I just received a parking ticket fine notification for parking in a Maiori public parking lot. We paid 4 euros to park there and placed the voucher inside the windshield, went for a quick 1 1/2 hour lunch and left. There was no ticket on our windshield. That was October and 2 months ago Hertz charged my credit card with a 45 bux fee for giving the Maiori polizia my info. (i had that reversed after a call to Hertz) Yesterday I received the fine of 45 euros from opensoftware service of Venezia. The instructions are to pay by transfer only and to an International bank with co-ordinates. It all seems pretty sketchy to me... as we had paid for parking and didn't receive a ticket advising of violation. Any advice? We don't plan on driving in Italy in the near future and I especially don't plan on renting a car there. (not after all of the horror stories that I have read about after the fact) What will happen if I don't pay it? If i decide to pay it anyone know how to do it? thanks
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34260 posts
Just wondering, Ola, if there is any chance that you might have earned the ticket? I don't know how much Italian you can read and understand but there are several common mistakes that can be made in Pay and Display lots. That's the English name for them but they all function pretty much the same. Some of the errors which can result in a fine are: Parked on a line or not completely within a space. Failure to enter the space number into the machine. Failure to enter the number plate into the machine. Parking in a disabled/permit/family/women only/CD/etc space without displaying the appropriate permit. Ticket not clearly visible from outside the vehicle. Ticket not clearly readable, i.e. upside down. Ticket not affixed to the correct part of the windscreen or side window. Overstaying. Meter feeding. Leaving and returning to a parking area before sufficient time has elapsed. Parking on a day or at a time whn parking is not permitted.
If you entered one space and then moved to another the cctv camera may fine you. By the way, when you hire a car you agree that Hertz or whichever hire company can charge you to supply your details to the police.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23653 posts
No one really knows what will happen if you don't pay. The moving, LTZs, tickets from areas like Florence have been a frequent discussion of pay, no pay. However, someone recently posted that after two years of ignoring the ticket they were suddenly hit with a collection agency action and it was expensive. Unfortunately this is one of the problems associated with driving in Italy. There is always the possibility of a mistake but don't know how you would fight it. I guess the big lesson will be to keep the voucher. Good luck.