french toll road

[Beavis]

hi guys,

i was in france last summer, with my xc90 and roofbox.

i noticed that i was being charged 'class 2'?? which they said was the same as a transit style mobile home - due to the height. and the tickets were coming out of the top ticket release for truck drivers.

i think i was charged about twice the toll fee of my father in law in his beemer in front.

has anyone else noticed this, or was it just due to the height with the roofbox?

just want to know, so i can decide weather to take a 50% full roof box, or leave it at home.
thanks

[jeffo]

the xc90 is quite large. dont you have enough space inside?

[Sportwag]

Height wise the XC90 is 1.78m (including roof rails). Without a roof box it should be treated as a conventional car on ferries (the height limit is usually 1.8m) however sizes of roof boxes vary. Bit steep to be charged double - does the same apply for cars with bikes on the roof?

[reggie59]

Originally Posted by StuT4

hi guys,

i was in france last summer, with my xc90 and roofbox.

i noticed that i was being charged 'class 2'?? which they said was the same as a transit style mobile home - due to the height. and the tickets were coming out of the top ticket release for truck drivers.

i think i was charged about twice the toll fee of my father in law in his beemer in front.

has anyone else noticed this, or was it just due to the height with the roofbox?

just want to know, so i can decide weather to take a 50% full roof box, or leave it at home.
thanks

See http://www.autoroutes.fr/infos-servi...vehicules.html
Car above 2m go in the next category. So, your XC90 + roof box is pb over the 2m limit

[chf]

Originally Posted by reggie59

See http://www.autoroutes.fr/infos-servi...vehicules.html
Car above 2m go in the next category. So, your XC90 + roof box is pb over the 2m limit

Very interesting indeed .... we are going down to the South of France every summer with our XC90 and a thule atlantis roofbox and NEVER paid class 2 toll charge (just checked all receipts) ... were you towing something ?

[oldmanbm]

interesting. We are heading down to the Vendee this summer and only last night we were debating whether we would need our roofbox on the XC90 - if ever it comes. Seems strange if some pay and others don't.

[kenny]

i'v had a land rover discovery down to the alps twice with a full length roof rack full of kayaks and never been charged a higher rate.

last time was 4 years ago though, perhaps it's changed lately

[reggie59]

Originally Posted by kenny

i'v had a land rover discovery down to the alps twice with a full length roof rack full of kayaks and never been charged a higher rate.

last time was 4 years ago though, perhaps it's changed lately

ok. I have done a bit more research and found this article (local newspaper in North of France: http://www.courrier-picard.fr/courri...tes-aux-peages)

Try to translate into Google but it says the following:
Category 1 is for vehicle below 2m high and bicycle rack and roof box are free.

Problem is therefore more and more automatic system which detect high by laser and some 4x4 with roof top get charged category 2.

The highways agency has always refunded when people complained... (seems easy).

A ticket coming out from the upper area of the machine is a good giveaway that things are wrong...

Best is to try to pay at manual ones and avoid automatic tolls...

Hope this helps

[Beavis]

thank you all for the comments.

i thought it was a bit of a p**s take, considering that i have 2 axles on road, and someone towing a trailer will 'wear' away more, but if under 2 metres will pay less.

this year i will go to the manual barriers, or complain. it was always at the automated ones, and even when the barrier stuck, and a guy came out and we tried to query it, he pointed at the box and went 'class 2'.

robbing s*ds, we'll all need to make sure that we complain if they try it again.

always handy to have the box, as less cluttered in the boot, and more room for local produce on the return trip.

[Beavis]

Originally Posted by chf

Very interesting indeed .... we are going down to the South of France every summer with our XC90 and a thule atlantis roofbox and NEVER paid class 2 toll charge (just checked all receipts) ... were you towing something ?

i just had an xc90 with volvo roof bars, and a Mont Blanc ski/roof box.

daft thing is, that if i had a towbar box i would not have been charged like i was. i only noticed as the 'In-Laws' were only charge about 13 euros, against my 28!