 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, apologies if this has been done before, could only see French related threads on here.
I've received a speeding fine from Italy (near Florence in October) - it arrived last week via a very official looking signed for letter with a red sleeve around the envelope. It was in a rental car.
Where can I find any reliable information on whether or not to pay this? What is the collective SnowHeads wisdom saying? Can I be prosecuted if I decide to ignore it and will there be any issues when I return to Italy?
Many th aks in advance for your comments
Phil
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You have been caught so pay up if you want to be sure of no problems in the future.
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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?
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Yep, commit the crime, pay the fine. I assume the rental company have already identified you as the driver and passed on your details?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Speeding fine in Italy, what was it for, not going fast enough? 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@PowderAdict, funny you should say that. They either drive like they are on an F1 track or so slow as to be a danger to everyone else. Mainly with a mobile phone clamped to their head.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Hells Bells, True, I have a colleague who lives/works in Rome, he tends to use a Scooter rather than the car as it takes a third of the time. He regularly reports every form of moving and stationary traffic violation. However, the most spectacular was when in snowed heavily in Rome a couple or three years ago. Italian city driving and snow was not a good combination........
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Had a very interesting taxi ride to my hotel in Trastavere this morning. I couldn't believe how narrow some of the roads were!
Out of interest, how much is the fine?
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Fine is 189 euros.
My question is what consequences are there if I decide not to pay the fine?
Cheers
Phil
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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OK
key comment here is "rental car"
the authorities can force the rental company to pay the fine, then they will charge you through your credit card.
Ouch!
if you had been in your own car then you would have got away with it....
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Pay the fine. There's no telling what the ramifications might be of not paying a fine after we are no longer in the EU. At the moment, you can go to Italy under free movement rights. There is a very high threshold of criminality that would have to be met for another EU country to deny you your free movement rights. But once we're out of the EU, there's no telling what that threshold could be.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Jeez that's expensive. I'd check it out properly first but ultimately if that is the fine that is being levied by the proper body I'd pay it.
Rental company will otherwise then you will pay anyway plus a admin fee.
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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.
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Id hold onto it for a while, as the rental company were liable and would have paid it and claimed it back off your credit card, to come direct to you is rather odd...
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If I was the rental company I'd be looking to take an additional admin fee, as well as a 'credit card' charge as well as the fine...
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You know it makes sense.
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Do you ignore Fines inyour home country?
Do you think its ok to break the law in a foreign country and expect not to pay and just forget about it?
Have you heard of Europol??
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| stanton wrote: |
Do you ignore Fines inyour home country?
Do you think its ok to break the law in a foreign country and expect not to pay and just forget about it?
Have you heard of Europol?? |
Wow, relax you remind me of an old headmaster of mine, strong on "discipline" but crap at teaching anything!
Its only a speeding ticket, its clear the OP will have to pay, as it was a hire car the hire company will charge his CC, so in this situation I would NOT pay the fine but wait for it to appear on the CC bill, otherwise it might end up being paid twice and he will have zero chance of a refund from the italian govt!!
also there is no reciprocity between Uk and Italy for fines and points on UK licence, so its only the fine plus whatever the hire co admin charge usually about Euro 50
I must admit I find it funny that you think europol have the time or spare resources to come after him and arrest him for non payment!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| stanton wrote: |
Do you ignore Fines inyour home country?
Do you think its ok to break the law in a foreign country and expect not to pay and just forget about it?
Have you heard of Europol?? |
Assuming this is written tongue in cheek...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The hire company will only be charged after they have chased you for it. That happens once the discount period (if Italy has one) has expired.
Ramifications are also be black listed by the hire company.
I would pay up quickly and email the hire company customer services and rental station. If the hire company then pay up, you can legitimately reclaim from your card company.
Unlucky getting caught.
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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?
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I got caught once.....sort of left it to later. No probs for 4 years and then I tried to hire a car with the same company.....oops. My options were pay up or walk at that stage. I don't think there is anything they can do if you stay in UK. I suspect there isn't anything they can do if you don't use the same hire company.
That said...pay up and don't worry about when you will get found out......Cost us far more for a last minute hire from another company than it would if we had paid the fine.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| stanton wrote: |
| Have you heard of Europol?? |
I often drink Aperol, is it similar? 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Legend. wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
Do you ignore Fines inyour home country?
Do you think its ok to break the law in a foreign country and expect not to pay and just forget about it?
Have you heard of Europol?? |
Assuming this is written tongue in cheek... |
More likely head up bum.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Scarpa wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
| Have you heard of Europol?? |
I often drink Aperol, is it similar? |
Well the Aperol website is no doubt cheap and home produced, but the Europol one looks like a child did it. I cant get Clouseau's voice out of my head, Euurooopol.
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| snowornever wrote: |
I must admit I find it funny that you think europol have the time or spare resources to come after him and arrest him for non payment!!! |
They dont it was just for info. All crimes crimes (even traffic violations) in Europe are recorded on their Databases.
It is not unusual at Airports in Europe if your passport is scanned and you have unpaid fines to be stopped & have to pay up !!
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| stanton wrote: |
| snowornever wrote: |
I must admit I find it funny that you think europol have the time or spare resources to come after him and arrest him for non payment!!! |
They dont it was just for info. All crimes crimes (even traffic violations) in Europe are recorded on their Databases.
It is not unusual at Airports in Europe if your passport is scanned and you have unpaid fines to be stopped & have to pay up !! |
Its like big brother, we should do that with European truck drivers.
Is that from personal knowledge or from your high up in an airport senior contact you have?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| stanton wrote: |
| snowornever wrote: |
I must admit I find it funny that you think europol have the time or spare resources to come after him and arrest him for non payment!!! |
They dont it was just for info. All crimes crimes (even traffic violations) in Europe are recorded on their Databases. (NOT TRUE)
It is not unusual at Airports in Europe if your passport is scanned and you have unpaid fines to be stopped & have to pay up !! |
I do believe there is an element of "scaremongering" in your assertion that "its not unusual" for people to be arrested at airports for unpaid speeding fines. I for one would be very interested if you can produce even one example of such an arrest.
There is no big brother lurking, as there is no legal treaty based reciprocity on road offences across europe. So, all those flashing cameras cannot result in a fine, or points.
Could be you have just fallen for another urban myth, passing it on as "truth" like all the fake news circulating at the moment?
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i've a mate in here in france that cant go over the boarder into Switzerland because of the above. its not just scaremongering 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Had two speeding tickets in austria once, but hired the car in germany, ignored the fines.... that was 12 years ago... been back loads of times without issue..
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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.
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| eddiethebus wrote: |
| i've a mate in here in france that cant go over the boarder into Switzerland because of the above. its not just scaremongering |
Switzerland, not Europe.
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| blahblahblah wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
| snowornever wrote: |
I must admit I find it funny that you think europol have the time or spare resources to come after him and arrest him for non payment!!! |
They dont it was just for info. All crimes crimes (even traffic violations) in Europe are recorded on their Databases.
It is not unusual at Airports in Europe if your passport is scanned and you have unpaid fines to be stopped & have to pay up !! |
Its like big brother, we should do that with European truck drivers.
Is that from personal knowledge or from your high up in an airport senior contact you have? |
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Personal experience. Also can get stoppef for overseen/unpaid taxes 
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You know it makes sense.
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| snowornever wrote: |
.I for one would be very interested if you can produce even one example of such an arrest.
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Your not arrested as such you are detained (not hand cuffed) & have to pay on tbe spot. You cannot continue your journey unless you can make arrangements to pay.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| snowornever wrote: |
[
There is no big brother lurking, as there is no legal treaty based reciprocity on road offences across europe. So, all those flashing cameras cannot result in a fine, or points.
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Sorry your incorrect. Fines are issued & delivered across borders
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Poster: A snowHead
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going the other way, I've been caught speeding a couple of times in hire cars in the UK and when they find out i'm in france they drop it. Still had to pay the admin fee to the hire company but never had any points or fines imposed.
last one was about 6 weeks ago.
that being said, I did try and pay, as said above...do the crime...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stanton wrote: |
| snowornever wrote: |
[
There is no big brother lurking, as there is no legal treaty based reciprocity on road offences across europe. So, all those flashing cameras cannot result in a fine, or points.
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Sorry your incorrect. Fines are issued & delivered across borders |
Totallly incorrect, as far as UK is concerned, I admit to have being a law breaker on many occasions and have yet to be detained, fined, received a strongly worded letter or any other form of retribution. If you have any actual proof of what you allege, documented, (even a press report from a newspapoer of standing) then why have you not produced it?
In your fantasy world however, please continue to believe whatever you like,just please do not however foist it on others!
On November 7th 2014 the EU adopted the Cross-Border Enforcement Directive. Drivers in most European states will see fines for some driving offences committed abroad sent to their home country. The directive covers eight offences: Drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs, speeding, running a red light, not wearing a seatbelt, motorcyclists not wearing a crash helmet, driving on the hard shoulder and using a mobile phone while driving. Foreign offenders will be fined the penalty payable in the country of the offence, even if fines vary across Europe.There is, however, no formal procedure to force payment at the moment. And the UK, Ireland and Denmark chose to not sign the treaty. Also it needs to be remembered that this procedure is in place only for automatic offences that occur (such as a speed trap). In other cases the driver stopped will be required to pay in cash.
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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?
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Deafening silence now on this thread....appears facts got in the way of certain mythical meanderings, but I see these are carried over to other threads, where "safe play space" exists for our little snowflake
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@snowornever, fines are issued across borders. The local Police come to your house & deliver the other country's summons.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Dearie me, I seem to have been out when that happened!
Once more
foreign summons has no legal effect in UK,they are not enforcable
UK police may well be contacted (if the crime is particularly outrageous), but they have no jurisdiction to pursue.
UK police may request that somone attend police station but cannot enforce this. They cannot force a vehicle owner to disclose who a diver was at the time of offence ( as they can for UK offences)
So, no comeback at all, whatsoever, ever ever ever so there!
lost interest in this now boring
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@snowornever, weather or not it has no legal force in the UK do you think its right to ignore a fine for "breaking the law" in another country?
Kinda reminds me if the British causing carnage at Spanish & Greek Beach Resorts and think its ok??
If you think its ok do not pick on Foreign Truck Drivers in the UK if they break the UK law.
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Swiss are an exception, because of the way the speeding system works, small speeding fines for just over the limit up to huge fines based on your income if you are a lot over the limit, also at that point they can put you in prison, I have heard of 1 case where someone was arrested at Geneva airport because he had been convicted in absentia several years previously, for the little fines the Swiss may not pursue you but for the bigger fines they will do an international arrest warrant, there have been several cases in the last 15 or so years in the UK where UK police have knocked on peoples doors and given them the option of paying the Swiss Fine pretty much there and then or being arrested. A chap driving a Ferrari got a fine of £180,000 for driving through a village at 57kph on a 30kph limit village back in 2010, but the biggest fine was a Swedish driver who thought it was a good idea to drive down a Swiss Motorway at 300kph+ that one got him 1,080,000 ChF fine !
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| stanton wrote: |
| @snowornever, weather or not it has no legal force in the UK.... |
Does that mean you were talking shite as usual?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| stanton wrote: |
@snowornever, weather or not it has no legal force in the UK do you think its right to ignore a fine for "breaking the law" in another country?
Kinda reminds me if the British causing carnage at Spanish & Greek Beach Resorts and think its ok??
If you think its ok do not pick on Foreign Truck Drivers in the UK if they break the UK law. |
get you facts right purleeese
1. I have never ignored a fine for any reason
2.What carnage are you on about or is this just a feeble divert to draw attention away from the point?
3. Never mentioned foreign truck drivers or indeed, picked on them
so, now that all your "fake news" undermined by facts surprise surprise back to your holier than thou original comments , then, seems your needle has stuck, you really need to get a life, methinks.
Do tell,have you personally ever broken a speed limit in your life, deliberately or by accident?
I can just picture you in your 02 plate nissan micra tootling along the M25 at 55mph in lane 2 shouting "maniac" at anyone overtaking you 
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| D G Orf wrote: |
| Swiss are an exception, because of the way the speeding system works, small speeding fines for just over the limit up to huge fines based on your income if you are a lot over the limit, also at that point they can put you in prison, I have heard of 1 case where someone was arrested at Geneva airport because he had been convicted in absentia several years previously, for the little fines the Swiss may not pursue you but for the bigger fines they will do an international arrest warrant, there have been several cases in the last 15 or so years in the UK where UK police have knocked on peoples doors and given them the option of paying the Swiss Fine pretty much there and then or being arrested. A chap driving a Ferrari got a fine of £180,000 for driving through a village at 57kph on a 30kph limit village back in 2010, but the biggest fine was a Swedish driver who thought it was a good idea to drive down a Swiss Motorway at 300kph+ that one got him 1,080,000 ChF fine ! |
a sad mix of myths and misunderstood events
swiss replaced prison with fines based on wealth of speeder. both swede and ferrari drivers were caught in the act, no cross border jurisdiction issues involved.
UK police are not debt collectors for fines levied abroad and have no powers of arrest in such circustances
as for "convicted in absentia", maybe the arrestee was not UK based, swiss and french have their own arrangements for example but this sounds an interesting case, have you case number and canton court involved so I can look it up, surely the swiss would first have prove who was driving at the time of the offence????????????
IAW and EAW are for substantial crimes...not admin fines for speeding
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