tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post3642063866920911654..comments2024-03-18T12:43:02.945-07:00Comments on Living (with) abroad in Tuscany: What will happen if you don’t pay your ticket for a traffic violation in Italy?Paul and Lucy Spadonihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-16625324742364373322024-01-09T14:07:30.692-08:002024-01-09T14:07:30.692-08:00good ideagood ideaAndyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01735483005084217408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-42756372317091538002023-09-01T09:48:54.553-07:002023-09-01T09:48:54.553-07:00You should have no problems. These traffic fines c...You should have no problems. These traffic fines come from different jurisdictions (cities or provinces), and there is no unified national system to collect or report violations. At least in all my experience traveling in Italy and reading travel forums, I've never heard of anything like this ever happening.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-63517204362408360582023-08-31T07:13:16.196-07:002023-08-31T07:13:16.196-07:00So my last visit to Italy was in 2011 wher I rent...So my last visit to Italy was in 2011 wher I rented a car. I paid one fine and then stopped after they kept sending more and more. I never paid these fines that they sent me and nor the collection agency. I am headed back to Italy this fall and hope to rent a car with no issue. I assume I should not have an issue since it's 10 years later?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-36886342503925733212023-01-13T18:37:57.220-08:002023-01-13T18:37:57.220-08:00Thanks for taking the time to share your story.Thanks for taking the time to share your story.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-61763118008362333812022-12-21T15:17:56.884-08:002022-12-21T15:17:56.884-08:00After my 2017 trip to Europe covering 4,000 kilome...After my 2017 trip to Europe covering 4,000 kilometres, I got nine €25 charges on my credit card after coming back. I didn't dispute the charge, I had already read various forums and fully knew what to expect. Two from France, seven from Italy. Got two French tickets within a week and paid them promptly with my credit card. Then I got seven more a whole year later! A couple from Firenza, a couple from Pisa, and a lot from Rome. I was in Rome for three days and my hotel was right in the ZTL zone. What sucked was the license plate I gave the hotel was no longer because I had to change rental cars due to a flat tire and did not inform the hotel of the new license plate number. A year later, I got almost all of them. I was told to use IBAN which I had no way to. The Rome and Pisa letters weren't followed up, I never heard from them again, but two from Firenza were handled by Cedar Financial who kept calling me. In 2021, I got a notarized letter from a lawyer in Italy demanding payment and ignored it since I wasn't returning to Italy. It's now 2022 and all of that stopped.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-25781133673597630402022-07-14T08:01:11.834-07:002022-07-14T08:01:11.834-07:00I got a traffic ticket for running a red light and...I got a traffic ticket for running a red light and wasn't sure what to do. The showed me NJ Pay Ticket’s profile on Letterboxd to avoid getting points on my license from NJMVC. They were great!" <a href="https://letterboxd.com/njpayticket/" rel="nofollow">Letterboxd</a><br />JACKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00977743002140224540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-71675971410618315832021-10-08T13:19:06.397-07:002021-10-08T13:19:06.397-07:00Thanks for the informative update! I'm sure pe...Thanks for the informative update! I'm sure people will find this useful.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-86359506311034295992021-10-08T13:09:50.236-07:002021-10-08T13:09:50.236-07:00Well folks, just back from my latest trip to Italy...Well folks, just back from my latest trip to Italy and let's just say I was never bothered by anyone at the rental car company nor through the immigration or Italian police (not that I had reason to be bothered). I still haven't paid and I don't expect Cedar to be able to do much and the seem to know it as all emails have ceased. <br /><br />Now I still say that the bill should be paid (Sorry Mark, thats where you and I split on things, call it the cost of being a tourist). But not at full late feee cost and no way am I ever supporting a collection agency. If Pisa wants my €, they need to put the fine to the original €€ and not the near $600 fee Cedar thinks they can collect. <br /><br />Also, this is the Internet so take this how you will. Talked with my Attorney about Cedar (figured I'd send them a Cease and Desist if they ever tracked me down), He laughed at the gall of this collection firm. They have zero legal ground to stand on and no law exists in the US that would ever justify them collecting legally. They can try to collect the moment you say you owe it, thats it. But even that is shaky ground. Cedar is the scummy kind of CA, they call and pester. Just deny on the phone and send them a C&D in written format with mailed proof and leave it be. If they start to call again, find a lawyer that wants to sue them with you. American consumer protection laws are not CA friendly :D<br /><br />To be continued... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-50467174552089995612021-03-07T08:14:19.232-08:002021-03-07T08:14:19.232-08:00Here is an idea. When traveling to Italy and drivi...Here is an idea. When traveling to Italy and driving, cover your license plate with some paper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-51685732292893220122020-11-22T20:34:47.331-08:002020-11-22T20:34:47.331-08:00My advice, for what it's worth, is to pay 160 ...My advice, for what it's worth, is to pay 160 euro. I can't say if it will go away, but it might. At least you will have a clear conscience, and if they bug you, just say you paid the fine as soon as you received notice.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-51432513525408879522020-11-22T15:46:07.300-08:002020-11-22T15:46:07.300-08:00Hello, just wondering if you ended up paying the o...Hello, just wondering if you ended up paying the original fine or not? I am in the same boat as you – never received the original notification that was supposedly sent in October 2018, 11 months after the incident, and am now being asked for $600 from Nivi. I am quite stressed about it and would like to pay the original 160 euro so it goes away, but not if they will continue to harass me for more... any advice would be appreciated! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-39061211469502060692020-11-17T16:47:31.366-08:002020-11-17T16:47:31.366-08:00Sounds like you have a textbook example of a valid...Sounds like you have a textbook example of a valid appeal case! I hope this all comes out well. Even if you don't get officially exonerated, take encouragement from tales such as Mark's, knowing that in the end, nothing substantial can really be done even if you were in the wrong. Did the collection agency respond, or are they still calling?Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-42554113240679420542020-11-17T16:01:51.820-08:002020-11-17T16:01:51.820-08:00I received a total of 5 ZTL fines on my last trip ...I received a total of 5 ZTL fines on my last trip in Pisa (2), Florence and Naples (2). I too saw strange activity on my card after returning home and cancelled it, thinking it was fraud. A year later the fines had escalated to almost $500 each and were now in the hands of a US credit agency who were harassing me to pay them. Here's the thing - on every occasion I was displaying a valid EU disabilty badge as I was transporting my disabled mother - a UK resident. We had checked ahead of time and been given the OK to enter these areas, however, the camera systems that pick up the license plates do not record who is driving or what is displayed in the windshield. I naturally appealed - with substantial evidence - and haven't heard anything. Of course this doesn't deter the collection agency (who I also shared the evidence with) from harassing me. I submitted my appeal over 6 moths ago and have not heard anything and I very much doubt I ever will. I don't see why I need to pay a lawyer to deal with this when I was within my rights....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-77192726813491074392020-10-09T11:42:25.558-07:002020-10-09T11:42:25.558-07:00Here's a suggestion. You could pay the origina...Here's a suggestion. You could pay the original amount of the fines. They are not likely to reject your payments. Then just ignore any additional letters, if you get any. Ultimately, from all my experience and research, nothing serious will happen, other than getting bothered by letters and perhaps phone calls. But you can then go on with a relatively clear conscience, knowing that you did what seemed fair to you.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-52082195891335891482020-10-08T09:17:16.542-07:002020-10-08T09:17:16.542-07:00It's looks like they initially sent the 3 lett...It's looks like they initially sent the 3 letters after 6 months of when the incidents happend but I was not at home for and after 10 days the post office returned the letters to italy as unclaimed. No in oct 2020 Nivi sent those 3 letter back asking for the fines to be paid. Adding a lot of penalties. I find it very unfair. I would like to pay the original fine but I do not agree with this insane penalties. Am I just complicating this asking them to pay for the original fine ?<br />This happened in Florence in 2016… probably try ran out of money now and are desperate with whatever they can get<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-1487925671655263222020-10-06T17:33:25.726-07:002020-10-06T17:33:25.726-07:00Wow, I haven't heard of such a long wait befor...Wow, I haven't heard of such a long wait before they try to collect. I'm assuming this is a collection agency, and not the Italian city where you had the incident, correct? Well, if you wait a year, it will be 5 years and they can't expect to collect from you. I do normally advise people to pay, as a matter of principal. But that does seem excessive and close to the deadline. Follow your conscience, I guess.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-56700766173360407952020-10-05T13:03:39.473-07:002020-10-05T13:03:39.473-07:00I just got 3 letters today and the incidents happe...I just got 3 letters today and the incidents happend in 2016. They want 1000 euro, this is insane. What should I do ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-36937252523289645652020-09-17T20:28:13.272-07:002020-09-17T20:28:13.272-07:00I've read a lot of comments and complaints onl...I've read a lot of comments and complaints online, but I've never heard of anyone who has had an unpaid traffic ticket show up in a credit report. Nor have I heard of anyone who had trouble when they returned to Italy for another vacation.Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-39685423117612912732020-08-21T20:50:21.417-07:002020-08-21T20:50:21.417-07:00Really hope to heard from you. As i also experienc...Really hope to heard from you. As i also experience the same issues. i have 3 fines on hand.MARKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07522069676757380415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-64941474405647176392020-08-20T05:36:28.010-07:002020-08-20T05:36:28.010-07:00I am in a similar situation. Ticket was for $149 a...I am in a similar situation. Ticket was for $149 and now collection agency sent a letter asking for $820. I am willing to pay the original ticket but not the extra. Do you think they can report this to credit agencies if ticket is not paid? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16400630737978787585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-8775880942990884392020-08-17T14:24:37.317-07:002020-08-17T14:24:37.317-07:00Received fines for 5km over the speed limit and dr...Received fines for 5km over the speed limit and driving in restricted area, both in Tuscany. Both about $150 after fine and fees. Wife and I spent $6k in 11/12 days. I'll wait the 5 years. Yes, Italy is very beautiful, but it isn't the only beautiful place. Not only do they not get to extort me but they will lose my tourist dollars for the next 5 years as well. Hopefully the Italian government will limit it's practice of robbing it's tourists as it costs them more in the long run.Franz Josefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18019225179411577265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-81668911976021188662020-08-17T14:20:17.644-07:002020-08-17T14:20:17.644-07:00In Tuscany received 2 tickets on the same day, one...In Tuscany received 2 tickets on the same day, one for going more than 5KM over the speed limit and the other for driving into a restricted area. The fines are outrageous, about $150 dollars after conversion and fees plus the rental car administrative fee which I didn't mind paying. I will play it this way. We spent over $5k in 12 days in Italy. Italy is truly so beautiful, but it isn't the only beautiful place. If the fines were more reasonable, I would've paid. But now, I'm not going to. I'll wait the 5 years, and not only will Italy not get the fines, but they'll also lose my tourist dollars. Take that. Franz Josefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18019225179411577265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-48182134582529274342020-08-16T19:54:29.448-07:002020-08-16T19:54:29.448-07:00I'm always looking for a good story!I'm always looking for a good story!Paul and Lucy Spadonihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18320762457158246716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-66937911601178066882020-08-14T07:39:14.700-07:002020-08-14T07:39:14.700-07:00So today I check my spam folder for a missing emai...So today I check my spam folder for a missing email and some collection place called cedar business services has a VERY old email address of mine and has been proper spamming my email telling me the ticket fee is double plus fines. Best part, they say they are not hired to collect but work in "partnership" with the city of Pisa. Google search them and I find this is going on all over the place from these idiots. <br /><br />Here I am 2 years after my last trip to Italy and apparently I had a ZTL ticket from Pisa. I remember this area since we were on the way to the tower, saw the sign and stopped just after it and I thought I'd be in the clear. Clearly not and I'm all for paying the tax, even if it was an accident. BUT, I never got the ticket in the mail, nor could I find a way to pay it online and I'm sure as hell not paying that collection agency. Italy can have my money (especially every 2 years when I vacation there), but no damn collection agency with ZERO authority. How's that for funny. <br /><br />Anyway, we were scheduled to go back this year (thanks covid...), so we'll try again next and if not I'll come back after this 5 year mark (Sept 2023) and let everyone know what happens. Might even ask this blogger to allow me to post my "adventures" so people know what really happens "when you don't pay". Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911448537861141728.post-47675273580993728332020-07-19T17:20:13.091-07:002020-07-19T17:20:13.091-07:00Every driver, regardless of age, driving skills an...Every driver, regardless of age, driving skills and country of residence must have a set of documents to get a rental car. Read this information carefully so that you do not have any problems during the car rental procedure. In order for you to use a car hire service, you first need to have a passport or one of the other documents that certify your identity. This is necessary to draw up a lease agreement and insurance for the driver and passengers in USA. Note:<br /><a href="https://www.carngo.com/car-rental/usa/underage/under-21" title="Under 21 Car Rental" rel="nofollow">under 21 Car rental</a><br />Your document may be an international passport or travel document. To rent a car abroad, your document should not be expired and damaged. In the passport you must have your photo;<br />If you are less than 21 years old, you must have a driving experience of at least 1 year. Please note that there should be no car accidents and other incidents in your driving skill history. You must have a driver's license of international format (this is a plastic card);<br />Drivers under the age of 21 have a limited number of USA car rental categories: CCAR, CFAR, ECAR, FCAR, ICAR, IFAR, ILAE, ISAR, MBAR, MVAR, SCAR, SSAR.Car rentalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04078306198758991288noreply@blogger.com