AutoVelox
More AutoVelox machines are popping up all along the A-1. (The A-1 is a freeway that runs most of the length of Italy, from Milan to Naples. The A-1 is also known as AutoStrada del Sole or Auto del Sole, Freeway to the Sun, Motorway to the Sun etc…)
AutoVelox are digital Speed Enforcement Systems, they are cameras that take photos of your car when you speed and send you a ticket. The fines can run an average of 100 Euros or more. When caught my one of these cameras, you may have to pay a fine and have points (an average of 2-4, 5 or even 6 pts.) taken off your drivers license. (You start with something like 40 points (as a lifetime allotment) and when you run out, your license is revoked and you have to sign up for driving school all over again; which is very, very time consuming and very expensive.) I have no idea how much this cost but it is more than the $14 dollars or so it takes in WA State to get a drivers license. I am in the process of getting my license in Italy and so far I have put several hours and paid 47 Euros to get a medical certificate that states I am healthy enough to operate a motor vehicle and that’s only step 1 of about 5 steps.
I have an aunt that lives in Canada, one day she received a speeding ticket in the mail. Being a very slow driver she contested the ticket and demanded to see the photo of her speeding. The proper office produced the photo and when she saw that it was indeed her car but not her driving, the driver had a baseball cap on (obviously her son, my cousin) she had him pay the fine.
Generally I think this is a good idea, No manpower is wasted, people who speed are caught, police officers don’t have to come into contact with as many weirdoes driving badly, it’s a win-win situation right? The only thing negative thing I have noticed so far is that when a speeding car figures out he/she is about to be photographed, they slam on the brakes in an effort to get rid of some speed and that seems dangerous to me. Do you have these in your country? If so, how are they working?
*A side note: If you know someone who works in transportation you may be able to get a map of the AutoVelox in your area or you can just download a map from the internet.
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posted by Gia-Gina @ 11:49:00 AM
6 Comments:
There's a semi-famous story from California, when that state first started using automated cameras to ticket people. A man received a copy of a photo of his car, with its license plate in full view, along with a speeding ticket. He sent back a photo of a check written out to the amount. A little later, he got another photo from the state — this time of handcuffs.
He paid the ticket. :)
I always saw cars slow down before an auto velox so I always wondered how many speeders those machines actually caught. Any ideas?
Yes we have them in Norway too and I do agree, they work fine as they reduce the speed, especially around schools. I got two of those tickets last year, but that was the time when my youngest just got his license LoL. He did not liked the pictures tough:-)
the italian driving licence is given with 20 points http://www.aci.it/index.php?id=430, if you drive safely and never make any mistake in two years you're given 2 more points.
Thanks for the correct info. pm10.
Grateful ffor sharing this
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