LeVeL;n3553694 said:
Got an actual letter from the Italian rozzers for one of the violations, the speed one. Had a link to see photo evidence and all the details. Fair is fair, I'll pay it. Still no clue how in the world those mad Italians don't get daily tickets for speeding like utter lunatics...
Was it a fixed camera or a mobile police position?
Many do get tickets constantly, particularly the most spirited. Many others are driving along in roads they know well, so they know where the fixed cameras are and slow down for the camera then accelerate again right after it. Or they are calmer where they know police might be waiting.
Keep in mind that the police might overlook small violations in speed if the car was moving along with the traffic and was not dangerous (I stress "might"), whereas fixed cameras, if active, will shoot everything.
Another thing is that cameras may not be working all the time. But there are some that are specifically placed to rake up tickets, and there you see people slamming on the brakes.
In general, however, speed limits in Italy are -low-; not in a general sense, but in many specific spots or roads, for reasons tied to the laws regulating them, the limits are often way lower than safety requires.
So, many people speed up until they deem it safe (so, technically, they speed, even in cases where their speed is not actually dangerous), and since there are so many spots with this problem, they can't be all monitored all the time. Most of them are never, particularly those where the higher speed people do is actually safe.
This also has some positive effects; the bulk of traffic self-regulates to speeds that are -actually- rather safe, compared to what they could be. If the road is twisty and dangerous, people will indeed slow down to a "safe" speed. I stress "safe" because this will never be as safe as it could be with a minimum of smart thinking or good limiting, but as safe as the common mind of the masses will think is acceptable.
Another golden rule is to know -how much- to speed. 10+ kph over and you lose points on your licence, 40+ kph over and they suspend your driving licence, so many people keep in those ranges.
Again, the police has little fundings, so they can't cover everything, plus if they did the'd get a revolt because of the very low limits.
The drawback is that people doesn't look at speed limits anymore and evaluate the road according to -their own- judgement, which in these times of hectic and stressful life means many people still speed up more than they should, or refuse to slow down. The stressed mind is dangerously oblivious.
Last but not least, average speed has increased in the last fifteen years and is keeping increasing, because cars are more and more quieter, powerful, faster, big. But this is reaching physical limits.
This is why, for example, in the first day you get rain after a long period of dry weather you'll see many people crashed in roundabouts, bends and the like, because they kept confidence with dry weather and they kept the same speed (stress, hectic life, obliviousness) -they- did judge safe even when the rain gets a little wet and dirty with the residues of the dry period.