Traffic violations in Italian cities
 

Have heard that many unsuspecting drivers get caught by hidden cameras in some italian cities, driving in "restricted" traffic zones. Apparently the fines are steep; anyone have any experience with this? :confused:

While in Florence was told they had cameras in the restricted (posted) center of the historic center of the city. That if you did not have a permit you wold be ticketed and the ticket was mailed to you. Info was shared by a Frenchman who received a ticket, I am from USA and had a car at the time.

There are cameras in many large Italian cities - not so sure they are hidden. "Restricted" traffic zones, called ZTL's in Italy, are clearly marked... although sometimes visitors do not realize until it's too late. Anytime you drive in a large city you need to be careful. Rome and Florence are by far the most restrictive.

You might look at this post about the restricted zones in Rome: ZTL zones in Rome

On the autostrade there are also cameras set up with radar to monitor speed. Many folks unknowingly drive through those. Best advice: Stay below the speed limit!

In town, there are also cameras monitoring bus/taxi lanes so you have to be careful not to get in one of these. In this posting, the first video shows a clearly marked bus lane... but the video on Largo Argentina shows a small "do not enter this way" sign that most people don't realize they've driven past until the police pull you over...

Often it's best to just avoid driving in larger towns as the signage can be confusing to many visitors.

In Florence, after driving into the restricted zone, you can do a number of things to avoid a fine. You can park in a parking garage, visit a hotel, return a rental car, etc. and the garage/hotel/rental agency reports the time and license plate number to the traffic police. You generally have an hour from the time you enter restriced zone until you have to report to the garage/hotel/rental agent etc. I learned this from an Italian friend who is from Florence. I think Rome has similar ways to get around the congestion zone fines.

You can also check:
http://www.areac.it
for the Milan area.

the bad news: it's in Italian only as far as I can see :td:

the good news: there are signs everywhere, if you see an 'Area C' sign just turn away.
you shoulnd't be driving in the center of Milan with your car anyway as it's a pain. the public transportation system is very good and can take you pretty much everywhere.

I agree with RinR, when you're on a highway don't run faster than 130 km/h and you'll be fine. You can recognize the radar system and there is always a big alert a few kilometers before the radars.

Anybody ever get a ticket mailed to them from Italy to the USA??

Cameras shall not be hidden, but in Rome and in other cities, the cameras often monitor & enforce traffic restrictions rather than speed limits. Foreigners not used to such wide restricted areas - and not paying attention to the road signs! - may get fined if they misunderstand what's being monitored.

Furthermore, a number of cameras along the motorways don't check the speed in a specific time & place, but they are components of a system called 'Tutor' monitoring the average speed on long segments.

@ mike2200 - Whether you get the fine documentation forwarded to the USA - or any other country - it really depends on the local government, but relatives of mine reported mailing to Australia from Rome and Florence (and yes - because of the unauthorized access to traffic restricted zones).

@ aginsf - Nope, in Rome there's no work-around. You get fine every single time you cross the 'border' of the restricted zone, and fines are steep. No exception, basically.

Although difficult for the "Italian-Impaired" (and mine was nearly 50 years out of practice), on our last auto visit to Florence (first to the hotel, in a most restricted zone, the Piazza del Duomo then to turn in the car), I found the traffic police, as they had been long ago, the most "negotiable" of guardians of public safety. Even my clumsy, faltering attempts to explain my wife's disability sufficed for an escorted entry into No Man's Land to drop off her and the bags.

While most Italians view all regulations as trivial barriers to be transgressed, the Italian police (many? most?) seem to hold the perspective that the rules can be circumvented. More status-conscious, the police of Rome are less willing to be hornswoggled.