Still better to avoid, though things moved (or shifted elsewhere).
The queues at borders are shorter - due to less traffic as weekend draws in, police diverting trucks to alternative routes where such exist and also allowing them to enter SK without the box under the condition they’ll get it inland. (though they show no mercy deep inland, collected ~50,000e in fines so far)
The forms are now available in nine languages (singificant speedup in the process for all foreigners), portaloos were brought where needed and the drivers are also distributed hot drinks, snacks and soup.
Extra staff at call centre now handles complaints.
The staff have been generally nice and polite all the time, despite all the stress around. Drivers are frustated and some also angry, but nobody’s really stupid.
Will see what next Monday brings.
Those 100 lorries that blocked a through road in Bratislava are still there, though they cleared one lane. About 30 others tried to do similar thing elsewhere in Bratislava but were forced into parking lots by the police. Slow drive prostests took place in several places of the country.
After evening press conference at which transport minister (whose surname is “serious”, btw) said that “the introduction of the electronic toll was handled excellently”, “the SkyToll company deserves A grade” and that “100 or 200 protesting drivers who ignored their legal duty is nothing compared to 60 thousand registered vehicles” the operators got furious and set off for Bratislava. Unfortunately most were forced to park up by police, still about 400 trucks are “actively prostesting” - few major roads are fully or partially blocked, some disruptions on the bypass - enough to cause serious troubles. The police tried to tow away some trucks but without success. The chaos is helped by snow that keeps falling and the roads cannot be properly ploughed due to protesting lorries. The discussions are heated, but abuse is only verbal (thanskgod).
The prostest attracts surprising support, even from car drivers who honk, wave and show thumbs up (instead of middle fingers). Also many commuters had to walk this morning as their buses got stuck, but most comments were like “a bit of walking is gonna kill me”, “they got reason and right to protest”, “somebody’s got to shout, the govt is too arogant” etc. In internet discussion it’s about 7:3 in favour of the protest.
Cesmad SK, operators’ association that so far seemed to be on the govt side also said that it is not “entirely happy”.
Prime minister agreed to meet the prostesting operators - on Monday - if they stop “troublemaking” (that’s how he called it).
Few action videos: natankuj.sme.sk/c/5182402/protes … klaci.html
And as I’ve been typing this transport minister has been forced to meet Cesmad SK representatives to talk about problems and solutions.
One of the major problems - that would be discovered if there was a trial period - is the precision of GPS maps in SK and processing of the position information - it happens that toll is collected for sections of motorway above which a truck drives on a flyover, or that while driving on the A road #2 which at places gets close to the D2 motorway charged is both the A road and the motorway… Shunting in a yard or at loading point right next to a toll road triggers the counter too…
I’m flying to B’lava tonight to see on my very eyes what’s going on (and to express my support).
On Friday many lorries were about to “attack” Bratislava, but UNAS (the new operators’ association) advised them to perform slow driving protests and they took place in several cities. The guys in Bratislava blocked both directions of Roznavska st., but on Saturday after discussion with mayor they agreed to on blocking one direction only and keeping one lane free for city buses and emergency vehicles. Camaraderie was great - when the police went on to tow one truck away the guys stood in front of it and stood there calmly despite shouting policemen and barking dogs, the police gave up at the end. A bakery 7.5tonner stopped and dropped bread and rolls, another one dropped some sausages. Somebody dragged in field kitchen and the guys made goulash. Most people were in favour of the prostest, some brought the drivers cakes or fruit or just stopped for ■■■ and chat. On Sat eve a students union organized some 50 cars for slow and noisy drive through the city. IMHO, at this poin it was clear that it was not just “lorries vs toll” anymore. The prime minister however stood firm - you haven’t removed the blockade, I am not talking to you. Then on Monday slow driving prostests took place in many towns and cities, Ruzomberok got completely sealed for several hours for example. A tipper dumped its load of manure right in front of the House of Government (effectivel prime minister’s office) - the driver blamed the hydraulics for the incident