Speed camerasI remember in Albuquerque before we left in 2006 that the city was trying to install cameras at some of the most dangerous intersections to reduce the amount of accidents and the accompanying outcry from various groups that this was a violation of some personal right. I would like to see what these people would do here.
I wrote before about the cameras that the comune has installed around Ascoli Piceno, and I must report it seems to have had little affect on the graffiti problem. I understand closed caption cameras are rather common throughout Europe, have you ever seen the BBC show “Spooks”?
Another place you need to be aware of cameras in Italy is when driving. They have cameras set up on various Autostrada (toll ways) and Superstrada (freeways) that will take your photo if you are speeding and mail a ticket to you several months later. I have been the victim of this before. They also have a program on the Autostrada called Tutor that gauges your time between getting your ticket when entering and paying when exiting and if this is too short you get a speeding ticket.We were recently in the Macerata Provincia and in several small towns we saw these new speed cameras. In Italy the speed limit, unless otherwise posted, is 50 kmh within the town limits. For those who know Italy this is marked by when you see the white sign with the town name. We saw these cameras as you entered and exited the town and in one larger town I counted five of these cameras placed along the main road through town.
When driving in Italy you should not only beware of the crazy Italian drivers but be sure to smile for the cameras!
4 comments:
We have just been to Italy for 10 days, and my husband took his Sat Nav..(GPS) before he left the UK you can pay a bit and download special software, which will tell you where the Cameras are, eg like how far away they are...pretty amazing, we have used it twice in Italy now..a god send.
What happens if you are in a rental car (which I am usually in while in Italy). I got a parking ticket once while market days were going on in a rental and never paid. Can they track you down?
Oh--these new ones are prettier than the old grey ones@ To answer Anne--our GPS warns us when the cameras are coming up--both on the byways and the highways.
Anne and Jane, I doubt the GPS will know where the mobile unites are that they use so you still need to be careful. In this area the newspapers list each day where the mobile units will be for that day and the next.
Italian Lover - Yes they can still find you. I got a speeding ticket while in a rental and they found me via the rental agency. Many visitors have received tickets several months after leaving Italy, especially for driving in restricted traffic zones in historic centers like Roma and Firenza.
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