Skip to main content

Paid in full

An American man living in Phoenix, Arizona has finally paid an overdue parking fine, which he was first given in 1964. The man had parked his Vespa scooter illegally while on holiday in Italy. His fine had been set at 1,000 Lire, roughly US$13, for parking the scooter incorrectly while visiting the town of Lerici as a student.
November 20, 2014 Read time: 1 min

An American man living in Phoenix, Arizona has finally paid an overdue parking fine, which he was first given in 1964. The man had parked his Vespa scooter illegally while on holiday in Italy. His fine had been set at 1,000 Lire, roughly US$13, for parking the scooter incorrectly while visiting the town of Lerici as a student. The fine was supposed to have been paid within 15 days, so the man opted to send $50 to make up for any interest accrued during the past 50 years. The authorities in Lerici thanked the man for his honesty, despite the payment being around 18,000 days later than required.

Related Content

  • CECE Summit – is Europe ready for a digital construction worksite?
    November 20, 2015
    The CECE has voiced his concern over government regulations that could strangle innovation for the digitalisation of construction machinery. China’s imploding economy was another topic at the recent conference in Brussels, reports David Arminas. The CECE has urged the European Parliament and European Commission to enact legislation that promotes rather than hinders the construction sector’s transition to a digitalised way of working. “We need a smart regulatory framework that helps to unlock the full poten
  • Increased crash risk for young drivers when tired
    May 2, 2012
    A new study by researchers at the University of Bologna in Italy suggests that young drivers are twice as likely to have a crash if they felt sleepy at the wheel or have had problems sleeping. The study of students found that 56% who'd been involved in at least one accident said they had driven despite feeling sleepy, compared with 35% of those who had not been in a crash. According to the UK motoring organisation the RAC, driver sleepiness is estimated to account for around 20% of accidents on major roads
  • Learning record
    June 4, 2019
    Learning record A young driver in Germany managed to be banned from driving a mere 49 minutes after passing his test. Perhaps in jubilation at having passed the test, and no longer having to rely on his friends or ‘dad’s taxi' for transport, the 18 year-old driver inadvisedly pressed pedal to metal. Officers in the town of Hemer, near Dortmund, used a laser unit to determine the vehicle’s speed, seeing that it was travelling at 95km/h in a 50km/h zone. Perhaps he was trying to show his driving skills to hi
  • The father of asset management speaks on the development of the concept
    May 24, 2016
    World Highways caught up with man who developed the concept of asset management for roads in the 1960s. Dr Ralph Haas is still researching in his native Canada, and commenting on potholes. The e-mail was brief. “You won't believe this, but I think I'm the last person on the planet without a cell phone.” That was quite an admission from Ralph Haas, distinguished Canadian professor emeritus. He was one of several civil engineers in the 1960s who developed the concept of managing roads as an integrated