topic Re: Driving in Italy in Community Spirit

Driving in Italy

ufo_investigations — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:17:48 GMT

If you travel to Italy be real careful where you drive. A friend of mine got back from there about 4 months ago and he now has received a letterbox full of fines from there. There is a law there called 'Zona traffico limitato'. Basically if your number plate is on the list then you are allowed to drive in that street if not the camera takes a photo and you get a fine in the mail. My friend has to pay over 700 euros in fines now.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zona_a_traffico_limitato

Re: Driving in Italy

cherry*135 — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:26:56 GMT

When I went to Florence in 2011, the main centre of the old town wasn't open to traffic, no cars, scooters, buses. Makes it safer for pedestrian/tourists to walk around and look at all the attractions.

Wouldn't drivers realise they were driving in those places where traffic is restricted?

Or enquire different rules etc that may be in place when picking up the rental car?

Re: Driving in Italy

ufo_investigations — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:30:42 GMT

My friend thought it meant that he couldn't park in those streets he didn't know you could get booked simply for driving in a residential street.

Re: Driving in Italy

cherry*135 — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:32:20 GMT

Oh dear..expensive lesson.

Re: Driving in Italy

ufo_investigations — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:36:38 GMT

I think they have this law so that only the residents of the street are allowed to drive in there or their friends that are authorised to drive in there.

Re: Driving in Italy

latina4621 — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:40:23 GMT

crazy!

Re: Driving in Italy

cherry*135 — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:48:21 GMT

I think they have this law so that only the residents of the street are allowed to drive in there or their friends that are authorised to drive in there.

Prevents traffic congestion I suppose. Some of those streets in the older parts of towns etc are very narrow.

Pity it isn't made clear to international tourists though by the rental car companies.

Re: Driving in Italy

ufo_investigations — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:56:03 GMT

Prevents traffic congestion I suppose. Some of those streets in the older parts of towns etc are very narrow.

Pity it isn't made clear to international tourists though by the rental car companies.

Nope! no one told him. The signs are written in Italian but he should have looked into their road rules before driving around. It's pretty strict this but that is the law there.

Re: Driving in Italy

meh_too — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 21:47:12 GMT

I would not pay. What are they going to do?

Re: Driving in Italy

ufo_investigations — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 23:21:35 GMT

I would not pay. What are they going to do?

If you plan on going back to Italy or any EU country you will have a record against your name so he is paying the fines to clear everything. Very expensive lesson.

Re: Driving in Italy

latina4621 — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:45:20 GMT

very expensive lesson indeed.

Re: Driving in Italy

freshwater-2 — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 03:44:12 GMT

It is the responsibility of foreign drivers to be able to read road signs in Italy (and other countries)..

They are well posted and not hard to understand.

I was a regular visitor to Italy over decades.....never had a problem.

But it would be a good idea for car rental companies to provide ALL tourists with a list of signs and what they mean in the glove box.