They can either pay the fine, ask the court to reduce it, or fight it . The police are not required to leave aticketon the windshield of your car. But the causeway from Mestre to Venice is a 2 lanes straight road with "50 kms" speed limits clearly posted and "camera ahead" warning signs well before the speed traps. We will never be renting a car in Italy again. Not all of them, but many. However, it will be notified to your home at your expense. Information requested from Commission under Rule 216(6). Thank you @Roberto da Firenze. Also, the maximum amount allowed is 1,500. The notification is not calculated from the day you receive the fine. You will never be right in most cases. And the fines can be stiff. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. If you go back to Italy within 5 years, there is the possibility they might ask you to pay, but there isnt a national database of pending fine judgement in Italy, so you would need to be pulled over in the same jurisdiction where you got the fine and they happen to have your name on file and they check the file. I booked a car online with Eurocar. Then, the police will send you a letter by ordinary or registered mail. I don't know whether you found an inexpensive way to wire money to cover the first ticket. Likewise, for non-US citizens in the USA, tipping is entirely optional, and is not required. However, each one of them has its advantages and disadvantages. You will be fine using your email to proceed with the payment. The roads can turn into a reserved track all at once. If Connecticutt has already issued a ticket, so there is . Took three hours to get a car from AvisBudget with a reservation. You have five days to plead guilty and pay with a 30% discount. Another option is to just pay for paid parking. It is a pain, but that is part of the downside to renting cars in Italy. 201 Codice della Strada (Italian Traffic Code) provides a 360-day limit for processing tickets and providing notification of such tickets to foreign offenders. To avoid the fine, this must inform the infractors data to authorities within60 days. A fine that can be appealed is "frozen" for 60 days and it can't have Practical effects on the offender. I'd like to clarify that I did not intend to suggest that the enforcement of ZTLs is a scam directed at tourists. How do those people deal with the citations? If the fines are not paid they are sending collection agencies to get these fees. With all the traffic, you may dont see bus lane signs. It could cost me $40 to wire the fine to Italy. We used Google maps for all directions and to locate parking lots, hotels, etc. BUT..the registered mail receipt to be returned was still on the envelope; nobody completed it. Ill follow up with a post once the outcome is clear. If a traffic officer gives you a traffic ticket, and you sign it, the statute of limitation is no longer effective. Thus, the car rental company will be the first to receive the ticket. Paying them was a lot more confusing than I expected (on their website), but it's done and feels good being done and legal and honest. Unfortunately, I have received a ticket 7 months after I visited there. He used his credit card for the rental car and he drove the entire trip. Obviously, you can assert your rights if you believe the fine is wrong. Besides the narrow roads and confusing restrictions, many people fear getting lost on My name is Nicolas. I entered the Limited Traffic area without paying the fee. Basically, they are reserved roads for public transportation. In July 2016 they sent me another notice with fines added on for non payment at which point I faxed and mailed them the original paperwork a second time. My question is will we be able to rent our car as planned or will there be a problem getting it? However, this rule doesnt apply to fines for restricted zones. I'm so over Italy as we also had our rental car broken into and everything was stolen. They are costly, time-consuming, and sometimes unfair. I will confess that, like many other Italians, I dont like these ZTL fines and consider them a tax. Has anyone had experience with this situation? If the violation is not contested immediately, it is notified to the vehicle owner. I am sorry about the tickets! Make sure to click on this link now to register for free. The request must be made to the competent Justice of Peace. Nobody cares about it. Use the rounding rule.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'italianviaggio_com-banner-1','ezslot_23',670,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'italianviaggio_com-banner-1','ezslot_24',670,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-670{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Wiki User . Please join our efforts to repurpose the Confederate Memorial of the Wind in Orange, Texas. You can use simple language without being too formal. It is fairly easy to fall into a ZTL, especially if you are a tourist. You need to read your ticket carefully before making any decision. The ticket date is Aug 27th, 2019. In other words, you have more chances to contest a substantial defect. TheArt. So, I inspire you to have some patience and read this article carefully. Yes, they are not aimed at tourists, but in reality, for all intended purposes, they are a visitors tax. 142 CdS):Speed RangeAdministrative SanctionUp to 10 km/km41 to 169Between 10 km/h to 40 km/h169 to 680Between 40 km/h to 60 km/h532 to 2,127More than 60 km/h829 to 3,316, All the machines automatically apply a5%leeway. No law enforces authorities to give anotice of payment before notificationto the offender. It is illegal to send fines when immediate contestation is required. So, mostly because I did the deed, and in spite of all the little technicalities that could/might be put into play, I'll pay the fine. Dale, Our fault. Whether the disabled person is the driver or a passenger, you shouldnt get fined. The worse is that the computerized photography only showed licenses plate. If the violation is contested immediately, the owner is still notified within 100 days.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'italianviaggio_com-square-1','ezslot_33',679,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-square-1-0'); It is a little bit tricky to understand the notification terms. We are not dopes. To be specific, the time limit runs the day following the infraction. Problem is, the login in page will not let me get past the Captcha Validation page to make a payment. 3. You still have a chance to get most of your fines canceled. The city of Florence must send you one. Generally, you will have permission to pick up and drop off your luggage. One of them I was able to pay via credit card but the other one only accepted a money order, which cost me an additional $45 to send. If you add it to the fine, you could end up paying hundreds of dollars. In this case, it is possible to appeal to the Judge. I had a heck of a time just translating what the violation was never mind trying to find another way to make the payment from the information on the ticket. Most traffic offenses in Texas are classified as Class C misdemeanors, considered a minor type of criminal offense. There wasn't any indication that we went somewhere we weren't supposed to. In fact, it is simply a method to help you save some time. You always have to count from thelatest notificationor enforcement order. We have had wonderful experiences in Europe that would have been extremely difficult if not impossible to have without renting a car. You probably received the notification from an international collection agency. Surely it wasn't them who drove your car into the ZTL was it? Failure of displaying parking meter 42 to 173, Parking above the sidewalks 84 to 335, Inability to reach a vehicle that is traveling at excessive speed, Passage with the red light in an intersection, Violations detected with speeding machines (Autovelox, Tutor, etc. It is hands down the cheapest method to send money abroad. It says the police officer filed it May 11th 2018 and it was from a photograph. We received the notices slowly over a year period and spent over $1400 USD between the rental company and the authorities. It usually takes from 3-5 business days for the funds to be credited. I did tons of research to help you solve your problem. If you did not, it may help to know that some folks on this forum have been pleased with the low-cost service offered by TransferWise. Its still unclear if the foreign attorney (aka, debt collector) can somehow enforce anything in the US. You should be posting your own question because OP will be notified every time someone responds to your question. If you want to stop hassling, consider using Transferwise. Autostrade DItaliamay enforce the collection of the debt. I dread the day when we arent able to rent a car abroad, giving up all the freedom cars give us. The last day is the deadline. You can't make a right turn on a red light. Posted on Feb 20, 2010. However, never assume that your hotel transferred your details to local authorities. I don't drive in Europe so have no experience with paying traffic fines there, but others on this forum have reported using transferwise.com to pay fines at a very reasonable cost. And before Darius piles the "you should have reported your merge to Hertz so they could alert the authorities", why would I do that when the Comune di Modena was the entity that placed merge signs for regular motorists? @Roberto But Americans regard use of the car as the national Badge of Adulthood. The only risk is if you were involved in an accident in the same jurisdiction where you got the fine and your name came up, but even that is doubtful. Also, you dont have to pay for anything except the cost of the registered letter. Months later, back in the USA, didn't the utility company sent him the same final bill, repeatedly, trying to collect on the balance he had paid before he left. If it's true, you can easily file an appeal by registered mail an win. (I suspected something amiss at the time as there was little traffic and mostly only pedestrians on the streets I was driving on.) I paid it via wire transfer (as that was the only option available according to this particular police department). I just received a speeding ticket in the mail today from Italy for my son from March 11th 2018. Basically, it allows you to make all kinds of payments to Italian Public Administrations. If the debate is rejected, you could complain to the hotel to claim damages. And, of course Europcar was charging a handling fee. According to Art. The hotelier will have to communicate to the police your license plate number in advance. In this case, you must also send a copy of the payment receipt. Parking is one of the biggest issues that drivers have in Italy. I also kept the letter from the police chief. Trains dont go everywhere and neither do buses. The "no cars beyond this point" sign is like all the other signs to them, a ZTL is nothing special. http://www.ithacadwi.comA New York State speeding ticket or any other moving violation will remain outstanding for decades until dealt with. The 'lovely' California collection agency is on my -you know what- because I am contesting it and have not paid it. Three months later, we got the same kind of dunning letter, along with a threat from Europcar that if we didn't pay it, they'd bill our credit card. Click here for the Italian-English Wine Glossary. You need to memorize the "do not drive beyond this point" international sign: https://cdn-01.media-brady.com/store/stit/media/catalog/product/cache/8/image/85e4522595efc69f496374d01ef2bf13/1533602043/d/m/dmeu_tc40_03_1_std.lang.all.gif, It's used also for camera controlled bus lanes and other places where you are not supposed to drive a car without a permit. If the ticket is not legit, the Prefect will archive your case within 120 days. In the meantime, you will still be able to go to the Prefect or Giudice di Pace. If you do, you only need to add your details and the amount to pay. In reference to the last comment, debts arising from traffic fines are no longer reportable to US based credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, Transunion) even if incurred in the USA (let alone those incurred in third world countries where scamming is rampant). Of the 859,959 traffic violations that issued by traffic police in 2008, 457,613 were issued to motorists who entered the limited traffic zones without the required permit; 250,415 were given to drivers who parked in no-parking zones; 22,904 were issued for speeding; and 7,700 were given for having run a red light. The ticket expires after this period. Additionally, I have never logged into the their mickey moose websites to verify if it was me or not. This will result in a waste of time, energy, and money. In this case,Art. Now several days later, I have received a 2nd ticket for a separate offense. I don't even remember being in that area. Since you are a foreigner, you dont lose anything by providing your driving license. How Many Days Do You Have to Pay Italian Fines? Remember to bring cash with you. There's nowhere for me to note the violation number as a reference. ^^ Oren - Did you discuss with the rental agent at all about the appropriate routes in and out of the rental facility? They may appreciate that you at least try to pay. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Will The Car Rental Company Pay Your Fine? Hoping to get the 30% reduced rate, but I'm sure I've passed the deadline at this point. There is no need to have a lawyer. Thanks for reading and hoping this is helpful for future Italian travelers! Statute of Limitations for Traffic Offenses in New York. They have 360 days from the day your credit card was charged to do it. I doubt anyone in Italy cares much about what you are over, mostly because thieves breaking into cars are not Italian and flee out of Italy After a couple of successful thefts. The government created them to reduce pollution in the city centers. Not all Italian cities bother with sending fines to foreign residents, and even fewer bother to engage international collection agencies. Post where it happened, I bet google news is full of links about it, with the Mayor apologies and so on. Try the rental car company for help, but don't hold your breath, and get receipts and take notes for EVERYTHING. Has anyone on here personally used TransferWise to wire money for a traffic violation? It was over 360 days limit. I typically travel to Italy every year (until Covid hit). I received a ticket in the mail due to driving in a zone during a time that was for buses only, wth. So, authorities have more time to send the fine to tourists. Make sure to keep the receipt for at least five years.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'italianviaggio_com-leader-4','ezslot_10',686,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-leader-4-0'); The car rental company is never responsible for any traffic fine. How much the City actually collects from foreigners is a totally different story. In terms of consequences for not paying, as a resident of the US you would face no legal consequences other than the harassment by a collection agency, if the jurisdiction you were fined from is one of those that employs international collection agencies to try to collect their fine (not all Italian cities use those international collection agencies, Florence does). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. According to theInterior Minister, the payment is considered made when the fundsappearin the police account. The ticketed driver must respond to their ticket within 15 days of the offense. This is just reeeeeaaaaallllly ridiculous. This only applies if the offender and the vehicle owner are different people.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'italianviaggio_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_13',692,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); You can choose between administrative and judicial appeal in Italy. Private message. For privacy reasons, the police never send the photo along with the ticket. You can always appeal by writing to the fining authority in Italian - haha - if your appeal is rejected, which it would be, the fine automatically doubles. The directions were on the ticket. I'm guilty and can't prove my innocence? Whether its a huge bill or not, depends on how much you use, and a two month bill is obviously higher than one month. I believe both my tickets were unjustified. But even in the unlikely event that happened (and you would definitely make the 8 oclock news in Italy), they dont put you in prison, theyll just send you another fine at home. The fine is that looks like I have entered ZTL in Florence Authorities will check if youve respected the terms by looking at the shipping date of the envelope. DougMac I have to agree with. If they make a mistake, you can refer to it to get your ticket canceled. Both havetelematic doorsto detect unauthorized vehicles. To request an appeal in self-protection, you have to send a registered letter to the municipality. Honestly, I dont have a driving experience in Italy or in Europe countries but rules are very strict there as compare to Asian countries. Yes, therefore pay. PS Darius may be your favorite monkey character in Planet of The Apes. my question is, someone said police has 360 days to issue the fine. I am sure what some including myself may advise on an Internet forum may be different than what I might actually do in a similar situation. Has anyone wondered why it is that the rental car agencies, who know what the laws are and what the complications can be, NEVER tell you about the "no go zones" in Italy. What if it has taken almost 5 years before they send the ticket. We talk to the other persons there in the compartment. Then the next time I was going to Italy, I wouldn't be sweating bullets. Side note: However, you cant make the payment unless you personally go to the office. We were accompanied by our Airbnb host, just to make sure we knew what was happening. Our Criminal Defense Attorneys can helping you. I was charged for additional tolls a few months after hope that included driving in the ZTL, as I know I made a few wrong turns in Florence! We got a parking violation (ticket on the window) in Alberobello on a Sunday. They did not honor my rental because I didnt bother getting the AAA international license (which NO company has ever asked me more). They have zones where only those living inside the ZTL can drive in. One of the bridges was closed for construction so the navigation took us on a slight detour. The notice of payment was received in UK yesterday which is dated end of February 2020. Your request must be written in Italian and on plain paper. With all the horror stories around the web, anyone would think twice before hitting the road. We had a speeding ticket that was received 6 months laterso we had to pay the highest charge. Debt arising from traffic fines are no longer reportable to the US Credit Bureaus, even if arisen in the U.S., let alone from foreign jurisdictions. If its sent certified mail, the US post office at least has a record of when it was delivered. They might notify you that they received notice of a violation while you were renting and charge your credit card for providing your name to the authorities, but they dont send tickets. Anyway, thanks for the insight on bar code and tracking information that I was unaware of. Will A Foreign Ticket Affect Your Driving Record? Florentines living in the outskirts can't drive inside central Florence, writing that it's aimed only to tourists is just a way to spread the word about a scam. From the 6th to the 60th day you can either file an appeal via registered letter or pay the full fine. Statute of Limitations on Texas Traffic Tickets. It may be a little confusing for you to understand Italian laws. It is quite useless to complain about road traffic rules. We've had several good conversations with locals. How does it vary from state to state? The time limit starts from the date the municipality outsources the agency. Since I never signed any receipt confirmation, they have no way of proving that I ever received the notices. Here's where to find it in Bologna. Next, click on opposizione a sanzione amministrativa and enter your details. However, I dont drive in large European cities. I don't know if that expands to foreigners, but at least you can ask. There is pretty good evidence that the collection agency will not be able to get a judgement against you for the fine in a US court BUT that does not keep the collection agency from notifying the credit reporting agencies that they think you are a deadbeat. As American wine professionals have begun to travel to Italy again, it was inevitable that they would inadvertently commit a traffic infraction or two. One of the challenges of driving in some Italian cities, like Florence, is that they have ZTLs in which unauthorized cars, inlcuding tourist rental cars, must not drive; and, if they do, they will usually be detected by a computerized photo enforcement system.
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