# Speeding ticket?



## les bois (Dec 15, 2014)

soledoc said:


> Yes I'll pay but it's just very difficult trying to figure out how. It's not just a paypal click away with Hungary.


I used "Transferwise" to move money from my EU bank to US bank last year when relocating. I'm not sure if they support HUF, but I recommend checking them out. Great FX rates and very reasonable fees.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Now I get this in the mail from Germany!!!! I can't catch a break on my ED trip!!!!


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## djsaad1 (Sep 3, 2012)

On the bright side, this one seems to come with an email address. You can at least email them to ask how to pay from the U.S.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Ah yes I see the email address. And this one is only €12...but I still don't know for what.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

nothing to worry about - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=799715


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## Dallas550 (Jan 16, 2011)

soledoc said:


> Ah yes I see the email address. And this one is only €12...but I still don't know for what.


Yeah, I just got one of those as well. No big deal.


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## frank325 (Dec 29, 2005)

You're making me paranoid.... one time I ran a yellow light that was pretty close to red, and now I'm expecting a letter soon.

On a related note, am I the only one that thinks the placement of lights at intersections over there is really stupid? Here you need one. Over there, because of how they're placed, sometimes they need three.


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## Dallas550 (Jan 16, 2011)

frank325 said:


> You're making me paranoid.... one time I ran a yellow light that was pretty close to red, and now I'm expecting a letter soon.
> 
> *On a related note, am I the only one that thinks the placement of lights at intersections over there is really stupid?* Here you need one. Over there, because of how they're placed, sometimes they need three.


Agree 100%. It always takes me at least a day or two to adjust to the placement.


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## frank325 (Dec 29, 2005)

Dallas550 said:


> Agree 100%. It always takes me at least a day or two to adjust to the placement.


If you're the first one at the light, it seems like stopping at the right place results in EVERY light being hidden by something, either the roof or the rear view mirror. odd.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Spent over an hour at my bank. Even called a guy there who speaks Hungarian and he couldn't even figure it out. He said he just paid his tix there. Thanks! Basically it came down to not having a recipient name associated with the account and IBAN. I even called the Hungarian consulate in NY. They haven't called me back. The Hungarian guy at my bank said "so don't pay it." Now way. I'm going to pay but my thing is where is my proof to show I did? A receipt of a wire transfer? That's enough? Plus if there is no recipient where is my money going.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

There must be a reference number on your ticket. Is there a memo line on the transfer form? To enter that reference?


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Nope. No reference number. IBAN yes swift code yes we think, bank...I think I figured out. No person or group name associated with the IBAN that we can tell. This is really B.S. I did not get a call back from the Hungarian embassy. This ordeal is awful. How can they expect us to pay and know we have for sure so our record is clear? I'm probably going back to Europe this year. My wife wants to get herself a car via ED and I'll be driving.....but no way in Hungary or Slovenia!!!


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## obmd1 (Jan 17, 2005)

Do these tickets from Germany come registered? Something came yesterday for me from Frankfurt, but no one was at home to sign. I'm vvunderink vaht is vvaiting for me at zzee post office.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Mine from Germany (not speeding just a carbon tax that should have been pis by BMW) was not. My ticket from Hungary was registered mail


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## obmd1 (Jan 17, 2005)

Got the tax thing too. And then the ticket. 139kph in 100. 80Eur fine, 27eur fees. Bleh.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

obmd1 said:


> Got the tax thing too. And then the ticket. 139kph in 100. 80Eur fine, 27eur fees. Bleh.


What country speeding? How are you going to pay if you are?


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## obmd1 (Jan 17, 2005)

Germany. I need to get the thing translated to find out how to pay. I plan on going bald to the EU, so pay I shall.


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

Just got 3 tickets in the mail today. Darn those Germans are efficient. Even when it comes to extortion of revenue from our pockets.

All three were inner city in Stuttgart for minor infractions over a 50kph limit. they have a 3 kph tolerance. So basically 2 mph over the limit gets you a fine!


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## jayb328i (Aug 4, 2013)

767jetz said:


> Just got 3 tickets in the mail today. Darn those Germans are efficient. Even when it comes to extortion of revenue from our pockets.
> 
> All three were inner city in Stuttgart for minor infractions over a 50kph limit. they have a 3 kph tolerance. So basically 2 mph over the limit gets you a fine!


Join the club--I got 2 tickets from Italy (Rome and some other big city) and never know I committed the violation until received the ticket in the mail. But bottom line is---I was guilty as charged---and PAY IT and be done. Whether major or minor infractions--guilty as charged.


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Yea pay it if you can figure out how.


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## Northcar (Sep 21, 2005)

frank325 said:


> might be better in the wiki.


Wiki or Sticky - Either or sound great to me. Certainly valuable information.


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

Spent 2 hours at the bank trying to wire money to Stuttgart. What a goat rope!

Much of the problem was the fact that the bank (Capital One) doesn't do many international wire transfers. There were issues with formatting the info properly on their system. For example, it didn't like comas dashes or any punctuation. Many of the addresses did not transfer correctly to their US formatting. Luckily I have some minimal German speaking skills, so I was able to retrieve some of the necessary info buried in the fine print. Eventually we worked out all the bugs. But what a pain in the a**.

Now we will wait and see if the money gets there and gets credited correctly.


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## jayb328i (Aug 4, 2013)

767jetz said:


> Spent 2 hours at the bank trying to wire money to Stuttgart. What a goat rope!
> 
> Much of the problem was the fact that the bank (Capital One) doesn't do many international wire transfers. There were issues with formatting the info properly on their system. For example, it didn't like comas dashes or any punctuation. Many of the addresses did not transfer correctly to their US formatting. Luckily I have some minimal German speaking skills, so I was able to retrieve some of the necessary info buried in the fine print. Eventually we worked out all the bugs. But what a pain in the a**.
> 
> Now we will wait and see if the money gets there and gets credited correctly.


Just go to a Bank that has a foreign desk, or have it done with one of the European Banks, easy


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

Damn it!!! Just got ANOTHER dreaded letter in the mail. This time for 91kph in an 80kph zone, somewhere in Karlsruhe. 11 kph over. That's 6.8mph over in basically a 50mph zone for the metrically challenged. 6 frickin' mph! Only 20 Euros, but will probably cost me another $40 to do a wire transfer.

I think I'm setting some kind of record here. That makes 4 so far. Haven't had a speeding ticket in the US for about 15 years.


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## frank325 (Dec 29, 2005)

767jetz said:


> Damn it!!! Just got ANOTHER dreaded letter in the mail. This time for 91kph in an 80kph zone, somewhere in Karlsruhe. 11 kph over. That's 6.8mph over in basically a 50mph zone for the metrically challenged. 6 frickin' mph! Only 20 Euros, but will probably cost me another $40 to do a wire transfer.
> 
> I think I'm setting some kind of record here. That makes 4 so far. Haven't had a speeding ticket in the US for about 15 years.


It feels like forever since we've been over there. I can't believe you're still getting these in the mail- sucks man!


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

Livin' the dream. On the bright side... makes it feel like my ED experience will never end!:rofl:


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## nitinkarkhanis (Sep 9, 2007)

767jetz said:


> Livin' the dream. On the bright side... makes it feel like my ED experience will never end!:rofl:


How many days after your return did you start getting these "gifts" from Germany? I've been back 40 days and have been wondering if they'll start showing up.

Thanks.


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## F16X6 (Dec 12, 2014)

F16X6 said:


> Hey guys, I am willing to assist you all in paying these fines. I'm an American living in Germany, I have bank accounts here with IBAN, BIC and translation services. If you need me to do so for you, message me and we can discuss it.
> If you think getting a few tickets while staying a week or two is bad, try living here. They have cameras for everything from using cell phone, following too close, speeding (of course) ...


Offer still stands, you can PayPal me the money for the fine, ill pay it and email you the "receipt" for conformation.


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## obmd1 (Jan 17, 2005)

nitinkarkhanis said:


> How many days after your return did you start getting these "gifts" from Germany? I've been back 40 days and have been wondering if they'll start showing up.
> 
> Thanks.


Took about 4 weeks. Comes registered mail.


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## Hotzenplotz (Jun 6, 2015)

nitinkarkhanis said:


> How many days after your return did you start getting these "gifts" from Germany? I've been back 40 days and have been wondering if they'll start showing up.
> 
> Thanks.


By German law the speeding ticket has to be sent to you within an time limit of three months counting from the speeding incident on. After that, you may relax.


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## SamS (Jan 17, 2011)

767jetz said:


> Damn it!!! Just got ANOTHER dreaded letter in the mail. This time for 91kph in an 80kph zone, somewhere in Karlsruhe. 11 kph over. That's 6.8mph over in basically a 50mph zone for the metrically challenged. 6 frickin' mph! Only 20 Euros, but will probably cost me another $40 to do a wire transfer.
> 
> I think I'm setting some kind of record here. That makes 4 so far. Haven't had a speeding ticket in the US for about 15 years.


I don't ask this to be a dick, but I assume you don't have Driver Assistance Plus package with Speed Limit Info? I have feature on my current car, and ordered it again for my F80, which I will pick up via ED in October.


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## nitinkarkhanis (Sep 9, 2007)

Thanks guys, I guess I've got 50 more days before I can stop worrying.


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## jayb328i (Aug 4, 2013)

Hotzenplotz said:


> By German law the speeding ticket has to be sent to you within an time limit of three months counting from the speeding incident on. After that, you may relax.


Not so sure about the three months. That means 3 months to send out the ticket, not that you received it. It will be mailed to the rental company, who will probably respond to the authorities with your name and address as the rentor. Than the authorities will send to you the ticket based on them receiving your name and accurate address. I believe the 3 months only applies to the first step---sending the ticket to the renting company.


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## ChicagoBigHouse (Sep 2, 2013)

Looks like i have about 2 months left to get my tickets!


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## Hotzenplotz (Jun 6, 2015)

jayb328i said:


> That means 3 months to send out the ticket, not that you received it.


That is right. Sorry for expressing it unclear, I am not a native speaker.

However, within the three months it has to be addressed to the specific driver who shall pay the fine. So, just mailing to a rental company and asking who was driving would not be enough for the authorities to meet the 3 months rule.


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

nitinkarkhanis said:


> How many days after your return did you start getting these "gifts" from Germany? I've been back 40 days and have been wondering if they'll start showing up.
> 
> Thanks.


Got the first 3 within about 25 days of drop off. The last one showed up ED+46 days. Non of them came registered in my case. But mine were from local towns for relatively low speed limits in inner cities. I think reach city handles them differently. Not sure about Autobahn tickets. Maybe those come registered. :dunno:

Stuttgart was a pain in the a**. The one from Karlsruhe had a website with an online hearing. I will find out on Monday how best to pay it. Would be nice if they had an online payment method too.


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## SJAPoc (Apr 14, 2007)

F16X6 said:


> Offer still stands, you can PayPal me the money for the fine, ill pay it and email you the "receipt" for conformation.


Your offer appears to be the easiest way to deal with the complications of paying for tickets from the US, an issue that is obviously plaguing a lot of people. It is very gracious of you :thumbup:


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## 767jetz (Feb 4, 2008)

***** IMPORTANT UPDATE *****

I would advise anyone who gets a ticket in Germany to find a German speaker and take the time to call the town of the offense during business hours and speak to someone!

Every township seems to have different procedures and rules. Stuttgart was very specific that the fine must be paid, it must be in Euros, and failure to pay will result in action against your passport.

BUT... Karlsruhe is apparently more lenient. First, they have an online hearing that I filled out, basically pleading guilty. It was a straight forward process that took about 5 minutes. But there was little information about payment methods except an address of where to send the fine. Today I called them (using a skype account to a land-line, that costs pennies per minute) and had my father on my other phone. (He was a German interpreter for a Colonel in the US army over 50 years ago.) She looked up the record via the ticket number and told us that no further action is required. Since I pleaded guilty and am out of the country, the ticket is dismissed and no further action is required.

Now keep in mind this was for a 20 Euro ticket. I'm sure there are limits to their tolerance depending on the infraction. My experience so far, having called both Stuttgart and Karlsruhe is that no oone who works in these departments speak a word of English. Perhaps they are forbidden, to avoid any miscommunication. Germans mostly speak SOME English, but everyone I called in reference to tickets have only spoken in German without exception.

If you don't know anyone who can translate for you, one suggestion is to call the hotel concierge at the hotel you stayed at. As a customer, they would probably be willing to make a phone call for you, while you are on the line, to at least inquire about payment methods, and as in my case, they might even find out that no further action is required. Another suggestion would be to go to an international bank. Any large bank branch, like Citibank or maybe HSBC or a Swiss bank probably has a German speaker who might be willing to make a call for you. Finally, having done a wire transfer previously, it might be worthwhile as a last resort to go to a bank that can make out a money order IN EUROS that you can send via regular mail.

Good luck to all!


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## m5in2009 (Nov 11, 2007)

Pay up or you could be tagged as an international scofflaw and have difficulty at the border next time you enter the Euro Zone!


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## bmwe30love (Jul 25, 2015)

Hey guys I need help on deciding if my brothers beige interior is vinyl or leather !.


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