So I was riding the bus home from Ancona to Osimo. The bus is ATMA I always stamp my ticket but this time I got on the bus and since I had so much stuff in my hand I wasn't able to get my bus ticket out. I sat down and I was gonna go stamp it when inspectors got on. He started speaking to me very fast in Italian and I tried unsertanding he asked for my id and my passport. Then he filled out a paper and told me to sign. I asked what it was for and he again spoke very fast but I understood that I had to pay a 50 euro fine. The guy was so rude and I tried explaining that I had only been on the bus a few times before and I really didn't know I had to validate my ticket as soon as I get on the bus. A few times before I've done it after and the bus drivers have seen me. After he didn't really give me a chance to speak and threatened to call the police. I'm in Italy for another month. What happens if I don't pay the fine? And where do I go to pay it?

<i><font color=#555555>"I had so much stuff in my hand I wasn't able to get my bus ticket out."</font></i>

That excuse wouldn't get you very far in NYC either. If you can't speak the local language, don't play loose with the rules. For bus transportation anywhere, it is universally known that the rule is to pay <b>before</b> you sit down.

Wouldn't get you very far anywhere. What does that mean, you "don't know how to validate your ticket". It's always near the door, some kind of machine. Where I live, the old-fashioned local buses still take coins, but you still put them in a machine right near the driver. In fact, you knew perfectly well how to do it, you just thought you didn't have to do it right away.

Now, in fact, I agree that on some buses, you'd get away with that if there weren't inspectors on it, sure, but if an inspector saw someone get on and just sit down without paying, they don't care about your supposed intentions (which would be a lie for most people, anyway, that you will only pay after getting caught).

Riding the bus "Home" to Osimo? Do you live in Osimo?

Does it not say on the ticket where to pay the fine?

I'm here living for 2 months. Its all in Italian so I'm not sure where to go thats why I was asking but I do intend on paying it.

You can ask a bus driver or the local police (or tourist office) where to pay it.

I live in Italy and personally I would want to contest the fine and offer an explanation. I frequently ride buses in Italy (in a different region) and I very often put down my things before validating my ticket. (Where I live, the roads are so twisting, if you don't sit down immediately, it's a risk of falling over, especially when one's arms are full).

So I would explain to whomever you can what happened. It's possible they will not be able to waive the fine but you can try. If possible, take someone who speaks Italian with you. Good luck! (I used to live in NYC and it's a different system, but I have also contested tickets in NYC.)

By the way, to others: Validation machines are not alway sat the front of the bus in Italy, and very often ones that are don't work.

<<Another poster who hasn't traveled much in Italy.>>

NYCFoodSnob hasn't traveled much in Italy?? That's hilarious.

Thank you massimop! Tomorrow I'm gonna go out and ask and see what I can do.

Christina, you’re not supposed to put in quotes something the OP didn’t say! Please re-read the post.

They usually behead people who don't pay their fines. Or crucify them.

I tried to contest a bus ticket in NYC once. What a joke. The MTA had just installed the new Select Bus machines and some of the machines around the city were not working properly. The machines were not dispensing tickets for transfers, which are free to every passenger who pays for a single fare. Since I boarded the bus without the proper transfer ticket, I got hit by a new inspector. This was before the inspectors had their hand-held machines to check on swipe times. That ticket cost me $100. And not one person from the city bothered to answer or return my calls or written letters. Now, there's a phone number you call if you encounter a faulty machine. I tell visitors, good luck with that.

Massimop makes a fair point about bad bus drivers who exhibit no consideration for older passengers. They hit the gas or brakes as soon as they can, completely disregarding the person who just boarded or the people who are standing. So many people fall on NYC buses. It's a disgrace. Even so, no one appreciates a passenger who doesn't step aboard prepared to pay immediately. The ones who sit first and fumble with their purse or wallet are watched closely. Some bus drivers don't care who pays. Others will watch you through the rearview mirror and call you up within seconds. If a driver doesn't call you, some passengers will call you out. In NYC, there's always someone who doesn't want someone else to get more advantage.

Good luck finding a bus driver in Italy who speaks English. Same with cops. The local tourist office would be the easiest place to get decent service in English.

You have to pay the fine within 3 days, which may be already drawing to a close, or else it will go up to €83.33. (Tomorrow, November 1st, is a public holiday, so it wouldn't count.) You can pay it at a post office, which is probably the easiest thing to do.

You'll want to get a "vaglia postale", available in blank at the post office. They look like this:

http://www.max-online.info/files/vaglia-funghi-1000.jpg

On your fine, there should be an indication of the post office account number of the ATAM, the exact name it should be paid to, and your fine identification number. You put the ATAM postal account number where is says C/C n. and the name of the ATAM payee on the line "Intestato a". You're supposed to put your name and address on the lines indicated by "Eseguito da". At the bottom, under "causale", you need to put "Pagamento Multa ATAM n. xxxxx", where xxxxx would be the ticket number.

The fine may already include a partially compiled vaglia. If not, you need to fill out all three (sometimes just two) parts. You'll get one back with a receipt stamped on it.

The post office charges you €6 for the service of payment of the fine. You can pay in cash or with a bancomat. (I don't know about a regular credit card.)

If you want to contest the fine, here is the form to do so:

http://www.atmaancona.it/media/75980...e_Sanzione.pdf

You need to enter your name (nominativo), address, and codice fiscale. You need to attach a copy of your identity document (or passport), and your telephone number. The second section is not necessary unless the person presenting the complaint is not the person who was fined.

Under description of the problem, write, "Ero appena salito sul autobus all fermata xxxx, e siccome avevo le mani piene, mi ero seduto per poter trovare il biglietto. Gli agenti mi hanno fatto la multa prima che potevo trovarlo e validarlo."

Run this through Google translate to see if the description fits your situation. (I'm assuming you're a male, otherwise, it would be "ero appena salita", e "mi ero seduta".)

Under allegati, write, "Multa n. yyyy" and attach a photocopy of your fine.

At the bottom, sign it and enter the place (luogo) and date where you signed.

If you can scan it, and also the copy of your ID and the fine, you can send it off to the email address at the top of the page. Otherwise, mail it at the post office, as a certified letter (raccomandata), again within the three days.

xxxx is the stop where you got on the bus, which should be very near where you encountered the ticket controllers. (If not, you don't have a prayer, and might as well pay the fine.) YYYY would be the number of your ticket.

Here is the ATMA page that explains the payment options.

http://www.atmaancona.it/tariffe/sanzioni

Brava to bvlenci! Even though she lost me at "post office," rarely does some stranger on the internet exhibit such patience. I hope the information helped the OP, and the OP offers a sincere thank you.

I confess I'm not of fan of visiting the post office in Italy. There are a few "local" experiences I can do without. I avoid PO visits in NYC, too. IMO, that's what I pay assistants to do.

€83 seems outrageous for the fine, especially if the delayed boarding payment happened as written. These painful lessons one never forgets. It's a story you'll have forever.

Amen.