Should I pay an Italian parking fine?

[Pinch]

Hey all

Just got back from my Euro trip. Fantastic. Many reviews and advices to follow but until then I have a quick question that some of the well travelled members may be able to answer, should I pay an Italian parking fine?

Went to Florence for the day and parked along the river in meter parking. Paid up with all the coins I had, then came back to top it up before it ran out. Set my little clock thing on the dash too. So all good I thought, except it appears I parked one spot over in a white lined spot, not the blue lined spot (which is meter parking). I found this out later. I got a fine for parking in the white spot which is resident parking. The fine is 36 Euro (about $60).

Its on a green sheet and I can't work out pretty much any of what it says, except pagamento on-line followed by an italian web address. It took me about 15 mins to work out why I got booked when I thought I had done the right thing.

I asked a guy at a Venice hotel on our last night in Italy to translate it for me, but he said no, don't pay it. He thought I was crazy to think of paying it. 'You live in Australia, we don't even pay them here.' He was going to tear it up, but I asked for it back.

Now I don't think that Italy has reciprical arrangements with the NSW RTA to cancel my licence or rego if I don't pay (sarcasm there), but I do fear that whoever issued the fine might chase it up through their system to the car hire place, who in turn might pass it on to me with additional costs.

I am wondering if the Italian parking fines are like ours, ie they generally do get followed up, or do they not bother chasing them?

I see I have 3 options. 1) pay the fine, 2) wait and see what happens, or 3) write pleading ignorance as a stupid tourist (using a free on-line translator).

Any thoughts?