SANEF/LIber-T Autoroute Toll-Master

[johna]

2 years ago we subscribed to a French service which comes from their equivilent of our Highways Agency. The service is from www.sanef.com and it is called Liber-T (Liberty!!!)

Basically it is a small passive electonic device that mounts on your windscreen and allows to bypass all of those long, infernal queues at the motorwway toll gates (Peage).

You can apply for one from the UK, there is a very small monthly hire charge for the unit and each toll gate fee amount gets automatically deducted from your nominated charge card/debit card account. You also get an itemised bill for each outbound or inbound journey.

We reckon we save between 1-2 hrs each time we do our twice yearly Calais-Grenoble-Calais ski run.

The best bit though, is watching the expression on all of the faces in other GB cars as they patiently queue and we zip past in the Peage Liber-t priority lane.That alone is worth the small monthly hire charge.

 

[cassis]

Hi Johna. The official name for a telepeage badge is a "doofah" or "doofer". [;-)]

Try doing a search for "doofah" or "doofer". Or share the joy of fellow doofer owners here:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/783507/ShowPost.aspx

I didn't know you could get them in the UK, though.  Do you have a link for that?

[Bugsy]

[quote user="johna"]

and allows to bypass all of those long, infernal queues at the motorwway toll gates (Peage).

We reckon we save between 1-2 hrs each time we do our twice yearly Calais-Grenoble-Calais ski run.

The best bit though, is watching the expression on all of the faces in other GB cars as they patiently queue and we zip past in the Peage Liber-t priority lane.That alone is worth the small monthly hire charge.

[/quote]

It must be very inconvenient for you...................having to share the roads with all those annoying drivers.

You saved 1-2 hours wow,.............................all that extra time to spend on the apres-ski.

[:@]

 

[trees 2]

[quote user="Bugbear"][quote user="johna"]

and allows to bypass all of those long, infernal queues at the motorwway toll gates (Peage).

We reckon we save between 1-2 hrs each time we do our twice yearly Calais-Grenoble-Calais ski run.

The best bit though, is watching the expression on all of the faces in other GB cars as they patiently queue and we zip past in the Peage Liber-t priority lane.That alone is worth the small monthly hire charge.

[/quote]

It must be very inconvenient for you...................having to share the roads with all those annoying drivers.

You saved 1-2 hours wow,.............................all that extra time to spend on the apres-ski.

[:@]

 

[/quote]

Woops! Someone got out of bed the wrong side, BB?

[Bugsy]

Moi ?..................................................[:D]

[Alan Zoff]

Admittedly the autoroutes I use may be quieter than some others but I seem to get through the peages almost as quickly (as the doofer-users) with my French carte bancaire. And I receive a small credit against my bank charges each time I use the card. Frankly, I already begrudge paying so much in fuel and toll charges, without giving the highway agency extra for a device that might save a few seconds per trip.

Now if they gave a toll discount for doofer-users....

[cassis]

If we use it twice a month and pay by direct debit our doofer is effectively free.

But I agree that the argument for it is weak unless you

a) have a right hand drive car and no passenger

b) use regularly congested motorway exits for major cities, ski resorts in season [:D]) and the like

or

c) use motorways for your work.

Most exits don't have queues most of the time, plus a lot of doofer lanes seem to be open to non-doofer owners which means that you still have to queue behind them anyway! 

Before the doofer we used to do as Alan suggests and use the credit card lane.  I can't say that the doofer changed my life, once the novelty wore off. 

[Alan Zoff]

[quote user="cassis"]If we use it twice a month and pay by direct debit our doofer is effectively free.[/quote]

There is an upfront charge though, if I remember correctly, which they call a deposit but which you are not going to see again.

Interesting about free annual charge for twice-monthly usage. Is that twice in each month of the year, or a minimum of 24 times spread over a year? In other words, do you have to pay for the year if just one particular month was missed, even though an average of twice per month has been achieved?

[cassis]

Any month I use the doofer twice they waive the 1€ rental charge for that month.

Why would I not get the 30€ deposit back if I returned the doofer? [8-)]

[Ron Avery]

A doofah must be a real bonus now, makes sure you don't get a bit wet if you open the window on the way to your new home, Monsieur Saucisson de Guadelope[:D]

[Alan Zoff]

[quote user="cassis"]Any month I use the doofer twice they waive the 1€ rental charge for that month.

Why would I not get the 30€ deposit back if I returned the doofer? [8-)]
[/quote]

Thanks for explaining monthly set-off, Cassis. Seems fair enough. 

I don't doubt that you would get the deposit back if you sent back the doofer, but I wonder what proportion of them are ever returned. A tiny percentage, I would guess, which makes it effectively an upfront charge.  And with inflation, the cost risk to the supplier of returning deposits reduces each year.

[cassis]

[quote user="Alan Zoff"]

I wonder what proportion of them are ever returned. A tiny percentage, I would guess, which makes it (the deposit) effectively an upfront charge. 

[/quote]

I see what you mean.  I'd be willing to bet you're right, A to Z.  When ours dies I doubt that we'll post it back "in the original packaging"*. 

If I happen to be at one of their motorway service points and can hand it in I'll try.  I'll let you know what happens in such an eventuality (please do not expect a full transcript of the 3 hour argument that is bound to ensue).

* In theory, I believe that this is to stop you being charged for the motorway journey that the doofer takes en route from your abode to its home nest.  Silver paper should do the same job.

[quote user="Ron Avery"]A doofah must be

a real bonus now, makes sure you don't get a bit wet if you open the

window on the way to your new home, Monsieur Saucisson de Guadelope[:D][/quote]

Spot on, Ron - the new bridge from St Nazaire to Guadaloupe makes the daily commute to Alençon much easier.

[Gardengirl]

We got an ASF doofer 2 weeks ago from Norauto, & didn't pay the upfront charge. The monthly charges will be on direct debit from our bank account, & there will be no charge in any month we don't use it.We like it a lot, especially as I didn't have to open my window on the way north - dreadful rain for hours on end! I used to use my credit card, so delays weren't too bad out of season, but queues certainly built up at peak times.

Jo

[cassis]

Wow!  Somebody giving something away??????  I'll have to pop in to Norauto - I can't find this mentioned on their website.  Are you sure there's no catch? [blink]

[BJSLIV]

The catch is that if you use it often it costs more than the 30 euro deposit scheme , plus its only available from Norautos Down  South or direct from ASF

http://www.asf-telepeage.fr/telepeage-particuliers/liber-t-temps-libre.htm     (ASF Site)

http://www.asf-telepeage.fr/telepeage-particuliers/souscrire-telepeage-partenaires.htm   (Norauto Branches)

However I expect that as many of the Autoroutes are now owned by Vinci they will roll it out to other areas in due course.

As I see it you can get a box from Cofiroute for 30 euros which means an interest charge of 2 euros per year. If you use it six months of the year  including 3 months where you use it twice then you pay 12 euros less 3 euros credit. So the equivalent of 11 Euros per year.

With ASF you pay 2 Euros every month that you use the box that means 12 Euros.

Now with the rate of exchange being what it is, every little helps, as someone once  remarked[Www]

On the other hand if you haven't got 30 Euros to spare........

[cassis]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]

On the other hand if you haven't got 30 Euros to spare........

[/quote]

... then you can't afford the petrol from one péage booth to the next anyway. [:D]

[peter - le corbier]

I have had a 'doofer' for 2 years and have just been to the Alpes with a friend - he is now ordering one. The 30.00€ deposit is nothing to speak of and there is slight discount on the tolls, so although there is the small monthly charge for each month it is used in, the convenience factor far, far outweighs anything else - particularly when it is busy. I have never had to wait for more than one vehicle in front and I reckon even on quiet days it saves at least 20 minutes from Calais to the Alpes - and at least an hour when busy. One previous poster mentioned the look on other GB driver's faces when, having belted past some miles before a peage, sudeenly find themselves overtaking again......about 50 miles further on! Think of the fuel saving alone.

I wouldn't be without it.

[DerekJ]

I've got the Alis deal. No upfront or monthly charge. Some small discount on the Alis specific autoroute sections (tbh I don't actually use any of their sections). The only downside for some may be that they will only bill a french bank account.

[WendyG]

Have just applied for my doofer - fed up with having to jump out of the car and run round the other side in driving rain etc, although always find the French drivers smile sympathetically if you smile nicely.

In Switzerland found you paid a one-off up front fee (lasting 1 year) and then could use all their autoroutes without further payment.  Think same applied to Austria.

Looking forward to receiving my doofer and putting it into use at end of the month.

 

 

[AnOther]

The problem with the Swiss Vignette is that it runs from Jan to Jan so if say you went through Switzerland on Dec 31st you'd have to pay for a Vignette for that year, 40 Swiss Francs if memory serves, then you came back on Jan 1st you'd have to buy a new one at the same price [:'(]

At least in Austria you can get a cheaper limited validity Vignette. €120 fine for not having it BTW, ask me how I know [:$]

[andyh4]

Now if they gave a toll discount for doofer-users....

 

Some companies do Alan.  APRR will give you a multi trip discount - one journey in 6 free between 2 designated (by you) gates on their network.  Saved me a fortune and like Johna I also save a lot of time since I have to negotiate some of the busiest toll gates in France (A6, A42 and A7 around Lyon)

[cassis]

[quote user="DerekJ"]I've got the Alis deal. No upfront or monthly charge. Some small discount on the Alis specific autoroute sections (tbh I don't actually use any of their sections). The only downside for some may be that they will only bill a french bank account.

[/quote]

That's a great deal, DerekJ.  At first reading sounds too good to be true, so I'll read it again!  If it reads the same second time around, I'm going to turn in my existing doofer and get this one instead - especially as we're on an Alis motorway section.  Thanks for the link.

[DerekJ]

[quote user="cassis"]

That's a great deal, DerekJ.  At first reading sounds too good to be true, so I'll read it again!  If it reads the same second time around, I'm going to turn in my existing doofer and get this one instead - especially as we're on an Alis motorway section.  Thanks for the link.

[/quote]

Hi Cassis.  Yes, check out the T&Cs. We signed up last year. It only took about a week for them to mail the doofer and package to our UK address.  They also send a (monthly?) statement to our UK address and yuo can monitor your account online on their website.  As others have said, it makes life so much easier. 

It's also amusing to see french registered cars start to hold back from driving up behind our UK registered car as we drive down the T-Lane.

[Fay]

I love my doofer - most journeys it is just me and the cat, and not to have (as Wendy says) to get out and run round on a cold, wet, winter's night (no point asking the cat) makes it all worthwhile. The queue-avoiding and other-driver-disconcerting are bonuses.

After two years I still smile when it makes its friendly 'beep'! Simple pleasures...

[Stan Streason]

[quote user="DerekJ"][quote user="cassis"]
That's a great deal, DerekJ.  At first reading sounds too good to be true, so I'll read it again!  If it reads the same second time around, I'm going to turn in my existing doofer and get this one instead - especially as we're on an Alis motorway section.  Thanks for the link.
[/quote]

Hi Cassis.  Yes, check out the T&Cs. We signed up last year. It only took about a week for them to mail the doofer and package to our UK address.  They also send a (monthly?) statement to our UK address and yuo can monitor your account online on their website.  As others have said, it makes life so much easier. 

It's also amusing to see french registered cars start to hold back from driving up behind our UK registered car as we drive down the T-Lane.
[/quote]

 

I know you are not a translation service and you have no liability to me.   I can pretty much understand the application form but the T&Cs are beyond my language skills.  I would welcome your views on the T&C's once you have re read them. Is there anything there that is a hidden time bomb or setting one up for future obligations, minimum useage etc etc?  The english Q&A's on the website seem fairly comprehensive.  Are they missing anything?

Thanks in advance