GingerFlowers

Today is not my day..and yesterday wasn't either...
Yesterday going through the toll where you pick up a biglietto ..there wasn't one..and the gate was open. I got out of the car (right hand drive), came up to the machine - nothing. 2 impatient drivers tooting for me to go as the gate is open.. At the next toll where you need to pay I was charged Eur 89.20 because I didn't have a biglietto. When I asked the man behind the Help button why is it so much (usually Eur8) the machine just spurted out a long Unpaid Toll Ticket and the gate opened.
Today - same place. I managed to get a biglietto but at the next payment point (the same as yesterday) this biglietto was not accepted by the machine..and the price that came up on the screen was Eur 39.80. Upon asking why I was issued with another long Unpaid toll ticket.
Is it just me or has anyone had that too? What did you do? Did you contest it? How?

Lorna at Vicenza

The only experience I have with motorway tolls is from years ago when I was a passenger in a mate's car and the entry ticket never came out but the barrier lifted and he carried on driving. It was in the days before automatic paying machines and when every booth had a real person sitting in it. When we exited the motorway just 30 Km later and he had no ticket to hand in, he was told that he'd have to pay the full price of the whole autostrada that he could have travelled that day until the next section of motorway. I didn't really follow the conversation at the time but it was something like : if the Venice - Milan is 152 Km long from start to finish and you can't prove you only travelled 30 km on it then you have to pay the full 152 Km. My friend contested it and was told to go to a certain office at the beginning of the motorway the next day with me as his witness and my ID documents. I honestly can't remember the outcome. I don't think he paid for 152 Km though.

GingerFlowers

Thank you for the reply Lorna, I thought I'm the only one in this Italian Universe:-)
Yes, it does look that they want me to pay for the whole autostrada..
My friendly lawyer just wrote a letter to the relevant people..I shall inform you on the outcome. Fingers crossed...

Lorna at Vicenza

You're never alone in this weird universe but we don't all have something to contribute to every thread. I leave things like rents and houses to Modicasa and taxes to others and pensions to O'Nonno and others because I don't know much of anything about them. At least you have a friendly lawyer. I think we should all get one as soon as we get residency.

Lorna at Vicenza

Sorry it took me so long to reply though ............. plenty more Italian shitting red tape going on here ..................... but do tell us if you resolve anything and best of luck.

GingerFlowers

Thank you Lorna,

I'd say that after 'learning the language'...'getting a lawyer' would be the second thing I'd recommend for anyone who moves here. And for people with a slightly complicated financial situation (running a business for example)..an accountant is very useful. The law is a minefield here. Otherwise it's all peachy:-)

Lorna at Vicenza

A lawyer, an accountant and a set of horse blinkers to blind us to a lot of crap

philat98

GingerFlowers

Philat 98,
Yes, I am considering it now.. Although I can't quite imaging having it is a smooth sailing either..:-) Maybe you are just lucky

Lorna at Vicenza

I never really thought about getting telepass before because I don't use the motorway that often, but it might be worth it now that all the humans have been removed from the toll booths. I hate wondering or checking what kind of banknotes I have in my purse and I've either got short arms or I don't pull my car in close enough to easily reach the machines. I once dropped a handful of coins into the 'bucket' and half of them bounced straight back out again and rolled under the car. I got out on my hands and knees to retrieve them and stubbornly ignored the honking going on behind me. If it had just been a few cents I'd have left them there but they were 2 and 1 euro coins.

GingerFlowers

I guess I just need to get used to the thought that I have to pay monthly for the privilege of using it...

Lorna at Vicenza

€12.40 a year divided into 4 payments. Bill comes every three months with your toll fees plus the €3.78 telepass cost. I'm looking now and there's a promotion going on. Sign up in September and get 6 months free.

philat98

Good value I think. There are normally no queues on the telepass gates so it knocks a bit of time off your journey. If you have two cars you can use it with both.

GingerFlowers

Did I read it right..it's attached by a velcro..?

philat98