Paul...
Write me before you leave. I'll be in Italy from the end onf May to the end of August. We should meet there, I'll take you in a ride with the F50! Then compare. Cops there make up the laws as you said, they don't know much. They always pull me over, i have a Florida tag on the BMW, so I'm prey. I usually get out of tickets, since I speak Italian. As you mentioned, yes, speed limits are suggestions, but they are adopting the USA system of points and licenses this year or next. I'll keep the board infromed.
PS...there is only one other Viper in my area that I know of, and it's a GTS (blue/white stripes), and I know the guy.