Fugative From Italian Justice
So I received in the mail today a letter from European Municipality Outsourcing on behalf of the Polizia Municipale Commune di Firenze stating my fine had not been paid for violation of Article 7C9e14 (The Vehicle Circulated in Limited Traffic Area Without Authorization) on Pza Vittori-Lno Amerigo Vespucci at 12:55 on 8 September 2007. They now want Eu 92.45 ... about $150.
At least now I know what the infraction is, even if I don't know what "circulation in a limited traffic area" means.
Anyhow, the part I loved about the letter was the footnote:
VERY IMPORTANT ADVISE: The present notice is not a Notification of violation and so permits the receiver to make the due payment in amicable circumstances. Signed: Your Italian Godfather. (OK, so it was someone named S. Bencivenni but they could be a godfather.)
Hmmmm.
Now the Italian police are very computer savvy and they have everything about the case online. Here, for example, is the photo of the car taken by Officer Opie, complete with location, date and time stamp.
Now at the time the photo was made (12:55) I was on the train from Fiernze to Venice with the CFO and 12 other folks. The car had been in possession of the rental agency for at least two hours at the time of the photography session. I have now so informed the police by email and explained that the 14 of us would be happy to so testify in Italian court if they would be so kind as to send round-trip airfare.
Somehow I don't think we have heard the last of this thing.
I do find it a little suspicious that the infraction occurred on Amerigo Vespucci. The Italians do have a good sense of humor so long as they are not wearing a uniform and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the guys at the auto rental take all the cars returned by Americans there, have the polizia make the photograph, and split the fines paid by the unsuspecting touristos.
I mean, when you get a letter from your Italian Godfather like I did, who would refuse to pay?
At least now I know what the infraction is, even if I don't know what "circulation in a limited traffic area" means.
Anyhow, the part I loved about the letter was the footnote:
VERY IMPORTANT ADVISE: The present notice is not a Notification of violation and so permits the receiver to make the due payment in amicable circumstances. Signed: Your Italian Godfather. (OK, so it was someone named S. Bencivenni but they could be a godfather.)
Hmmmm.
Now the Italian police are very computer savvy and they have everything about the case online. Here, for example, is the photo of the car taken by Officer Opie, complete with location, date and time stamp.
Now at the time the photo was made (12:55) I was on the train from Fiernze to Venice with the CFO and 12 other folks. The car had been in possession of the rental agency for at least two hours at the time of the photography session. I have now so informed the police by email and explained that the 14 of us would be happy to so testify in Italian court if they would be so kind as to send round-trip airfare.
Somehow I don't think we have heard the last of this thing.
I do find it a little suspicious that the infraction occurred on Amerigo Vespucci. The Italians do have a good sense of humor so long as they are not wearing a uniform and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the guys at the auto rental take all the cars returned by Americans there, have the polizia make the photograph, and split the fines paid by the unsuspecting touristos.
I mean, when you get a letter from your Italian Godfather like I did, who would refuse to pay?
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