I read some of the older posts. Traveled Italy Fall of 2018. Have 2 charges on AMEX: Feb 22, 2019 (45 Euros) and Mar 22, 2019 (45 Euros) from Europcar. No explanation, assume "penalty of administrative fines" for speeding? (Europcar Terms & Conditions pg 38).
But recently received (postmarked 10/3/19) an Italian police document for speeding ticket in Italy (10/19/18) by way of
speed camera. Fine of 220 Euros if paid within 60 days.Not contesting the fee.
Our concern is the additional form, from same police department, attached to the above document: to fill out driver information (my husband), with copy of Florida DL, front and back, so they can report 3 points against his license!
Or else, it states a warning of "administrative sanction" and the payment of 292 Euros. This is scary, don't really know what to do.
I did not read anything about this, seems wrong that they have ability to do such a thing.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6879 posts
Why do you contest some of the penalties while "not contesting" part of it?
What exactly is "scary" about it?
Personally, I'd step up and pay what they say you owe. On what basis would you refuse to do so?
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7181 posts
I've not heard of speeding tickets in other countries applying 'points' against a US state's drivers license. I'm not sure that's not just a threat being used to prod the offender into paying the fine. If this is something new, it's important that the rest of us know about it. I hope someone here may have a definitive answer about the legitimacy of this.
Posted by
11717 posts
This should not be placed under Tourist Scams.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
It is interesting that the Italian office would be knowegable about Florida's "point system". Was the Italian ticket literealy dated "10/19/18" or "19/10/18" and were you at the site of the infraxtion on 19 October 2018?
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8371 posts
Just send them 220 Euros by wire transfer and the case should go away. It's just a revenue producer--not personal. Don't send them any info on your driver's license as chances are they already have it from the car rental company.
I got hit by camera-radar on the causeway 1.7 mph over the speed limit going over to Venice and got the bill almost a year later. It wasn't nearly as much as you're being charged.
There are European bill payment companies that can charge your American credit card, and their service fees are very reasonable.
Posted by
OP
Florida
4 posts
Not contesting the Europcar fines, or the ticket. I understand the police get your address from the rental car companies. The date of infraction correct (10/19/18) though the police document has used 2018-10-19 format. As mentioned, the concern is the 3 points against your drivers license, and if you don't reply, "we also warn that if the data are not provided, you will be subject to the administrative sanction and to the payment of 292 ,00 E." This is not the ticket amount (220 E), but from the included demand letter for copy of drivers license. This seems crazy as the speed access posted on letter is 16 KM/H, which is 9.94 MPH. Just want to know if others
have got this letter, not the speeding ticket itself.
Posted by
Washington DC
28534 posts
Several people on the forum (not I) have used TransferWise.com to send funds to Europe in situations like this. They reported the fees were very reasonable. Going through your bank is likely to be very costly indeed.
I don't believe the charge from you rental company is a fine; it's more like an administrative fee charged for checking the rental records to provide your name and address to the local traffic authorities. One could argue about the reasonableness of the amount in this era of electronic records, of course.
Posted by
OP
Florida
4 posts
Thank you for payment options. The Europcar terms and conditions calls them fines, not fees. There must be another ticket coming since they charged the "administrative fine" twice.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8275 posts
It may seem overly simple, but follow the instructions, including the DL information, and return. You owe the fine, and it may or may not hit your FL drivers license, but to argue the point only defers the inevitable and adds to the cost.
Posted by
6 posts
Hi
I'm italian and I've got a fine for speeding in Scotland. They told me they were going to create a scottish profile of my driving license to deduct 3 points from there so it will not affect my driving license directly. I guess they will do the same, so they will deduct the 3 points in Italy. Nothing to be scared, it's only VERY annoying to be paying money for a speeding fine :-)
Posted by
Houston, Texas
1042 posts
I don't believe that the "3 points" will affect your Florida DL. There is no treaty between the USA and Italy on this matter. Here is a link from the US State Department on driving in Italy: https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/transportation-driving/. Like Milo stated they may setup a profile of your DL in Italy and deduct 3 points. Pay the fine(s) and move on.
Posted by
OP
Florida
4 posts
Thanks for the last 2 inputs, this makes sense that it is recorded for future driving in Italy and does not affect records in US.
Posted by
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
3113 posts
I wish all the people who "I'll be renting a car to stop in all the fun places" would read streams like this. European driving has downsides.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
I wish all the people who "I'll be renting a car to stop in all the fun places" would read streams like this. European driving has downsides.
So does driving at home. If I go somewhere where I feel I need a car to get around, I'll get a car. I've never gotten a car to drive in Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Strasbourg or Bordeaux, but I've rented in the French countryside dozens of times. And gotten 1 French speeding ticket, which is one more than I've ever gotten in the US.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19317 posts
European driving has downsides.
So does driving at home.
Yes, but the difference is that at home we don't really have a viable alternative to driving, so we have to accept the downsides. Not so in many parts of Europe, where public transportation is there, and is very good.
If I go somewhere where I feel I need a car to get around, I'll get a car.
I would agree with that strategy; it's just that in 20 years of traveling in Germany, particularly to Bavaria, and in nearby countries and mostly to small towns, I've never found a need to have a car to get where I wanted to go. So I've never gotten one.
Now, in other parts of Europe, public transportation might not be as good. Looking at the SNCF website, from Paris to Utah beach, Normandy, I see trains to 10 miles from the beach. SNCF does not show buses getting you closer, but I don't know if that is because there are no buses, or if there are buses, but SNCF doesn't show them (like DB does). Maybe you just have to look harder (and know where to look).
Posted by
Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada
776 posts
Except for BIG cities, I love having a car. The amount of time it saves and being able to come and go when it pleases us and not having to LUG luggage on trains and buses is very worth it to me.
We always try to stay 5-10 km an hour under the speed limit and it worked for us in France, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the UK (England Scotland and Wales) and a small part of Belgium.
I say be cautious, find out the local laws and be SUPER conscious of your environment and have at it.
We took the train into London from Dover and it was not fun.....but it got us there. Public transportation is great in big cities like Paris and London but I would never travel for an entire month in a country with just Public transportation..... NOPE>