Has Icy broken the law??

I have not had "it" yet. As per my previous post, I've said I'm happy to pay it. Try reading my post ;)

Iceman wrote:I've said I'm happy to pay it. Try reading my post ;)

Hang on... I think there was a plan developing for a J2Ski group trip to deliver you to Suisse, dob you in and claim the reward... :lol:

We could share the reward with you (well some of it) if they'll pay it in toblerone?

HI there from the Swiss prison. All I can say is that the food is great, enough Milka and Toblerone to last me the 15 years imprisonment that I received. It's been good fun, we play a game of trying not to drop the melted Milka bar - Franz next door keeps letting it slip through his fingers and bending over to get it...... :roll:

However, in the real world, I have not received anything from the authorities. It transpired that I was actually caught speeding in France and not Switzerland like I thought. I have stopped coming home from work expecting a court summons to Paris - I know they'll get me when my guard is down!!

The latest car hire scam is a daily charge if you are taking the hire car into another country. Last season, on my January visit, I refused to pay, since it was only flagged up after I had paid, in advance for the car. They didn't persue it. On my March trip, the charge had appeared in the T&Cs, so I paid it.

The season past, more hire companies had this in their T&Cs.

Not only that, but the level of charge is increasing, and it is a daily charge. If I just go for a week, it is maybe £20/25. But going for 2 weeks, (my normal mid January trip}, it becomes a more serious consideration.

The car hire companies are saying if there is a refusal to pay, (it is a local charge), then the insurance in the country visited, is invalid.

I would be interested in other experiences. In my case, I fly into Munich, and drive the hire car into Austria.

How do they know you went into other countries and when?

The only restrictions I have seen is breakdown cover not being valid if you travel outside the renting country

Didn't have that charge waived at me in Jan when I did Munich to Westendorf, except usual chance at trying to upgrade me at a cost and insurance against the the excess, which I had already with Atlas.

Dave Mac will know it is a bit of a free for all returning cars at Munich airport, all shepherded into a long line with all rental companies and lucky if there is a rep there from your hire company to check the car over with you. There wasn't any Europcar reps so waited 15mins and then had to go, as everyone else was just pulling up and going anyway.

However,a few days later get the completed invoice with nothing else to pay and then 2 months after the trip they did send me a 1200 Euro Bill for writing off the front bumper, think I would have known that!!

The photo's they sent me didn't show anything anyway apart from dirty bumper as far I could see and only sent 2 photos where their own form said there should be 3. Date of reported damage was 2 days after the car was returned, so emailed them and heard nothing since but got to avoid Europcar just in case now.....

They are clearly saying now in Geneva that if you take the car outside Switzerland you are not insured :(

Bloody car hire :evil:. There appears to be no end to the hassles they put us through. Earlier this year, the company I was renting from were muttering about the "cross-border" insurance charge but waived it before I got stroppy! I am guessing this is part of a transition and it will be a normal "extra" next year. This Summer, I hit the latest one - no roadside assistance unless you take out their (extortionately priced) full insurance :twisted:. As I didn't know whether the annual "excess" insurance, I had taken out separately covered this, I must admit I hesitated but in the end took the chance. Then I got to the car to discover that the fuel tank was only 3/4 full - a massive charge if we return it that way but a shrug when they do it :twisted:.

Did get hit with a speeding fine in France on the way from VT to Lyon. Speed limit dropped on the motorway on the outskirts of Albertville or Chambery - not sure which. The fine notice came directly from the French authorities and there was no admin charge from the car hire company :roll: .