DaniL

My husband just phoned and told me he's been fined 45euro on the bus. He had a contactless card and thought it beeped when he held it up to the machine, but it obviously didn't. The bus inspector said "sorry, still have to fine you, but you can contest it if you like." What are the chances of that working? What can they do if you just don't pay?

TestaRossa

Don't know what will happen if he doesn't pay, but he was lucky they didn't ask him to pay there and then, normally they do. What I would contest is the amount. Normally it is 25euros not 45...maybe it is because it is the contactless card, don't know. Same thing happened to me but I played like I didn't understand what he was telling me, so they let me off with a warning....Maybe I look more innocent than your OH, plus DD was with me being cute...It can be confusing with the beeps, and sometimes the machines don't work, I've bought a card that didn't work too, I had to take it to the station and make a report and send it off! They don't check it and just change it! Took a month for a new card to arrive!!

DaniL

Apparently the inspector wrote on the ticket that my husband said he tried to use it and the machine beeped, so I don't really see how they can justify a fine. Anyway, one of his students is going to write to them and try to sort it out. She said she deals with this sort of thing a lot at her work. I wonder if the inspectors are on comission for fines?

TestaRossa

I got the wrong end of the stick! Sorry, I thought you meant his card had run out, which you do get a kind of beep for, I didn't realise you meant it was a valid card and the machine didn't take it! Definitely contest it then!! As I say, I had one that just didn't work at all, so obviously I only found out by trying to use it, they did swap that one after I'd filled in paperwork - what would've happened if an inspector had got on the bus I don't know, probably the same! Also I have had it where the machine at one end of the bus doesn't work but the bus is so packed you can't get down the other end to validate at that one! It doesn't help...

DaniL

God I love the buses! I've been using a crata agile to get to work this week and feel a bit cheated no inspectors have got on, 10 euro I didn't need to spend!
Why am I so British and honest?!

TestaRossa

Well our ticket got checked on the 25 coming and going the other day! We get a lot of checks on the 12 and 13 in the summer months too. They make good money off the tourists getting on at Piazzale Michelangelo without tickets, especially as the bar that sells them is a good 50 or so metres from the stops!!

keeva72

I'm refusing to pay the fine. If I have to take it to the highest court in the land then so be it!

How dare you! I'm British and we play fair, don't you know!
bunch of cnts!!!!

TestaRossa

Lol! Problem is soo many people here don't! Not just Italians either. It's actually very amusing watching the attempted exodus of fair dodgers when the inspector gets on the bus - have you noticed they normally get on one each end?? It's to grab the people trying to make a quick exit!! The ones that really piss me off are the arrogant Americans, seen a few of them, the signs are in English all over the bus and when you get on at the doors, they really have no excuse but still try the "no-one speaks English so we couldn't be bothered" card and then kick up when they have to pay the fine. I think the fine you've had has gone up because the fare prices haven't but the tickets are now valid 90 minutes instead of 70. The tram has meant it is taking many buses longer so they have compensated us travellers without making us pay more, which they didn't have to if you think about it, I doubt they would in the UK, they would've just increased the ticket price! So I suppose they have to get it back some way!! If your ticket didn't work, then fight it! At least the inspector wrote that you had tried and thought it had beeped....Good luck!

indiebird

How much does each ticket cost? In Torino it's basically €1 one way... I think it's 70mins limit.... really at that price there's no excuse but soooooo many peeps are caught without tickets on the buses/ trams/ limited underground but it's simple imho and cheaper than anywhere I know of in the UK! I always buy a book of tickets (a carnet) whenever I'm getting down to my last 2-3 so I always know that I won't be left looking for a tobacconist at Lunchtime!

I still think you should fight it though in Flo as that just sounds like a proper mistake to me!

37100

It's €1 here too and you have to get on at the front door and when the inspectors are at the bus stop the bus doesn't open doors to let passengers off until they have shown their ticket. There are a lot of inspectors and sometimes the vigile are with them too in case someone doesn't want to give their id details etc. The ticket used to last 70mins, but now it's only 60.
It's €1.50 from Venaria to Turin but you can use it on another bus in Turin too as long as you are within the time limit.

indiebird

yeah the ticket from here to Turin is about €2ish but again you can use it once in the centre to if there's still time.....

37100

Never get the night Turin to Venaria unless you need to buy something.

TestaRossa

They start at 2.20 for a single ticket and drop to less than a euro with the agile cards and monthly unlimited use cards. So no, there is no excuse here, but the agile and some of the others are swipe cards like the oyster in London but not rechargeable, so you swipe it in front of the ticket machine and it beeps with different sounds to tell you that your ticket has been validated or that your card has run out. They are very different sounds and I have had a brand new one that just wouldn't work, the machine said it was used up and I got that swapped, so they don't always work properly...A rechargeable one would be better but it would mean the little shops that sell them probably couldn't anymore.