In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Funny stories Carole! It is so difficult to decide whether 'speaking Italian' or 'playing dumb' is the best bet in such situations. But what I find delightful, is that if 'playing dumb' hasn't worked, they don't hold anything against me for segueing into fluent agressive Italian to talk down the level of la multa! (Bestest success was from 4 people without seatbelts in an open UK reg BMW without a GB plate - 225,000 lire down to 50,000 after 'negotiation'!)
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
That's right, one is never sure which tack to take with them. I only got a fine once and that was in Switzerland near Bellinzona. I was caught in a speed trap doing 86kmph in a 70kmph zone in my UK registered car.
The policeman was civility itself, but despite us both speaking really good Italian, I [I]still[/I] got hit with a 60CHF fine...
As for JC's comment [quote]"...Go on admit it - you're an international drug smuggler working for your local cammuristi. Switzerland for cheap petrol indeed!" [/quote]
'Drat :reallyembarrassed: you sussed my 'weekend smuggling job'!
I didn't think Iit would be that obvious... especially as I only live 22 miles from the Swiss border and all that lovely 'cheap' petrol.
As you can see - for a nearly full tank (55lt) there is quite a saving...(€12.75)
[B]CHF[/B]1.88 per litre unleaded = [B]£[/B]0.95 [B]€[/B]1.22
and in Italy:
[B]€[/B]1.45 per litre unleaded = [B]£[/B]1.13 [B]CHF[/B] 2.22
Of course the fact that I might also get to eat the forbidden 'rosti' or 'taroz' is neither here nor there! :nah:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
When we first came out here Robert was stopped by the Carabinieri at 3am whilst driving back from Fermo hospital (my first experience of Italian hospitals so scary for us both...he left me behind) As it would happen, and it seems to happen alot around here, it was someone he had met before, an officer he had met whilst hunting for our elusive PDS who remembered him. "Ah this is Robert he said to his fellow officer", asked how we were getting on, and was concerned re my hospital admission, no search no documents, for all he knew there could have been a boot full of stuff, was waved off all smiles.Dont know if he was handsome as well, Robert didnt say!
A
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Unlucky or what?
Well travelling in cars and meeting the police seems to be sorted by you lot, but beware all those travelling by train to Florence who have forgotten to stamp their tickets.
On the Firenze train there is a ticket inspector in her mid 40's with shoulder length brown hair who takes no prisoners....even those who cry. A few weeks ago Alan Mason suggested that I should get out more, so I went to Florence. At the terminus 4 very distraught Australians where trapped in a compartment by the said Inspector and they had no idea what exactly they had done wrong and why she was demanding a large fine from them. They waived their tickets and their return tickets, not understanding that they had not stamped the "to Firenze" tickets before they boarded the train. I tried to plead their case, explaining the misunderstanding and saying it was bad for Italian tourism to fine such a large amount...I even tried...but could only one person be fined, afterall I had always believed that Italians had soft hearts and were compassionate?
None of this did any good...I was stopping her doing her job correctly (true). Finally she said she may be Italian but she was born in Switzerland where rules are rules...and there perhaps is the rub.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I'd heard that the carabinieri in Marche are wise to the "I'm a poor foreigner and though trying to be helpful can't understand you" routine by now and have a little flipbook with the requisite questions in English. Or is that just an urban myth?
I was stopped the other day on my way to Ancona airport. Having checked that I was wearing a seatbelt ("But of course I am, I'm English and always obey the rules" "Yeah, but the Germans don't") he thought he had caught me out since, according to him, you can't fly from Ancona to London. Perhaps another case of "you should get out more mate"
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I have a 22yr old ex military landrover and was pulled over by two totty cops, innocent but terrified, I grabbed my docs and driving lic and smiled nervously as they walked round the car looking in the back- "ooh it's got seat belts" says one, "is it diesel" says the other. no interest whatsoever in my docs just wanted a look at my jeep!
getting stopped by the various police forces
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 13:31In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
When our daughter was living out here with us, she and I got stopped all the time. The reason, she is 5' 11", gorgeous and they stopped us whenever they caught site of her. Taking the time to chat about how we came to be here, where we lived, how was the business going and could they come to lunch. To which of course we always replied whenever you are passing come for coffee.
Not ever thinking they would take us up on it, one evening around 1000 pm, a carabinieri vehicle entered the gates - this was some time later, and we had completely forgotten. Husband in a panic, what had we done?
Not to worry it was the pair that stopped us, who had indeed come for coffee, and are now our now regulars. I forgot to mention, their patch is no where near here!
There was another incident with the forestale police as well. We were duly stopped, this time with David - no seat belt, wrong insurance doc and when he produced his driving license, it started to disintegrate before our eyes. The forestale held it between two fingers, looking very disturbed, took it back to his vehicle to further examine it. This was the new plastic type, but very old and David's photo bore resemblance to Bin Laden, so I could understand his problem.
Anyway we are instructed to present ourselves to the commandant in sarnano at 1120 precisely with the correct documents. I made a phone call for a well-connected friend to meet us, and we all three arrived at the office. (Georgina was working in the UK, so not with us)
Before too long we were shown into the commandants office, - he looked carefully at me, and said "You're Georgina's Mother". Yes I replied. Oh how is she, what is she doing, give her my best wishes. What a great girl she is, so helpful and beautiful of course. And, get a new license and don't forget to wear your seat belt."
I phoned to thank her when I got back home - "Even when you are in the UK, you are still getting us out of trouble!" What a result!
So when people ask what helped you the most to get your business going, and to live in italy - you can guess my reply...............
Go on admit it - you're an international drug smuggler working for your local cammuristi. Switzerland for cheap petrol indeed! :winki: