Italian driving offences - help please

[supaer]

In july I received a bus lane ticket and a ticket on my car in a no restricted area and have not paid either. Circumstances different I understand, however if the tickets are written to you in English language I would pay it. If they are written in Italian which mine were I plead ignorance.

being a hire car company they are probably converted to English, however I would ask for a breakdown as I am sure they have hoicked on a large admin fee and try and negotiate with them to remove the admin fee or part of it.

my fine was for EUR 45 and EUR 60 for the restricted area so they are obviously asking a lot more... Despite you agreeing to their t&c's you may as well ask them!

[GregorJP]

Originally Posted by Marchino

Mate, I may be the only one that would humbly suggest you not to pay the ticket...
I am Italian and I have received tickets from Italy and Spain for similar traffic offences in the past. i never paid and nothing happen to me. i still rent cars in Italy and elsewhere.
Please don't think this is the usual "Italian" way to deal with the law....because i am a very law abiding citizen! (After living 17 years in London....)

Very simply, as far as I know, Italian 1000's police forces don't share a centralised database. Most probably the ticket you received is from "comune di firenze" that is the local authority/municipality. They have your address only because the car rental is obliged to pass your data but, unless you collect other 20 tickets in florence, they will do absolutely nothing.

In UK i pay all the traffic ticket immediately (or i represent them) and i would do the same if I were living in Italy. however my suggestion is doing nothing.

Enjoy Italy forever, it is a beautiful country!

Marco

Now we're talking, thank you. I will check to see who issued the ticket, but this is good advice.

As for the rest of you, you're right, I'm a lawyer, like to see all the facts and take instructions before I make a decision. Plus I've been charging you all for this thread. Invoice to each of you to follow (save for Marchino).



(Just kidding, I'll probably pay it as I'm a pussy - thanks all for the advice)

[mattCSLnut]

Originally Posted by Marchino

Mate, I may be the only one that would humbly suggest you not to pay the ticket...
I am Italian and I have received tickets from Italy and Spain for similar traffic offences in the past. i never paid and nothing happen to me. i still rent cars in Italy and elsewhere.

Marco

No wonder Ze Germans Polizei make you pay on the spot Don't ask me how I know

[Lister40]

A lawyer who's online asking whether he should bend / flout / ignore the law. Call me naive but I'd have thought that wasn't the best advert for the profession.
I got one , looked into it and very quickly decided to pay. I like you cant work with any hint of criminal wrongdoing on my record so seems a bit of a no brainer.
"That's what those grey boxes that look like telephone exchanges are!" I think was my utterance

[supaer]

Originally Posted by Lister40

A lawyer who's online asking whether he should bend / flout / ignore the law. Call me naive but I'd have thought that wasn't the best advert for the profession.
I got one , looked into it and very quickly decided to pay. I like you cant work with any hint of criminal wrongdoing on my record so seems a bit of a no brainer.
"That's what those grey boxes that look like telephone exchanges are!" I think was my utterance

Me to... however it depends how the ticket was presented to you.

If Mr Dewanni can get of his case im sure you can get of a parking ticket

[GregorJP]

Originally Posted by Lister40

A lawyer who's online asking whether he should bend / flout / ignore the law. Call me naive but I'd have thought that wasn't the best advert for the profession.
I got one , looked into it and very quickly decided to pay. I like you cant work with any hint of criminal wrongdoing on my record so seems a bit of a no brainer.
"That's what those grey boxes that look like telephone exchanges are!" I think was my utterance

Interesting interpretation. Most decent lawyers tend to analyse the law, assess the risk attached to non-compliance with it, and advise their clients accordingly. Sounds to me like you should have gone to a lawyer.

Meantime, like I said, I will most likely pay up, but that's because I'm naturally risk averse.