Italy Traffic infringement letter

once we found our hotel we had to unload our luggage

So you could have asked for a temporary ZTL permit. If only you had wasted 5 minutes to search local rules before driving abroad.

at no time did we park in one of those zones.

The fine is not for parking in a ZTL, but for entering it: You entered five times and you received five fines.

I guess there are guidelines for when municipalities can send these notices

There are national guidelines. 360 days to mail a registered letter from the moment they discover name and address of a foreign offender driving a rental car.

Getting lost isn't unusual

Ignoring signs you don't know is unusual.

Wow, I can hardly believe this is a serious post. Naturally the OP had no intention of breaking the law, but he did. We all make mistakes and sometimes they are costly. I have no idea why the OP thinks he should be above the law or why one shouldn’t be required to pay traffic fines. In fact, the whole attitude of “I’m a victim” is so far out on the ridiculous scale that I am mostly convinced that this post was put up by a troll seeking responses.

75 is the fee charged by the rental agency to provide the authorities with your information. ZTL laws are not shams or scams. Break the law you pay the fine. This will go to a collection agency and you run the risk of losing your credit cards.

I do feel for the OP. We've driven in France, Spain, Portugal and Sicily. We are well aware of the ZTL zones, and we appreciate why they exist. Its wonderful to be a pedestrian in these places. However, the ZTL zones, narrow streets and availability of parking is why, I feel a little panic every time we enter a city. We get lost. A lot! We got a parking ticket in Domme, France. It felt a bit unfair because we thought we'd been very careful, read and translated the signs and understood the requirements. But, in the end, we violated their parking rules. It was frustrating that there was no way to pay the ticket while we were there because like the OP, the fine was rather excessive. But, I don't feel its the municipality that deserves the ire, its the rental car companies that charge the extra fee, that I would call excessive. No way is the amount the rental car company tacks on is commensurate with the cost of collecting the fine.

I understand the OP is angry. I'd be pretty mad too, but mostly at myself. What frustrates me with this post, is the implication that the fines were scams and the entitlement in regards to avoiding payment. I think it is unfair to imply that all Americans have this attitude, because we don't.

N_Kingdom, did you read the entire statement? "I understand THE OP IS ANGRY. I'd be pretty mad too, but mostly at myself"

when I was younger scofflaws kept their heads down and hoped that they wouldn't be noticed. I find it unusual to see one who brags about it.

75 € is cheap for ZTL violations.

You didn’t HAVE to drive in a ZTL. You chose to do so. Normally you would give the car’s license plate number to the hotel and they would forward that to the local police so you don’t get fined. It’s not automatic. Bottom line is that you were careless. In 2006 I got dinged for driving into the same ZTL in Rome less than 10 minutes apart on Christmas Eve. Lesson learned.

In 2020 I visited Paestum and on a December night at about 10pm I wanted to check on parking. No traffic, no one on the street, one main street running thru the town. Huge ZTL sign with 2 flashing yellow lights and a street light. Not paying attention, I zoomed through it. Next day, knowing I did it, I asked if I could pay this locally so I wouldn’t have the car agency fee tacked on. No way to do that. Odd thing is that I never was charged by the car agency or received a summons from the cops.

The OP knew he could drive into the ZTL to unload without being fined and he did not think: "Wait, how do they distinguish cars that are entering to unload luggage and cars that are simply breaking the rules?" It doesn't take a genius to realize that somewhere there must be a white list of plate numbers where hotels register their guests' cars.

Plenty of localities use cameras to note when people enter restricted driving areas, and not just in Italy. In Sicily when I noted the hotel was within a ZTL I contacted it to see exactly what I needed to do to avoid a ticket. In Spain, one had 30 minutes to enter, unload, and move the car. Again, the hotel Informed us exactly what to do.

I found the ZTLs to be well marked in Sicily and I won’t drive at night in Europe in unfamiliar places. If it was me, I’d take it as a learning experience and pay the fine.

I will say, it really irks me when people choose to drive in a foreign country ( and at night in this case), break local laws, then complain and cry foul or, worse, think their ignorance or intention should be an acceptable excuse. Where in the U.S. would that let a person off the hook? Nowhere.

I don’t see why the OP is angry, this problem was his fault. Nigel said $75 was cheap for a ZTL violation, but that was just a fee for providing his information. The 5 will arrive in about a year, probably 500E.

The OP said there were 5 registered letters from the town, not the rental car company. So the $75 each is the fine, not what the rental car company charged to provide the information. The OP also said it’s been 10 months since the infraction. If the OP wasn’t charged by the rental company that’s a plus.

I'm 56 and a reasonably well traveled person - over 15 trips to Europe, Caribbean, New Zealand. I've bummed around with a backpack for 4 months and traveled Europe by air, car and train since 1977.

Above from OP's first post in 2011.

Not a 'troll' but certainly should know it is not a 'scam' or a 'shenanigan'

I totally get the need for traffic regulations. However, the older I get, the less tolerance I have for ZTLs and speed cameras. I know there are regulations that I am not attuned to. Following the rules is a lot harder at with an unfamiliar vehicle, at night, when GPS doesn't work, when the signs are well above eye-level, and/or local drivers are impatient with visitors. There are ways around these hazards. For a while, I parked outside of towns and took an uber or taxi in to our lodgings. Sometimes hosts would pick us up at the parking area. But, that could be tedious and unreliable. I solved the problem by hiring drivers and using public transportation. In some cases, it costs more, but IMO it is totally worth it. Vacations should be fun, not stressful. I want to spend the time after my vacations organizing photos and sharing experiences, not paying traffic fines.

I guess I am sort of a one-note Charley on this.

US travelers should NOT rent cars in Italy unless the party is > 3 and/or the travel is rural.

In no other forum does the matter of traffic fines come up so frequently. The ZTL zones are a predatory mechanism for money-raising, and many Italian sites are quite clear on this. So, why risk this situation such as relayed in this post.

Don't rent a car in Italy. If you must rent a car, do not drive inside cities.

Unfortunately, if the OP does not pay, bad things will happen. If he does not pay immediately, delay penalties will click in. He will probably have to pay E1000 if he pays immediately. If he delays, it may double. OUCHHH!!!

This entire thread just reinforces the sage advice that I have often seen on this Forum in replies to "newbie" European travelers:

Driving in a foreign country is not for the ill-informed or faint of heart.

We see videos of beautiful, modern highways and it looks just like driving at home. In reality, it's a parallel universe with its own regulations, procedures, and signage that we have a responsibility to know when we get behind the wheel of that rental car. I made those mistakes on my first trip despite my best efforts to study in advance. I am just grateful that I didn't have an accident or get arrested (which I probably deserved).

So, kudos to all of you experienced travelers who do your best to gently advise the newbies of the challenges of foreign driving and the joys of public transportation!

Linda: Absolutely. I have probably put in 20 notes about this - instead of renting, take public transport.

For the US traveler, "vacation" = "going in a car to somewhere". This may be the norm in the US, but should not be the template for European travel. The car will sit in a parking lot for 90% of the time, so that you pay for the car and for parking the car.

The limits of "how much over the limit" is tolerated in Europe are not the same as in the US. In the US, there is the "10 MPH cushion". That's not the case in Europe.

In the US, impaired driving (alcohol) is .08 - maybe 3 drinks for a man like me. In some places in Europe, it's much lower. Yet I see posts saying "we are renting a car to go to wineries". That seems imprudent to me. Take a tour. The driver will know where the winery is, will not drink himself, and will allow you to enjoy the experience.

And the other factor is the "insurance to cover damage". Over and over, credit cards say "don't take the coverage". Yet if you do not, you may have a huge frozen payment on your card. If you do take the coverage, the cost will hugely balloon over your initial budget.

I have rented cars. When we took our children, we were a party of 5, and the car was sensible. When we visited Bretagne, the car made sense because it was rural. Otherwise, in 6 trips, we have used only public transport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfy_i0fi2gU

Excellent points, Paul.

I will start my comment by saying that I have the suspicion the OP is just trolling us. The minimum fine for ZTL infringement is €83. If paid within 5 days from notification one is entitled to a 30% discount, but I still don’t know how the OP came up with $75.

I will agree with the OP that traffic cameras are a big money machines for Italian municipalities which have become addicted to them. Just a few months ago there was a major diatribe on twitter about this issue between former Prime Minister now Senator Matteo Renzi, and Dario Nardella, the Mayor of Florence, the city in which Renzi was born and resides. After the news came out that Florence collects the most revenue in the country from traffic cameras (€90+ million a year) Renzi accused Nardella of treating Florentine motorists as ATMs to fill the City’s coffers, using speed cameras on 4 lane divided expressways where the speed limit was unnecessarily set very low (50 or 60km/h) for the purpose of extorting money from the citizenry. A few months ago Florence even lowered the speed limit within the city from 50 km/h to 30 km/h (18mph) making it even easier to catch motorists speeding. Mayor Nardella retorted that he is doing this simply because the preservation of human life is his top concern. (I don’t even know how a politician can say b.s. like that with a straight face, but so be it).

Given the situation in Italy, where cities have discovered this easy way to extort money from people to fix their city budget deficits (and it is not just visitors from abroad, Italians receive plenty of fines too). It is not a bad piece of advice, as stated above, to limit renting cars to rural areas. Unfortunately rural municipalities also have discovered that traffic cameras make great ATMs (as Senator Renzi calls them), so you are not safe in the countryside either. Therefore, public transportation and private drivers is indeed a safer, albeit expensive, option.

But if you decide to rent a car nevertheless, I suggest that you always find accommodations outside of the town centers, and visit the town centers on foot or public transportation only and leave the car at the hotel parking lot. When visiting other towns do the same, park in a lot outside the town centers and walk or use a taxi p/bus to get in. ZTLs are well marked by very visible signs.

To me the biggest danger is actually the speed cameras, because I have a heavy foot. For that the only defense is stay under the speed limit and Saint Waze (the patron saint of speeders). Waze is really great at warning you of upcoming fixed speed cameras.

because I have a heavy foot.

I don’t even know how an offender can say b.s. like that with a straight face and then complain of politicians, but so be it.

Renzi is the guy who called, for money, Saudi Arabia "the New Florence empowering a new Renaissance". Years after Jamal Khashoggi's murder had been disclosed all over the world. The idea that somebody still takes Mr Renzi seriously is quite strange to me. On the other hand the right has just honored with State funerals a short guy who has paid the Sicilian Mob 25,000 a month for years. Before and during the Mafia war.

In short, Being shameless seems to be the new black.

I'll be renting a car overseas for the first time in October, just for a day to drive the wine route in France. I don't plan to drink, I just want to see all the pretty villages and a car seemed the best way to do that. Still, I'm hoping I can find parking outside the villages so I 1) don't accidentally drive where I shouldn't and 2) have more space to park since it is not a skill I possess in large quantities. I'm renting again in Perugia next March. I'll be there a few days before I pick it up and plan to take the train until then, but will need it the day before I leave Perugia and head to Montepulciano, then I'll return it to Chiusi a few days later. I'm staying near the train station and elevator/escalator in Perugia and have a dedicated parking spot. In Montepulciano my Airbnb skirts the outer wall of the town and has a parking spot. I think I'll be okay, but this topic and the responses here have me worried. Still, life is short and I'm going to take the chance and do my best and hope I'm fortunate.

I have a lot of sympathy. These schemes exist in my city and they are controversial. People who don’t live locally get fined because they aren’t aware of the rules. The signage is not always clear: few people deliberately drive in a prohibited area.

I got a ticket 2 miles from home recently, for not following a diversion correctly. A bus only route was opened up to car traffic because of closures elsewhere. However, you were only permitted to follow one specific route. I was very angry to get a ticket and I know I wasn’t the only one.

Then there is the causeway into Venice from Mestre, width 3 speed cameras. I have seen rants from people who received tickets from all 3 on the same trip across that bridge.

KRS: If you are driving in France, I don't think this issue is present. In France, they do have the speed cameras - these are marked with a "speed zone ahead" sign, showing concentric half-circles. Still, I did get a speed ticket.

Hi KRS! It's great that you noticed this thread for a heads up on some of the challenges. In rural France I will alert you to the vicious traffic rule called 'priorité à droite' which gives the right of way to cars entering the road from the right. So there you are, cruising down a tree lined 2 lane road at the speed limit. Without warning a car barrels up from a tiny road on your right and shoots into the road in front of you without even slowing down. (People in France are very brave. ) And if you hit them, it's YOUR fault. I knew about it, but still almost had a heart attack when it happened. Areas where the priorité is in effect are sign posted, so be sure to read about and study this sign and others that are often new to us as North American drivers.
Are you sure that there's not a lovely winery day tour of those pretty villages? 😊

Am I the only one dying to know which hilltop town this was?
I'm betting Montepulciano!

Also, FIVE tickets? My experience has been that it's almost impossible to turn around on these narrow one way roads. Just how does a driver exit and then re-enter five times? I assume once you're "inside" the ZTL there are no additional entry points to flag you...yes? Or do they end and then continue a block further?

Sorry Dario (by the way is your last name Nardella?), but if a municipality (Florence) puts speed cameras on divided 4 lane expressways, where the speed suddenly drops to 50 or 60 km/h, right after the end of a freeway (there are 3 such examples in Florence which collectively collect 60% of all city traffic ticket revenue), then your goal is not preserving lives, it’s preserving city revenue. Those expressways have speed limits that in America would be 55mph (90 km/h) if not more and even then nobody would give you a ticket for going above the limit less than 10 mph. In Florence the speed limit (after the end of the freeway) is almost half that, with only 5 km/h tolerance. I know where they are, so I don’t get tickets, but lots of “outsiders” (mostly Italians from other places unfamiliar with them) don’t and they get zapped. But non residents don’t vote in Florence, and taxing people who can’t vote is popular all over the world.

So, are the ZTLs effective at their intended purpose of keeping traffic out of congested or residential areas?

@KRS
Just become familiar with the round white with red border sign indicating a ZTL.⭕️
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_traffic_zone

ZTL are well marked in Montepulciano and in any case you would need to enter the city walls, so just park outside the city walls and you will be fine.
However also pay attention to parking 🅿️. Blue stripes in the ground means Pay parking, therefore make sure you look for the metering machine, pay, and place the parking receipt on the dashboard. I don’t think there are bus lanes in Montepulciano, but there are some in Perugia, so watch for those too. Bus lanes have yellow stripes, and sometimes the entrance is preceded by the “wrong way sign” ⛔️ or the “no motor vehicles allowed” sign above ⭕️ used for ZTL.

@stan
I think ZTLs are effective at reducing congestion and pollution in the historical centers, at least based on what I remember in Florence in the early 1980s. To drive along the river Arno, from near the US consulate to the Ponte Vecchio (3/4 of a mile, a 15 min walk) it was bumper to bumper and it would take me at least 30 minutes to drive. The ample pedestrian space around the Duomo and Baptistery was a giant tourist bus parking lot with dozens of tourist buses parked in it. You could smell the fumes from the top of Brunelleschi’s cupola.

This post has wandered a bit, but looking at the comments by Dario and Roberto, it called to mind something our tour guide said on our first trip to Italy:
" One Italian is a genius; two Italians is an argument; three Italians are 5 political parties."

As to the topic, I think OP just needed to vent as he made it clear he has no intention to pay the fines.

Would be interesting, perhaps helpful for others, to know what town and what GPS system couldn't play nice. The point of this forum is to provide helpful info to others.

Getting lost isn't unusual, ignoring the road signs is. It's a shame Americans drive as idiots and ignore the rules, forcing Italy to put up cameras to try get visitors to behave.

A few months ago Florence even lowered the speed limit within the city
from 50 km/h to 30 km/h (18mph) making it even easier to catch
motorists speeding. Mayor Nardella retorted that he is doing this
simply because the preservation of human life is his top concern. (I
don’t even know how a politician can say b.s. like that with a
straight face, but so be it).

Lowering the speed limit is a great way to improve road safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. A person that is hit by a car going 30 km/h has roughly 90% chance of surviving the accident. If the car is going 50 km/h the chance of survival drops to roughly 20%.

Our only experience with ZTLs was in Florence (big surprise) back in 2009. There were 4 of us in the car and we were all constantly scanning the street intersections for the ZTL sign to make sure we didn't accidentally enter a zone. When we finally spotted the ZTL sign, we saw it was positioned so it wasn't visible until after one had already crossed into the zone and the camera had photographed the license plate. We got photographed once more in our effort to get out of the zone - again, seemingly no way to get out without incurring another ticket. About 8 months after returning home, we received two sizable tickets in the mail. "ATM" is a great name for them!

If I remember correctly, we have Roberto to thank for suggesting a Hertz location almost on the outskirts of Florence…used it years ago and it was just seamless as far as safely navigating around ZTL areas to get to SR 222. That location is now closed, and we’ll be picking up a car near the train station in September.…you guys have me really worried!! 😵‍💫

@Badger.
I know that lowering the speed limit to 30 km/h greatly reduces road fatalities. It is also true that lowering the speed limit to 5 km/h is even safer.
The point that I was making is that the city of Florence has placed low limits and speed cameras on a divided 4 lane expressway where pedestrians are not allowed.

we saw it was positioned so it wasn't visible until after one had already crossed into the zone

Do you realize that if this was true locals would enter the city center driving under that camera and they would all get those fines waived in Court? Without mentioning the Consumers' Associations, like Codacons, that would be delighted at the idea of reporting an illegal ZTL gate in court and on local press. Or the minority parties in the City Council, they would drool over a ZTL sign positioned this way.

I wonder if you are aware of what's implied in your way of thinking.

The ZTL zones are a predatory mechanism for money-raising,

Those who think at ZTLs like scams for tourists seem not to realize that If you live in a city but outside the ZTL, you can't drive into it. You'd be fined just like someone living on the other side of the Ocean. It's a big nuisance for both locals living in the suburbs and for those living in the historic centers.

To the point that, if it was a way to make money with tourists, there would be ZTLs only on the tourists path. Aka the small number of Italian cities you know. On the contrary ZTLs are everywhere. But try to live inside it and call a plumber when the cameras are turned on. 9 times out of 10 they will ask you to wait.

Florence has placed low limits and speed cameras on a divided 4 lane expressway where pedestrians are not allowed.

Is it legal? Did the Region approved that Speed trap? No? Go to Court and make some money. Yes? Slow down and let people who drive slowly and bikers enjoy the road.

Do you realize that if this was true locals would enter the city center driving under that camera and they would all get those fines waived in Court? Without mentioning the Consumers' Associations who would be delighted at the idea of reporting an illegal ZTL gate in court and on local press. Or the minority parties in the City Council, they would drool over a ZTL sign positioned this way. I wonder if you Are aware of what's implied in your way of thinking.

@dario, I apologize if the implications of our experience offended. However, the further details are as follows: the ZTL sign was posted on a pole that was situated behind another pole that also contained signs. The only way to see the ZTL sign was to be on the corner of opposite side of the street (as if driving the wrong way on the street). We went back by there traveling on the cross street - careful not to enter - and I got out to walk back to see if we had just missed the sign. If so, that was certainly on us. There was no ZTL sign anywhere on the block approaching the intersection, and I even took a picture of the obscured sign to bring back to the car. It could have been obscrued by accident; I have no idea. It just "stuck in our craw", as the saying goes, that we had no chance of obeying a sign we couldn't see until it was too late.

Is it legal?

I'm sure it is.

But... Is it necessary?

I don't know that. I'd like to see the data. Most fatal accidents in city streets occur at intersections, especially with street lights, where people accelerate to make the yellow light, not on divided highways. I can understand if you place a 80 or 90 km/h on a divided freeway and you fine people who drive 10% above that. But if you place a low 50 or 60 km/h limit on a divided highway that would probably be just as safe at 90 km/h, and you fine people for going 5 km/h above that, then your intention is clear to me. As a famous Italian politician and former prime Minister (Giulio Andreotti) used to say: "To think ill of people's intentions is a sin, but we often get it right!"

For the people in this forum, these are some dangerous spots to be caught speeding in Florence.

This is on the Marco Polo Viaduct at the exit of Firenze Sud or on your way back from Montepulciano or the Chianti Road. The limit on this divided highway is 60 km/h (37 mph). There is another one on the opposite direction of traffic heading to the freeway too.
https://goo.gl/maps/RgxnSA9kUgnRB85c9

This is coming from your car rental pick up (airport or downtown doesn't matter) on your way to Pisa or the Firenze Scandicci A1 entrance (in case you use this entrance to access the A1). The limit on this divided highway is 50 km/h (30 mph). There is another one on the opposite side for the opposite direction of traffic. So be careful heading to Florence too.
https://goo.gl/maps/Zj3enktQzqoAjSc58

This is before the freeway to Siena. The limit here is 50 km/h.
https://goo.gl/maps/cxbpeBycDjFTzEyR9

Indiano Viaduct, on the way to return the car to the airport. The limit is 60 km/h
https://goo.gl/maps/n7KnFRWiyvRzJ3Cr6
Same Viaduct, but on the opposite direction, after you pick up your car at the airport and head toward the south (Siena, Chianti, Montepulciano, or also West to Pisa).
https://goo.gl/maps/sSQBdopVtBcBg1AdA

There are 20 speed traps in total in Florence, there are more within the city. I showed you only the ones where most people get zapped because the nature of the road (divided 4 lane expressway) lends itself to go above 35 or 40 mph. Also they are the ones located where most foreign tourists drive when they are headed to famous Tuscan destinations. The others are in city streets where it makes sense that one should drive at a slower speed.

Just know that when you see the stripes increasing in size, like in the image below, the speed camera is coming next.
https://goo.gl/maps/NopFQ9RuhGZJN6e49

If you were right nobody could be forced to pay the fines taken at that entry point. The city hasn't seen a single ZTL fine revoked in court because of lack of warning signs for years (I have just checked). Anyway, You are not offensive, why people on the internet think that being offended by perfect strangers is so easy?

You are simply wrong. The Florentines would drive there on purpose, and then flock to the court smiling like children running to the Xmas tree on Xmas morning. Tuscans are nicknamed "The damned" for a reason.

But... Is it necessary?

Who cares? Power does not work this way. You want to run while drivin' around Florence ? You can either Get a lawyer and get those speed traps removed, or drive slowly or pay the fines. There isn't another option.

And there is no conspiracy: Local politics have simply made a cost-benefit analysis. Since money from fines can be used only for road manteinance and education, drivers who can't drive slowly pay more than others for road manteinance and education. The limit is 50 even on 4 lanes road and it's difficult to respect it? Drive at 40, you are not a brain surgeon, you have no reason to drive at 50.

There has been some interesting and lively discussion, as is normally the case surrounding reports of ZTL fines. I remember when we were planning our trip to Tuscany and I reserved a car to use while there. I used this forum for advice and stumbled upon ZTL horror stories that upset me to the point of considering cancelling the car rental, even though I had driven in Europe before with no problems.

Fortunately, I did more research and decided the anecdotal information exaggerated the risk. We kept the car rental, had a wonderful time and had absolutely no problems.

If by chance someone considering renting a car in Italy who has not driven there or in other European countries happens to stumble on this thread, here are some tips to make it a happy, safe and ticket free experience:

• Prepare before you leave. There's a plethora of useful information available, including the rules of the road and guides to signage. Read up before you go.
• Strictly observe all traffic laws, including speed limits and of course ZTLs. Speed cameras are prevalent in Italy. You don't see many police cars so don't assume you are not being recorded. I've actually been caught be a speed camera because I wasn't paying attention. However, I was caught in Silver Spring Maryland!
• Avoid driving in big cities. Cars in big cities, whether it is Rome, Florence, Paris or Edinburgh are a real pain. Arrange your trip so you don't need to. We stayed in Greve and took the commuter bus into Florence. We avoided the anxiety of driving in Florence and ended up having a wonderful time visiting with the workers and students commuting into town. We were the only non-locals and they were interested in how we ended up on the bus with them.
• When in the countryside visiting smaller towns, assume anywhere within the walls of a hill town is ZTL. However, we found ZTLs well marked and easily avoided.
• Don't be thrown by horror stories here or elsewhere. In almost every case, posters of these stories were bit by a combination of lack of preparation or inattention. Many times the posters end up admitting their errors. One classic story was about a guy who was mad because he got multiple speeding tickets. He finally admitted he let his buddies drive the car he rented because they were griping about how slow he was driving.

There are places in Europe, from the Tuscan hillsides to the Scottish Highlands to the Loire Valley that is best explored by car. Don't be deterred, but know what you're doing.

Roberto, your posts are always so helpful. Thank you.

Excellent commentary and recommendations from DougMac regarding what always seems to be a contentious issue here on the forum.
Our experience mirrored his when we rented a vehicle in Italy a few years ago. Driving in rural Tuscany (and Umbria in our case) was an absolute pleasure and in fact was the highlight of our trip.
Driving in Italy is no big deal if you're a reasonably competent driver to begin with, plan ahead as he suggests, obey the traffic laws, and generally take it slow and easy while driving thru the countryside.

This probably goes without saying….have a designated navigator…preferably a human who is well versed in Google maps and the very nice voice who mispronounces Italian words at every turn!

I'm a bit curious.... are the $75 tickets the fee charged by the rental company, or are they the actual tickets? If those are just the rental car fees, the OP has another big surprise coming in the mail.

Another reminder of why I prefer to travel by train most of the time.

well it has been over 4 days since the incendiary post was created with no dialogue to follow.

Methinks that after the post our OP has wandered off. We may just be talking among ourselves in an empty room.

Nigel. As I said at the start, this could be just a troll OP. The ZTL infringement fine is €83 (up to €300 something). So $75 seems strange, as it seems strange you incur into 5 on the same day.

I would like to make another point regarding my allegation that speed cameras are often an ATM for local jurisdictions. The very first and last image I posted above is the Marco Polo Expressway linking the A1 Firenze Sud exit to the city. I’m very familiar with that segment because it is the one I would take to go to my parents’ house (I grew up in Firenze Sud, near Viale Europa). For as far back as I can remember and until a few years ago, the speed limit there has always been 90 km/h. But since they discovered the cash generating power of the Autovelox Cameras, magically, they lowered it to 60 km/h. I wonder why they didn’t care about preserving human lives in the 50 years prior. One has to wonder.