Speeding ticket from holiday

Dinah93

Hi there, just after a little advice please. We've just received a letter from the Police in Pisa today to say our hire car was speeding in on August 22nd at 4.50pm, and our hire company have given our details as being in possession of the car on that day. We think we handed the hire car back over an hour earlier, but don't have any way of proving this as the return receipt has a hand in day filled in but the guy hasn't filled in the time. The letter also says to pay within 5 days or the fine will go up 30%, but the letter didn't even leave Italy until the 20th based on the Italian post office form on the back (probably because the address is our street name (no number), then a city 300 miles away, then most of our postcode.... honestly I'm a bit shocked it made it here at all!). Do we have any hope of appealing it (all appeals need to be in Italian... which we speak enough to go to a restaurant but not enough for this) or do we have to pay the e200. Thank you for your time.

bowlhead99

You think you handed the car back earlier but if it is only an hour before the alleged offence, and the hire car company are unlikely to turn the car around and rerent it within the hour, you may well be mistaken.

Although of course the hire firm could have been transporting it somewhere else, like off to a car wash.

I would say your chance of appealing it is low if you don't speak Italian and so on the face of it, you are obliged to pay the €200. Of course, whether you have to pay it from a practical point of view depends on your view of the consequences of not paying it.

The Italian police are probably not going to come over here and arrest you but you would potentially have a black mark against a local driving record with your name and driving licence number etc which the hire firm might give them.

So, the question of whether you have to pay it in practical terms (i.e. perhaps not) is probably different to whether you have a legal obligation to pay it or a moral obligation to pay it, if you don't respond to their correspondence with a formal appeal.

If you are thinking you'd rather not pay it and hope to dodge any future comeback, it is perhaps better pretend you had not received their correspondence at all, than contact them with a failed appeal that confirms you are indeed contactable on those details and had indeed driven that car on that day but weren't guilty honest guv.

So your next steps depend on how much time and money you have available for an appeal, whether you are likely to go back to Italy in the coming months/years and your personal moral compass.

Marktheshark

This could be a scam, do some research first.

Car_54

If the Italian system is anything like the UK's then you can't appeal against a fixed penalty. You either accept that you're guilty and pay up, or you're taken to court.

I'd suggest that fighting the case 1,000 miles away in a foreign language, and with no evidence, is a risk out of all propertion to a 200 Euro fine.

BillyFord

If you handed it back over an hour ago, any chance you had booked in for your return flight at the time if the alleged offence?

Or maybe you had an online booking ending at X time on that day.

AdrianC

I'm surprised the hire company didn't just pay it, then add an admin charge, and hit your credit card for it straight away - as the Ts & Cs will allow them to do.

forgotmyname

You handed it back an hour before? Was that local time or UK time?

thescouselander

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a state sponsored scam. Just like the trap they set in Pisa where the tourist signs direct you into an area where only permit holders can drive and then they slap you with a fine.

To be honest my view is that they are a nation of criminals. If you do a bit of reading on Italy you'll soon find out it is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe with such corruption being endemic amongst politicians and public authorities. I'd stick two fingers up to them, ignore the fine and don't bother going back. I've certainly decided never to go back there.

Just to add, check your credit card statement - you find the hire car company has charged you a fee for passing your details to the authorities - these scams are a nice little earner for everyone involved (except you).

Marktheshark

thescouselander wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if this is a state sponsored scam. Just like the trap they set in Piza where the tourist signes direct you into an area where only permit holders can drive and then they slap you with a fine.

To be honest my view is that they are a nation of criminals. I'd stick two fingers up to them, ignore the fine and don't bother going back. I've certainly decided never to go back there.

Thats what I would do, they have no jurisdiction over civil matters in this country.
They can do nothing but beg, unlike this corrupt little country they can not punish you for failing to incriminate yourself.

Car_54

Marktheshark wrote: »

Thats what I would do, they have no jurisdiction over civil matters in this country.
They can do nothing but beg, unlike this corrupt little country they can not punish you for failing to incriminate yourself.

Speeding is a criminal matter, not civil.

iainscomputer

I had the same thing in Spain, the hire car co charged me a admin fee, but didn't actually pay the fine, I wasn't going to pay the €100, but I logged on & got 50% early bird discount!
So for the sake of €50 I paid it.
Whenever I've entered Italy by air, they just looked at my passport & didn't put it in the reader, so for €200 I would chance it & ignore.