# any speeding tickets or other fines?



## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

griffmac said:


> Yeah, that's it - not paying a speeding ticket.


:dunno:


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## bmwesq (Mar 25, 2006)

griffmac said:


> If I thought I was never visiting the country again, I wouldn't even think of paying a speeding ticket. Ugly American? No just basic common sense.


Well said, Thankyou. Common sense always prevails.


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

bmwesq said:


> I just received a ticket in the mail today for going 14 km/hour over while traveling through Austria. Ticket is 35 Euro. This is from my June 2006 ED trip. They have got to be kidding, right? Do they really think that Americas are going to pay these tickets or is this stuff just computer generated. I highly doubt that there are any ramifications for not paying. Unless, of course, I get pulled over while traveling through Austria again. Any thoughts?


You broke the law and got caught....pay the damn ticket (At least the tickets in Germany are for something, not like the ones we get here in the US of A which are just revenue generators for the local corrupt judges). Good for you Spira, like the comment!


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## EricG (Jul 30, 2006)

Back in 1996 I was stationed in Germany with the Air Force. Upon leaving Germany I thought I could get away with not paying my last phone bill. Long story short... it ended up on my credit record in the US even though it was from a German company. I'd imagine that if a ticket was turned over to a German collection agency and they had you name and address, you'd get the mark on your credit record. Don't assume that even though you never plan on returning to a country they don't have a way at getting what is due.


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## bechego (Feb 1, 2006)

Here is one...and I have some of it on video (which is not posted, and can't).
I was on my way to Frankfurt and had the final opportunity to go fast. It was drizzling and there was a section of the A that had a speed limit sign that read "100KPH when wet". I got caught doing 150KPH on video!!! At least I reached 145MPH (in the unlimited section) before I noticed the cop riding my bumber! I could not hear the syren!

Good memory and EU220 tourist tax.


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## Boricua (Jan 12, 2007)

bmwesq said:


> I just received a ticket in the mail today for going 14 km/hour over while traveling through Austria. Ticket is 35 Euro. This is from my June 2006 ED trip. They have got to be kidding, right? Do they really think that Americas are going to pay these tickets or is this stuff just computer generated. I highly doubt that there are any ramifications for not paying. Unless, of course, I get pulled over while traveling through Austria again. Any thoughts?


You have got to be kidding, we picked up our car (June 9th- 7:30 am baby) and dropped off (June 18th) the same day!! It was so great to be there during World Cup!
Anyway, we have also been wondering about the speeding ticket in the mail scenario, but figured we would be safe since it has been over 6 months.. then it occurred to us that on some of our paperwork they had our address incorrect since we had just moved (for example,we got the welcome package & instructions the day before we left to pick up the car, after calling the main ED # to ask where the heck everything was (since our dealer dropped the ball on this) So now we are hoping they didn't get sent to the wrong address. 
We love our first BMW and are already planning a second ED. Is there a way to actually check if you have outstanding foreign tickets?


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## DonBlack (Dec 31, 2006)

Hmmm. I was driving near Frankfurt today and I saw a big red light come on one of the big metal overhangs that straddles the highway as I drove under it. Does this mean that a picture was just taken?


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

No, it would be more of a flash, like a strobe.


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## DonBlack (Dec 31, 2006)

Well, it was kind of like the red light "flashed" at me. Makes me wonder how many camera I might have been nailed by this trip without even knowing it... Ugh.


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## amnesiac (Jul 19, 2006)

A friend of mine did ED for his M5 last year. Blew through every speed camera in Italy. It's been nearly a year and he hasn't received a ticket yet. So I'm pretty sure Italy doesn't go out of their way to send tickets to another country.


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## Gran Turismo (Aug 7, 2006)

That doesn't mean anything - Italian bureaucracy is not necessarily renowned for its efficiency... :rofl:


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## rommelrules (Feb 28, 2005)

I saw the flash go off a bunch of times during my ED. Mostly in France and Spain.
I never received anything in the mail however. :dunno:

I'm curious. How are some of you so *sure* that you will never visit a country again?
Especially countries like Austria, Switzerland, etc. Kind of sad, actually...


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

rommelrules said:


> I'm curious. How are some of you so *sure* that you will never visit a country again?
> Especially countries like Austria, Switzerland, etc. Kind of sad, actually...


People say that here all the time and I shake my head in wonder each time.


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## CAPT1809 (Oct 28, 2006)

Oh it's easy to understand, J: I'm surprised our scofflaw even popped for a trip to Germany. Michigan, where my former in-laws live, is bizarre. Half the folks there have never even been out of the state, and the rest think seeing Jamaica is actually visiting the Caribbean. It has plenty of hillbillies and lots of those that aren't just act like them-you know: stiffing law enforcement or a foreign country because you can.


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## chaslee (Dec 13, 2002)

My question is then should one drive the speed limit in Austria and Switzerland to avoid speeding tickets? I know that in France and probably Italy, speed limits are just polite suggestions. Are the speed camera signs very noticeable on the highways? Thanks.


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## jbcritch (Sep 27, 2006)

bmwesq said:


> I just received a ticket in the mail today for going 14 km/hour over while traveling through Austria. Ticket is 35 Euro. This is from my June 2006 ED trip. They have got to be kidding, right? Do they really think that Americas are going to pay these tickets or is this stuff just computer generated. I highly doubt that there are any ramifications for not paying. Unless, of course, I get pulled over while traveling through Austria again. Any thoughts?


Cheap ticket. Why not pay it? :dunno: If you plan on visiting europe again I would go ahead and mail the cash. Can you imagine what we would do to a tourist here who is speeding, doesnt pay the ticket, doesnt show for court, and then is touring again later and is pulled over.... Instant jail time my friend - courtesy of a bench warrant for the "no show" in court - jail for such is usually a few hours to a few days, until the matter is sorted out. :tsk:


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## jacksonhunter31 (Jan 25, 2007)

*Wow..nice generalization..*



CAPT1809 said:


> Oh it's easy to understand, J: I'm surprised our scofflaw even popped for a trip to Germany. Michigan, where my former in-laws live, is bizarre. Half the folks there have never even been out of the state, and the rest think seeing Jamaica is actually visiting the Caribbean. It has plenty of hillbillies and lots of those that aren't just act like them-you know: stiffing law enforcement or a foreign country because you can.


Half of us Michiganders have never even been out of the state? Not in my experience. Kind of like saying everyone from the south (i.e. Virginia) is a racist, sexist moron...which of course I would never do.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

chaslee said:


> My question is then should one drive the speed limit in Austria and Switzerland to avoid speeding tickets? I know that in France and probably Italy, speed limits are just polite suggestions. Are the speed camera signs very noticeable on the highways? Thanks.


In Austria generally speaking the cameras are VERY noticeable on the highway. You can drive up to 150 km/h and not get your picture taken. The limit on most sections of the Autobahn is 130 although a few small sections have a slightly higher limit now.


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## Gran Turismo (Aug 7, 2006)

chaslee said:


> My question is then should one drive the speed limit in Austria and Switzerland to avoid speeding tickets? I know that in France and probably Italy, speed limits are just polite suggestions. Are the speed camera signs very noticeable on the highways? Thanks.


Speaking for Switzerland: 
Yes, drive EXACTLY the speed limit if you prefer avoiding trouble, as the tolerances for getting a ticket are very low: 5kph if it's measured by radar and only 3kph if by laser!  
Some of the permanently installed speed cameras are quite obvious, but others are well hidden, i.e. at tunnel exits (careful on the motorways around Lucerne!). Mobile speed traps are usually well camouflaged


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## chaslee (Dec 13, 2002)

Thanks for giving us the heads up on the speed traps in Austria and Switzerland. We will be going from Fussen to Ascona so will be driving mostly in Switzerland. Oh well, I will have to tell my wife to ease up on the accelerator. Getting a 100+ Euro seeding ticket would not be fun.


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