What Should I Do About A German Speeding Ticket?

[talford]

I was photographed speeding on the autobahn in Bavaria and now I got a 170 Euro ticket and a statement that my license was suspended for one month(in German) to my address in the US, requesting that I mail in my drivers license. What will happen if I ignore it?

[Weiford]

Nothing...probably... It depends...if you were in a rental car then the rental agency will bill you and they may have your credit card and bill you directly and just put it on your credit card.    If it was not a rental...they may go after the owner of the car...   If you never plan on going back to Germany or the EU they can not do anything to you here if you do not pay.   Even if I was going to pay, personally I would not be mailing them my drivers license...maybe a copy.  I probably would take my chances and ignore it...everything I can find says they cannot or will not do anything...but I really cannot find anything very definitive.  But common sense says what can they do?  The US definitely does not exchange driving violations with any EU countries.   170 euro is a bit of money...equals $242 us dollars. ChicagoTRS 101 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[nathaniel]

Snow_Leopard said: 2 Its not nice to mess with German bureaucrats. 101 months ago

[Osweald]

Remind them we've kicked their butts twice AND save them from the Reds My first reaction was, "There?s a speed limit on the Autobahn?" So, why does everyone I know who?s ever driven it, tell me there ISN?T one? Were I in your jackboots, I?d consider how often I?m going to be under German jurisdiction again. Is it likely? If not, tell them to come over here & pry it from your cold dead fingers. Still, to be on the safe side, I think I?d pose my question to the State Dept website. Develop some contacts there--they?ll be the ones working for your release from Stalag 99, after the Bundespolizei haul you off because your papers are not in order... Sources: "Cherman for Dumkopfs"(large print edition) Anonymous 101 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[ricard83]

Max Weber noted way over a century ago that Germany was a very bureaucratic place. Nothing has changed. Bureaucracies take a dim view of people who flout their rules.   Do what they want and be done with it. If not, they are apt to become very unpleasant next time you return.   As you know, the Germans get real upset with rule breakers. You'd be better off not finding out what they do to scofflaws.       http://kiza.kcore.de/journal/images/20041230-Geburtsurkunde.jpg Sources: two years of college German and extensive dealings with Germans   Snow_Leopard's Recommendations Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It(Basic Books Classics) Amazon List Price: $25.95 Used from: $8.71 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5(based on 9 reviews) Snow_Leopard 101 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[Humphrey]

My first reaction was, "There?s a speed limit on the Autobahn?" So, why does everyone I know who?s ever driven it, tell me there ISN?T one? Were I in your jackboots, I?d consider how often I?m going to be under German jurisdiction again. Is it likely? If not, tell them to come over here & pry it from your cold dead fingers. Still, to be on the safe side, I think I?d pose my question to the State Dept website. Develop some contacts there--they?ll be the ones working for your release from Stalag 99, after the Bundespolizei haul you off because your papers are not in order...

[Bridge]

Its not nice to mess with German bureaucrats.

[Raynor]

It depends...if you were in a rental car then the rental agency will bill you and they may have your credit card and bill you directly and just put it on your credit card.    If it was not a rental...they may go after the owner of the car...   If you never plan on going back to Germany or the EU they can not do anything to you here if you do not pay.   Even if I was going to pay, personally I would not be mailing them my drivers license...maybe a copy.  I probably would take my chances and ignore it...everything I can find says they cannot or will not do anything...but I really cannot find anything very definitive.  But common sense says what can they do?  The US definitely does not exchange driving violations with any EU countries.   170 euro is a bit of money...equals $242 us dollars.

[Buddey]

Gary4books said: 1 Another war with Germany. 101 months ago

[Constantinos]

Another war with Germany.