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Traffic fixed charge driving penalty from Italy

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  • 02-08-2023 12:34pm
    #1
    fortwilliam
    Registered Users Posts: 560 ✭✭✭


    I received a fine in the post from when I rented a car in italy in January.

    Apparently I drove in a restricted zone twice.

    The fines amount to €432. What are the implications of ignoring these or should I really pay them?

    Thanks.



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    #2
    Str8outtaWuhan
    Registered Users Posts: 968 ✭✭✭Str8outtaWuhan


    There is a lad convicted of murder by a french court wandering around cork and the French can't do feck all. Can't see you been put on a red notice over this .



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    #3
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,503 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    No issue with not paying, unless you ever go back to Italy.



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    #4
    ghostfacekilla
    Registered Users Posts: 628 ✭✭✭ghostfacekilla


    I was hit with the same type of historic area tax, but around double that amount which had doubled or tripled (I can't actually remember) by the time I had received it as I had moved address and it arrived over a year later. It seems to be common and from what I gather from the interweb, it would probably jeopardise one's eligibility to rent a car in Italy with any or most of the rental companies and probably nothing more than that. It wouldn't stop me from returning to Italy, but I would personally avoid car rental there in the future after choosing not to pay it.



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    #5
    Kiteview
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭Kiteview


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058307670/traffic-fixed-charge-driving-penalty-from-italy

    I’m open to correction on this but is probably depends on who is sending you the bill (ie the car rental company or the civil authorities).

    If it’s the latter, they could I think be able to get a European Arrest Warrant for you and the Gardaí would act on it.

    If it’s the former, they could take a claim via the European Small Claims Procedure and a ruling against you would again be acted upon by the Gardaí.



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    #6
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,788 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    I'll give you my story OP.

    I drove into one of those historical areas in Florence around 2013 or 2014. Literally a hundred metres then turned at a roundabout and drove back. I had absolutely no idea that I had done anything wrong.

    They sent a fine after a few months. I ignored it. About a year later another fine came with a letter for me to appear in court. Again I ignored it.

    I've been back to Italy around 6 or 7 times since and hired a car out at least 3 times. Never had an issue or anything said to me.



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    #7
    TedBundysDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 698 ✭✭✭TedBundysDriver


    Ignore it OP. It's not worth the hassle for them to presue a claim against you. European arrest warrant lol. I've had speeding fines in both Italy and Spain before which I've ignored and never an issue on entry to either again.



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    #8
    Paul Kiernan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,161 ✭✭✭Paul Kiernan


    Do the Rental company not just take it from the credit card you booked the car with?



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    #9
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,863 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947894#Comment_120947894

    Well since you are inviting correction - traffic infringements that are not crimes, are usually not arrestable offences. The Gardai will not be arresting you for parking on double yellow lines in another EU country. Something usually has to be a crime in both countries with similar penalties for a country to agree to extradite someone. If driving in a restricted zone in itally had a penalty of 30 lashes, No court in Ireland would grant an extradition request.



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    #10
    cnocbui
    Registered Users Posts: 19,863 ✭✭✭✭cnocbui


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120948813#Comment_120948813

    They would if they were liable to pay the fine, but they aren't, as they were not driving the car.



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    #11
    fortwilliam
    Registered Users Posts: 560 ✭✭✭fortwilliam


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120948813#Comment_120948813

    The rental company (Hertz/Budget) did take 2x€50 "administration fee" from my card already for the pleasure of handing my details over to the authorities... the fine itself is issued by the police/municipale of Palermo town.



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    #12
    redoctober
    Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭redoctober


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947896#Comment_120947896

    Thanks for this. I got 4 fines from June this year. The carhire company sent them on and duly took some money each time (36 euro for each notification). I was so cheesed off. Most of the fines came from a day in Florence (really regret going there at all) where I drove into the ZTL area unbeknownst to me and got a few fines for basically the same thing. Very infuriating. Then a fine for exceeding 80km speed leaving Florence. Also, one unpaid parking fine from a small village in Tuscany. The whole thing really soured my experience and I'd be hesitant to go back.

    If there hadn't been so many I would have probably paid them but it's just so much money for what? Feels like a whole rip-off of tourists who are already overpaying for everything over there. I've paid a fine before for Sicily but it was just one at least (not even clear what it was for).



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