In trouble driving in Europe or Welcome to Switzerland, have a nice day!
Jan 14th, 2004, 09:56 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In trouble driving in Europe or Welcome to Switzerland, have a nice day!
A couple months ago I was on the verge of posting just to vent on our travel foibles while spending all of one day in Switzerland. Since that time the troubles seem to have followed us home. Is it just us or has anyone else encountered the "March of the wooden Soiders" (Stadtpolizei) in Switzerland?
After landing in Zurich we rented a car to drive directly to Munich. Although we honestly tried to avoid trouble, we stopped for lunch in St. Gallen where we parked and deposited plenty of coins in the meter. We returned to find our car in the process of being ticketed--unfortunately we didn't see the small temporary sign in German that said the strip of parking spots was closed for two hours for street cleaning. Couln't talk our way our way out of the ticket--they took our passports till we returned with the cash--240 chf ($200 usd) for a parking ticket %#@&!! OUCH!
That would have been the end of the sad story if we hadn't just received a letter from AVIS saying that they are fining us $25.00 because they say our car was involved in another traffic offense on the day we departed Switzerland and were in the country for another half day.
They attached Stadtpolizei report with notification that we should contact the Swiss police to resolve the matter. I had the police report translated by a co-worker this morning. Ready? Seems we radar-clocked traveling 53 kph in a 50 kph zone while we were leaving Zurich in route to the airport.
That's right. We were going 3 kph ( or 2 mph) over the speed limit. We owe the Swiss authorities another $40.00 ...at least!! I have vowed to never drive in Europe again . . . until my trip to Italy this May!
P.S. I am a fortynine year old woman who has been traveling and driving in Europe since I was 16. Maybe they have a crush on me.
After landing in Zurich we rented a car to drive directly to Munich. Although we honestly tried to avoid trouble, we stopped for lunch in St. Gallen where we parked and deposited plenty of coins in the meter. We returned to find our car in the process of being ticketed--unfortunately we didn't see the small temporary sign in German that said the strip of parking spots was closed for two hours for street cleaning. Couln't talk our way our way out of the ticket--they took our passports till we returned with the cash--240 chf ($200 usd) for a parking ticket %#@&!! OUCH!
That would have been the end of the sad story if we hadn't just received a letter from AVIS saying that they are fining us $25.00 because they say our car was involved in another traffic offense on the day we departed Switzerland and were in the country for another half day.
They attached Stadtpolizei report with notification that we should contact the Swiss police to resolve the matter. I had the police report translated by a co-worker this morning. Ready? Seems we radar-clocked traveling 53 kph in a 50 kph zone while we were leaving Zurich in route to the airport.
That's right. We were going 3 kph ( or 2 mph) over the speed limit. We owe the Swiss authorities another $40.00 ...at least!! I have vowed to never drive in Europe again . . . until my trip to Italy this May!
P.S. I am a fortynine year old woman who has been traveling and driving in Europe since I was 16. Maybe they have a crush on me.
Jan 14th, 2004, 10:45 AM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dear III
Thank you SO MUCH (merci viel mal!!) for the heads up about driving. We, too, will be driving in Switzerland later in the year--and to St. Gallen as well. I'd forgotten about the tv cameras that can capture the slightest infraction--I'm going to make sure my husband reads this because he seems to think he can still drive in Europe like he did when he was a 19 year old GI!
Thank you SO MUCH (merci viel mal!!) for the heads up about driving. We, too, will be driving in Switzerland later in the year--and to St. Gallen as well. I'd forgotten about the tv cameras that can capture the slightest infraction--I'm going to make sure my husband reads this because he seems to think he can still drive in Europe like he did when he was a 19 year old GI!
Jan 15th, 2004, 01:51 PM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Two thoughts:
It is refreshing to see that some countries have speed laws AND actually enforce them. Here in CA, if you drive the speed limit of, say, 65, you are blown off the road by passing SUV's whose drivers do 85 with impunity. I haven't seen a cop on the local freeway here in 2 months. We could solve the budget crisis and make our roads a lot safer with the radar and cameras employed in Europe.
Secondly, TTT's experiences are further testament to the value of looking into rail travel before doing the typically American thing and renting a car. On a train, you can do 180 mph with no worries over pricey tickets or parking signage in a foreign language.
It is refreshing to see that some countries have speed laws AND actually enforce them. Here in CA, if you drive the speed limit of, say, 65, you are blown off the road by passing SUV's whose drivers do 85 with impunity. I haven't seen a cop on the local freeway here in 2 months. We could solve the budget crisis and make our roads a lot safer with the radar and cameras employed in Europe.
Secondly, TTT's experiences are further testament to the value of looking into rail travel before doing the typically American thing and renting a car. On a train, you can do 180 mph with no worries over pricey tickets or parking signage in a foreign language.
Jan 15th, 2004, 02:21 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TTT, if it makes you feel any better, several weeks ago, our car was TOWED and we had to pay 250 euro ($300) to get it back plus a parking violation fee. The street where we always park had a temporary parking ban up for some reason or another...but there had been a windstorm that had blown the no parking sign behind some bushes so we didn't see it. To their credit, the police on duty that morning were sympathetic and tried to contact people along the street to get them to move their cars before the tow trucks showed up (they checked license plates against owner addresses and then knocked on people's doors). But our car is leased by the company my husband works for and they didn't have our home address...so we (and several others) had to walk over to the commune police and go through the whole deal on a Sunday morning. Not exactly a day of rest!
BTilke (Brussels)
BTilke (Brussels)
Jan 15th, 2004, 04:53 PM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TTT: I feel your pain. Call the Swiss Embassy and ask about the 3 miles over the speed limit rule, and while you're at it, explain about the small street cleaning sign. Ask the Cultural Attaché if there is anything he/she can do to mitigate your damages in this situation.
Jan 16th, 2004, 07:07 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,705
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You only got a ticket. I found my car with these huge concrete "locks" in its front tiers. And it took me hours to find out how and where I can get rid of those (by paying the fine, of course). But that was in Portugal.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mikster
Europe
4
Aug 16th, 2012 11:06 AM
