you money, many will not.  A typical annual subscription is between 12 and 24€, though some deals are 2€/month for each month you acutally use the thing.

Anyone can get one, but some autoroute companies insist that you have a French bank account (Paris Rhin Rhone for example - likley to be the mostly likely one for your friend); others are happy to charge to a foreign credit card.  Once you have one it works on any French motorway system - not just the one you subscribe with.

 

The big advantage for Brits is that they do not have the hassel of being at the wrong side of the car when they get to the toll booths.  Another benefit in the summer months and at holidays is that you avoid the queues at the booths.  On the A6/A7 in summer I have sailed past 1 hour queues and driven straight through.  At the end of a 7 hour drive that is worth a lot of money to me, and in addition my package offers me one trip in six free between two toll booths of my choice within the companies system - so I do save money as well as time. 

[Andyphilpott]

I did not think that anyof them actually saved you any money! With Sanef the tolls are the same as if you pay cash and in addition you pay the one off up front fee (refundable if you hand back the telepeage badge) plus the monthly or annual charge.

In my view it is well worth the extra cost - I cannot see the point of making small savings at the expense of convenience. I agree entirely with andyh4 but who is your badge with? The 1 in 6 free trip would be very useful to me!

I also did not realise that you could charge the monthly tolls to a credit card. I have had mine (from Sanef by internet - I am UK based) for nearly 5 years now and when I got it it had to be charged to a French bank account. No doubt it has developed since then!

For general questions on this have a look at the extensive thread on the subject which probably covers nearly everything now.

Andy