Long story from long-time lurker. Family trip to Italy/Germany, 2010. Needed to get from Florence to FCO for early flight home to MIA. Flight is first fun leg of cheapo FF miles FCO-FRA, FRA-PHL, PHL-MIA, with very little time between flights. Needless to say, don't want to miss that first flight. Wife wants to spend that final night back in Rome, where we started in Italy, and have relatively easy morning getting to FCO. She's gotta be tired of always being right.
Oh, no, says I, let's rent a car (couldn't get an early enough train from Florence). The rental car agency (just outside Venice, our stop before Florence) gives me the keys to an almost brand new large Mercedes, shining like a beacon in a huge lot filled with teeny tiny European vehicles. Guess not too many folks renting automatics.
Find a lot in Florence where, despite the negotiating assistance of my inebriated B&B host (another story), I end up paying almost twice the parking rate of a normal car. Can't argue much because the Benz is twice the size of everything else in there.
Last day in Florence I say I need to take car at 0500. Attendant says, we don't open until 0600. Umm. Is there a lot that opens earlier? Is there a 24 hr lot nearby? No, No, don't know what to tell you. Wife just shakes her head.
There is NOWHERE to park near my B&B that doesn't have ominous looking No Parking signs. I venture to the main drag down the block. There are lots of cars on both sides of the street and it's close to 11:30 pm. Of course, there are still No Parking overnight signs. I see two police officers walking and ask them (or try to ask them) what happens if I leave my car here. They give me a card and say you can pick up your car from the tow lot at this number, as in, "Stupido turista!"
Needless to say, I go to sleep in my new Mercedes Benz, parked on the main drag, surrounded by cars on both sides of the street. I awaken at 0500 look out the window and see that, literally, I am the only car on either side of the street. They must have taken pity on the big drunken looking moron sleeping in his new car. They didn't even give me a ticket. I still have a picture of me, standing in front of my "hotel room", on my fridge.