Tolls that have to be paid online

[Fianceechickie]

We live nearish the new Mersey bridge in Runcorn. You can't pay there and then, there are no booths and you have to remember to go online and pay when to get home. Is it me, or is that a neat way of money grabbing? Cheap for the operator who doesn't have to put in toll booths and people are bound to forget, being tired, busy, other things to do and they can just fine you then. DH been fined twice in the last few months having forgotten to pay the £2 when he gets home on evenings he's used it. On one occasion he paid for one trip that same day but forgot he'd driven across it again. You can set up an account but there's a £10 fee and £20 minimum top up. I've seen this on roads in Ireland too. I've not used it because I just know i would forget to pay!

meredintofpandiculation I agree with you re those examples, when someone is physically unable to use the internet because as you say, they're too slow, can't click a mouse, are so confused they can't recall what to do. To me they are equivalent to somebody who is unable due to a disability, as their health problems are literally a barrier. So no disagreement from me there!

But there is absolutely a difference between those people and individuals who are perfectly capable, have no barriers but choose to refuse to engage. And a lot of the people who kick up a fuss about progress aren't unable to do internet banking for example, they just don't want to and expect others to pander to that despite the vast majority of people being fine with a new more convenient way of doing things.

There ought to be ways for programs to be made more accessible (larger font, slower timeout on websites, more ergonomically usable mice and keyboards, magnified screens and audio narration) for the people you mention. But in my experience it's rarely the ones who are simply incapable of using the internet who are shouting the loudest, it's those who have no reasons to be unable to and choose not to but then get annoyed at others because their decision leaves them unable to do everything just as quickly or conveniently as those who put the effort in to learn.

Assistive technology costs. Of course people who only need it to pay an occasional bill are going to resist it.

How is paying by cash easier?

Contactless is infinitely easier, but even having to go onto a website on your phone with your card to pay something is quicker and easier (unless for some reason you don't carry either) than having to go to a cash point and withdraw cash before you need it or after you've realised you need it and don't have any! Barring people who don't have phones capable of internet access, which will become obsolete soon.

I don't know anyone who carries cash as a matter of course unless they specifically withdrew it for something.

lemonshark If you have familial tremor like my mother has, it is not simply a case of larger keyboards. I know I will probably develop it too as it seems to be largely hereditary.

Contactless means having to check your statements to make sure they are accurate. With cash you pay and that is it.

Again, that's a real health problem that is a barrier to using some technologies, and also using things requiring pen and paper I'm assuming? Of course people with physical health issues need things adapting to be accessible. But again, that's a different thing entirely from people steadfastly refusing to do something they're capable of doing but then complaining they are at a disadvantage.

you go through your statements? Do you keep your receipts too to check them off and ensure they match?

And it takes me longer to navigate on my phone to pay for something, than to get cash out. I am older and struggle to see stuff on my phone. I also worry about security issues so tend to only use my laptop to buy things.

We almost got caught by one of these toll roads on holiday in America. I do think they're a way to grab money. As the OP says, people will forget. I wonder if there's a way to have a chipped pass in your car window that pings when you go over the bridge/along the toll road etc and charges you automatically.

I have a look at mine every few days or so just when checking my balance on my mobile banking app, only takes a few seconds and I spot if anything seems a bit dodgy. But surely unless you use cash for everything and don't have a bank account you would do that anyway, so having to get cash out is an extra step?

What makes buying using the browser on your phone more risky/dangerous then using the browser on your laptop?

I dont have the mobile banking app on my phone. I prefer to take cash out once a week and only pay for bigger purchases on card.
But it is not checking the balance, you have to check the actual items that go out and in. That means going into my laptop, I cant read that stuff okay on my phone. And yes that does take longer.

If you pay for everything with contactless including tiny transactions there must be dozens of transactions a month and without detailed checking, you wouldn't have a clue if any mistakes had been made.

I find it much easier to go to the cash machine a couple of times a month and carry about £30 in cash around which I use to pay for parking, lunch, coffee etc if I have it rather than have a bank statement as long as my arm with no clue if there have been any mistakes.

There are also still plenty of parking machines and small shops and cafes that are cash only, especially under £5/10. I wouldn't want to risk not being able to pay for parking or lunch/coffee when out and about.

Because I have downloaded decent protection onto my laptop. My phone though has no more storage to do this. I have a cheap phone you see.

I also worry about security issues so tend to only use my laptop to buy things.

What? Phones are way more secure than laptops, in standard configurations. Way, way, way more secure. Leakage of secure information from a Window laptop is like carrying water in a collander; iPhones more than Android, but both of them in reality, are far more secure. There's a bloody good reason why banks are pressing people to use phone apps to access banking rather than web browsers. The very best-run web browser, taking precautions that normal users simply wouldn't be willing to take, doesn't get close.

But it is not checking the balance, you have to check the actual items that go out and in.

Almost no-one does this. And yet the world turns. Just what are you thinking you would find?

But why should people have to change they way they do things just because there is a new way of doing things and because someone has invented something new we all have to use it or we are "resisting" ? Some people don't like change, or they don't just buy into everything that is new because it's "modern and the future". New isn't always better for everyone.

We used to have a Dart Tag. You open an account and put money into it. They give you a small device that sits in your car and when you drove past the old huts that you used to have to stop at and give some cash the money was automatically deducted from your account. You can't use those anymore. You have to go on-line (or to a shop) to pay. Why is that do you think? They were much more convenient that the current set-up.

Agree barbara. I know if my statement is too long I won't check it. With a cash withdrawal every week and then bigger purchases with my card, checking my statement is easy. And I get a monthly paper statement.

I pay for tiny purchases about 4 times a day. Pint of milk, bus fare, pint of beer, etc. I would have to check about 300 payments a moth. That takes way more time than going to the cashpoint right next to the supermarket that I go to every week.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the world will stop turning if you don't check your statements.....but it's common sense to do so. If you did check your statements you would find that things aren't always right. But obviously if you never check you won't know that.

If you pay for everything with contactless including tiny transactions there must be dozens of transactions a month and without detailed checking, you wouldn't have a clue if any mistakes had been made.

And we're back off in to "I can't do that thing millions of people do every day because reasons, and THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND".

In June last year, 34% of card transactions were contactless, and card transactions now outnumber cash transactions. Do you seriously believe that everyone is checking every transaction on their statement? And that you have the special knowledge of how important this is, while they are reckless fools?

Cuboidal Well they should. Banks and services get payments wrong. If you don't bother checking your actual statements, then contactless is easier. But you really should check them. That is pretty basic.

I know if my statement is too long I won't check it.

You can't be that worried then about what you might find 😂

Seriously though, what do you actually check for? You must keep receipts or a note of every transaction to see if they match? Have you been burnt before with someone stealing money over a period of time you didn't notice for a while? I'm curious as I've never met anyone who does this before.

I do do contactless but rarely.
Most small transactions are still done in cash.

I would have to check about 300 payments a month

Looking for what? Would you write down each time you used your payment card in a little book, and then reconcile it against the statement every time?

Lemon How old are you? I know lots of people who do this? What is the point of getting statements otherwise? And yes I have found money taken out wrongly.