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SANEF toll pass

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Has anyone signed up for this? I am planning on giving it a try as we are driving down to 3V in a few weeks and down to Southern France in the summer. Curious to know if people using them feel it speeds things up on the peage and how efficient the billing is. TBH I'm fed up of being woken up to get a ticket by the other half wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We've had one for (I think) 3 trips now (2 winter, 1 summer). It works very well. I can't say that we've saved lots of time, since invariably we are traveling in the middle of the night. However, as you say it does avoid waking the passenger, and on at least 1 occasion also meant we didn't have to open the windows when it was "piddling down".

Installation and billing and all that is fine. The only issues I have are:

1. I'd like it to be cheaper to use. Unlike say a Dart tag which (as I understand) is discounted, there are additional fees with this making it more expensive than cash.

2. Its quite a shocker to see the peage cost all in 1 place. My March bill was £111 and April £76 !

LR
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
very easy - billing just happens. Not sure it saves too much time (unless there is a queue) but does make the process easy.
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For one trip its cheaper to use the credit card lanes, multi trips buy a tag details and costs here https://www.saneftolling.co.uk
Costs https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/support/faq/support-Faq.List/#1.0.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Def' makes the journey easier. Having said that I'm usually using in summer in a kit car, wearing a full harness belt so you couldn't make using the ticket machines any harder.

Much quicker in moderate traffic than queing and faffing for the ticket, wallet etc. In heavy traffic you still get some hold up if it backs up beyond the wider toll area but then you get through easier in the end. The only downside is if you travel in convoy with anyone who doesn't have one and then youend up driving like a snail untill they catch up.

Mines an APRR doofer direct from France so can't comment on the UK issued SANEF deal. I pay a fixed amount (couple of euro from memory) for any month I use it in, plus the toll costs and thats it. Recall someone saying the SANEF deal wasn't as good.

If you search "doofer" you should find a few threads on the subject.
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bagginsmum, works well, can certainly speed up tolls in moderate traffic, in really heavy traffic not so much a saving as it takes a while to get to tolls full-stop.

We went with saneftolling.co.uk billing has been fine - there is a mx charge of €10 per year for admin and an intial deposit for tag.

30kph lanes are fun but scary at first.

Despite warning of 2m height, you can get taller under them, we have Disco with roofbox which measures 2.6m

Have used it in summer pulling caravan - in which case we just use lorry lane on far right, still quicker than normal lanes.

Had one issue with caravan when it refused to recognise us as a car/van and was trying to charge us lorry rates, but pressed the help button and was sorted very quickly even with my limited french!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Made a huge difference to me as my co-pilot is only 3, so it makes life easier in that sense. The annual charge of £7 or whatever is hardly going to break the bank, so it's worth it for the convenience for me. Also, not even stopping at some peage is quite odd Smile
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
£7 will barely buy me a coffee in Courchevel anyway!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Also, the new tag are physically the same as the Dart-Tag, so I don't need multiple windscreen mounts, just swap them over on the clip Smile

My dad has a Sanef tag from when they first came out and it's huge, like a couple of packs of cards
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I've had my SANEF tag for about 18 months - makes journeys through France a lot easier for me.

Does anybody know how long the tags work for - do they have a battery - am I likely to travel smugly down the Telepeage lane only to find the barrier doesn't lift and I'm left asking a collection of grumpy frenchmen to reverse so I can get a new tag.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
dhorst wrote:


Does anybody know how long the tags work for - do they have a battery - am I likely to travel smugly down the Telepeage lane only to find the barrier doesn't lift and I'm left asking a collection of grumpy frenchmen to reverse so I can get a new tag.


I have one from 2008 that is going strong
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
dhorst, my aprr tag lasted seven years, popped into one of the offices by a toll station, they swapped it without charge the new one was smaller.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I have an aprr tag that has been fine for the last 4 years, although I always get 'doofer anxiety' the first time that I have used it for a while in case the battery has gone flat, so my first toll booth visit is always through an 'accepts credit cards too' lane.

It has certainly saved me lots of time bypassing all the queues on a busy weekend day, as well as the fact that as I'm driving a RHD car makes paying a bit awkward if I'm by myself. I'm on the same deal as adithorp, so you only pay a small admin charge the months that you actually use it.

I'd say that my one is about the size of two matchboxes end to end


Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Thu 5-12-13 14:11; edited 1 time in total
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
They are most use for:

1. Not having to wake Mrs DJL who sleeps as soon as the wheels roll
2. Not losing the passports which Mrs DJL had on her lap when I woke her up and she had to open the door to reach the ticket button (apparently that was my fault). Some kind people found them lying in the road, phoned my mobile and returned them 50km further down the A26.
3. To get one over on the smug French drivers who look at you with a "zat idiot is in the wrong lane and will have to reverse out" smirk on their faces Smile
4. When driving solo

Apart from that you save a bit of time, enough for someone in a damn great Range Rover who hurtled past on the approach to have to hurtle past again. If it is really busy you get caught in the same jam as everyone else until it widens near the barriers (always travel in the LH lane to facilitate this as you approach the peage).

Cost for mine is E2 per month I use it plus the toll with no discount or uplift. E30 to cover deposit/postage (postage cost E32 iirc!). Yep 2 pack of cards size.

Ours lasted several years before it gave up the ghost - replaced by stopping at one of the "Agence Commercial" portacabins. We have also had odd issues with the payment card it is linked to going out of date or being replaced.

On balance its worth it for us doing 4 to 5 trips p.a.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
dhorst wrote:
Does anybody know how long the tags work for - do they have a battery -


AIUI, they use a combination of RFID and internal power. The toll booth transmitter sends out a signal when it detects a vehicle is present, that signal causes the tag to turn on and transmit it's ID, which the tollbooth receives and processes. So I believe there IS a battery in them, but they are only actually 'on' for the duration of the transmission of the signal. It's not even in 'standby' the rest of the time, it's completely off and only the RFID signal turns it on.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
bagginsmum, check out the APRR one Google 'telepeage pour tous' used to be quite a lot cheaper than Sanef.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The Sanef UK costs €30 to set-up which is a €10 fee and €20 deposit
Running costs are €6 per year and a €5 per month fee, up to a maximum of €10 per year

Is a few Euros more than other options, but personally found it easier to deal with UK focused company with all info in English.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:

To get one over on the smug French drivers who look at you with a "zat idiot is in the wrong lane and will have to reverse out" smirk on their faces


Oh yeah - that's the best - particularly if they have been beeping horn and flashing lights to point out your "mistake"
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Boris, I followed my French friends into one of the 30 km/h lanes and they were waving frantically for me to reverse out and go to one of the other lanes before I got an irate local cursing me, until I cooly pointed out my doofer.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've never had the gesturing or beeping, but then I've had people assume I'm French as I'm driving a big Citroen. Their faces are a picture when the 'driver' window is wound down and they're presented with a 3yr old saying 'hello bonjour'
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Then again I did have a Embarassed moment when all the locals were frantically waving me into another lane when it was not a doofer issue. I had three bikes on the roof. That was embarassing
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

The Sanef UK costs €30 to set-up which is a €10 fee and €20 deposit
Running costs are €6 per year and a €5 per month fee, up to a maximum of €10 per year

that's actually quite a lot more - more than the Swiss motorway vignette which people make such a fuss about.

I've had one for some years and am reassured by the info above about the battery - I've often wondered. I've never had any French drivers gesticulating or beeping (well, not about my choice of lane in the péage at any rate Embarassed ). Quite a few UK registered vehicles have them now.

What I did enjoy, along the A40 last year, where there are two in fairly quick succession, was having a UK registered 4 x 4 tear past me at mach speed, only for me to overtake him going through the 30 kph lane, twice, in "Shell fuel economy" mode.

I need to find a way of attaching the doofer-holder to my windscreen, having destroyed the sticky pad getting it off the old car (thanks to the very pleasant guy in the garage who was taking it in in part-exchange, pointing it out to me).
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
pam w, If you nip into one of the "agence commerciale" offices they will give you another one (I picked up a spare for our other car).

Alternatively hauling it out of the door pocket and waving in the vague direction of the barrier works.
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pam w wrote:

I need to find a way of attaching the doofer-holder to my windscreen, having destroyed the sticky pad getting it off the old car (thanks to the very pleasant guy in the garage who was taking it in in part-exchange, pointing it out to me).


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carpoint-2433998-Interior-Mirror-Adhesive/dp/B002UCYLDS/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?tag=amz07b-21


cut it down to size. Halfords should stock them too
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If you suffer from Doofer angst, bear in mind going out the Calais barrier does take a couple of seconds longer to acknowledge your Doofer, bet it's deliberate Laughing
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
pam w, Osbourne's the stationers have double sided stick pads, I have used them for sticking up burglar alarm door sensors, they work.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
jbob, feef, thanks.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Boris wrote:
The Sanef UK costs €30 to set-up which is a €10 fee and €20 deposit
Running costs are €6 per year and a €5 per month fee, up to a maximum of €10 per year

Is a few Euros more than other options, but personally found it easier to deal with UK focused company with all info in English.


It's a lot more than the APRR one which is still only a 10 euro one off charge plus 1.60 euro(e-billing option) per month only for the months it is used, no badge deposit and no annual fees.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
and the APRR one wasn't difficult to set up. Happy to help anyone with the French form if they are having difficulties. One of the problems if often with the postcode, but it can be overcome.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
You can save the €10 joining fee if you have a Eurotunnel booking reference - did this a couple of months ago - worked very well.
See here http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/sanef-tolling/
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Please note - I wasn't saying buy the Sanef UK one. Was pointing out the costs of it AND that it was more expensive but that I PERSONALLY found it easy to use.

Strangely thought it may be useful to the OP but hey ho rolling eyes

So Sanef UK - overpriced and no easier to deal with than anyone else. Don't go with them. Better?

On a vaguely serious note - I seem to recall from here that to deal direct with French companies you either needed a french bank account or link to your credit card? For information could anyone confirm if this is teh case?

If it is the case and you don't want to link to credit card but to a UK bank, then Sanef UK MAY be an option

This is of course not a recommendation of them
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Boris, please don't be so paranoid about your comments, neither of us said don't use SANEF. We wer simply putting our own points of views, just like you were.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Boris, no doubt about it, it must be easier to deal with a UK based company particularly if you don't speak french Smile

For me the APRR one is fine, I have needed to contact them a couple of times, mine is linked to a UK credit card and in order to update an expired card I have had to call them. Once the card expired and they hadn't updated the details and so the badge didn't work so I had to get I touch again and I was a bit annoyed. A bit of hassle but overall ok to have to get in touch with them twice in about a four year period.
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bagginsmum, Had one since they came out......brilliant Whitters, do agree with you about the battery though.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Another happy APRR user here, always worked for me. Their website has improved a lot, and signing up isn't the mystery it once was.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
I still can't get the online APPR account to work because of postcode issues, so it is an email to the support to update my credit card details every couple of years.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks all, have ordered my through the Eurotunnel website now. Looking forward to gesticulating French people and whizzing past 4x4s!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

whizzing past 4x4s

it's they who do the whizzing, burning up the diesel. You just sail past in stately fashion and low revs. wink
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I'm always regal wink apart from when the OH takes me on a steep mogul run, then I turn into a Grimsby fish wife
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bagginsmum, Laughing
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