Speeding in Calabria

[MC]

Hi,

Has anyone had this experience.

We have had an apartment in San Nicola for just over 3 years and we visit every eight or nine weeks depending on school holidays.

We normally hire a car from Naples with Hertz. I have just received notification from Hertz that they are charging us 30 odd euros for giving the police our address as seemingly we had been caught speeding in Praia last August. We have just found out this has happened also to my sister when she was over in September and also to my brother who was over in July.

My husband was shocked because he is always very careful driving up and down the coast and knows were the police generaly hang out.

It would be interesting to know if we will be fined or what the procedure is now. I found it strange that it has just happened this year.

Can anyone shed any light on this please

Kind regards

MC :?:

[bella_ciao]

We normally hire a car from Naples with Hertz. I have just received notification from Hertz that they are charging us 30 odd euros for giving the police our address as seemingly we had been caught speeding in Praia last August. We have just found out this has happened also to my sister when she was over in September and also to my brother who was over in July.

Hi,
Do you actually recall giving your address to the police during this period of time or at any other time? If not, it sounds a bit fishy and you ought to 'phone Hertz Europe about it. You can get the address of their complaints department from them and lodge a formal written complaint with them. If they have made a mistake or charged you wrongly, they are under obligation to withdraw their charge. I would get in touch with them a.s.a.p., though.
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Frances. :wink:

[bella_ciao]

Hi again,
I've just manage to unearth a couple of addresses you might find helpful if you decide you have a good case for disputing this charge from Hertz. I have retrieved a telephone number from another website but you may have to be put through to Customer Services from there:

Tel: 01 8133550

You can lodge an official complaint at the following address:

FOA Customer Services,
Hertz Europe Service Centre,
Swords Business Park,
Swords Co.,
DUBLIN.

If the result is unsatisfactory to you, you can write a further letter to the following address:

FOA Disputes,
Moore House,
3rd Floor,
Black Lion Street,
BRIGHTON,
BN1 4DA.

I don't know whether any of this will apply in your case but the information is there for future reference, anyway. :wink:

Kind regards,
Frances.

[MC]

Hi Francis,

Thank you very much for the information. I will get on to Hertz. We never got stopped by the police but Hertz are saying the police wanted our address as we were speeding.

Thanks again

Teresa

[MC]

Hi Frances,

Sorry I got the spelling of your name wrong.

Kind Regards

Teresa

[bella_ciao]

Sorry I got the spelling of your name wrong.

Hi Teresa,
Don't worry, you wouldn't be the first to make that mistake!
You are welcome and I hope the information helps. You have to wonder why that could have happened - do they have speed cameras out there? I can't say I noticed any, although I haven't ever driven there and hubby is a very careful driver. How would they have obtained your vehicle licence number? Hmmm.... :?
Will be interested to hear how you get on.
ATB.
Kind regards,
Frances.

[Italy4me]

Yes they do have speed cameras out here.
The police set them up at the roadside. I assume they are the camera type and would take a photo of the registration number and the the hire company would be obliged to give them the name of the driver at the relevant time.
There are quite a few spots along the coast road where the police tend to set up the cameras. If you get flashed by oncoming traffic that is sometimes a warning that the cameras are operating ahead. Or you may notice the traffic in front of you slowing down to a crawl if someone in front knows that a camera has been set up.
Lesley

[bella_ciao]

Yes they do have speed cameras out here.

Thanks for the info., Lesley. That explains a lot and is well worth remembering! I spent most of my time studying the map while we were there but I'll keep an eye open for the cameras next time! Thankfully, hubby's pretty good at that, though.
Your "on the spot" info. is, as always, a great help.
Kindest regards,
Frances. :wink:

[MC]

Hi Lesley,

You don't happen to know what is the fine for speeding in Italy?

I find it strange that 3 members of my family who hired from Hertz have been caught speeding. We have been going over every 8/9 weeks for the last 3 years and my husband knows the coast road so well and he seems to think he knows the spots where the traffic police station themselves.

I would like to say thank you Lesley for all your advice, I look forward to logging in to see all your great posts.

Kind regards

Teresa :lol:

[caoimho]

hi teresa
this does seem unusual that 3 times members of your family have been caught.insist on receipts and copies of the fines as we are entitled to that. that way you'll know that the cases are genuine and not someone scamming your card.i do remember driving down from naples last summer and there were a lot of overhead signboards saying "fotografica velocita",as far as my goldfish memory can recall, so they do exist. good luck with sorting this out.
ciao
kevin and niamh

[cool]

Hello Teresa,I have read your post about the speeding and we have a place in Santa Maria and on the road between us and Scalea you have to drive very slowly as there is always a mobile check set up on the road,so there is lots of them about. The fact that the three of you all got fines and I have not heard anyone else getting any of late,might suggest that the camera is set up near your house or somewhere you all have to pass to get in or out of your area.
A small road leading onto a bigger one would have a smaller speed limit than the big road ,,,this could be where you are getting caught.Hope this helps .....Cool

[Italy4me]

Originally Posted by MC

You don't happen to know what is the fine for speeding in Italy?
I find it strange that 3 members of my family who hired from Hertz have been caught speeding.

Hi Teresa,
I believe the fine varies dependent on your speed over the limit. I have read of fines over 150 euros for doing 80 in a 50 limit.

And I have also read of others being charged this fee for providing information - and each time it was by Hertz.
There seeems like there might be something fishy going on...?
It will be interesting to see if you get an actual fine through the post from the Italian police - unless the police don't follow it through when the driver is overseas...
I understand that there is a 6 months limit from the date of the alleged offence to the date of being notified and if that doesn't happen there is no obligation to pay - so that is something else to keep an eye on.
Regards, Lesley

[Italy4me]

I've just read the original post again- did you say thet Hertz have informed you that the speeding offence was in Praia?
And was it the same location for your brother and sister.
There is a layby on the SS18 near Tortora where Brian was stopped by a policeman and his lollipop stick last year (for overtaking an api and crossing a solid line).
It would be a likely spot for a camera as it is just after a bend and where the road is levelling out.

(He got a lecture and was sent on his way, BTW)
Lesley

[gill]

HI lesley,
Brian overtook an api (AKA hairdryer)haha, has he been watching top gear, wot a daredevil !!! Guess wot, Steve is gonna get an api when we eventually move there for good, so he says !!! :roll: :roll: :roll: it will carry his bike and kayak !!! :wink:

[cool]

:?: Whats an API ? I may have passed one and didnt notice ,,Ha, Ha. :wink:

[caoimho]

ciao cool
how was the "nollaig". plenty of the black stuff :mrgreen: ??? when are you guys headig over?? we'll be ther in early april. can't come quick enough for us
ciao a presto
kev
p.s how's the italian progressing?

[gill]

Hi cool,
The api is a truck/motorbike, yeah sounds weird, its got 3 wheels, 1 at the front and two at the back,with a little cabin,its got a 2 stroke engine, the local farmers love them and so does my hubby !! You will have seen them ! I bet they are economic !!! :? :?
gill

[bella_ciao]

It will be interesting to see if you get an actual fine through the post from the Italian police - unless the police don't follow it through when the driver is overseas...

Just mulling this over with hubby a moment ago and he said he didn't notice any speed cameras while we were over there last year - we didn't go as far as Praia this time, but he was saying that it wouldn't be difficult to "lurk" and do it with one of those speed guns the police use over here. It still begs the question of why Hertz would want to charge that amount just to supply your address - unless it's because they're miffed that you were in one of their cars at the time and are using it as a deterrent. Does seem a bit harsh but I guess you could either take them up on it or sit tight and wait to see if you hear from the police with a fine - or else how are you to know if their claim is genuine? Might be a scam otherwise. :?
Ah well, hope it works out OK for you. Let us know how you get on, eh?
Regards,
Frances.

[cool]

Hello Kev and Girls (all four)
We intend going over for five weeks on the 14th of July with the family and hope to get over on our own around April,so hope to catch up with you then. I,m the same as you ,,,cant wait.The italian verbs are killing me .I loved the photo by the sea.Also we developed the one of you all standing in a line in our place,yvonne loves it,she shows it to everyone ,Talk soon... Cool ...John

[caoimho]

ciao john
looking forward to seeing the pics..we'll also be over late july and early august..we'll only be doing two weeks this time ,but we'll hook up for sure , anosebag and a few bevs sounds like just the job..your pic of naples bay is spectacular.!!did u take that on the drive down from the airport??keep working on the verbs :shock: :? :x ..you'll get there in the end
ci vediamo presto
ciao
kev e le pazze