Latest news with #SpanishSteps
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Elderly Man Somehow Gets Mercedes A-Class Stuck Driving Down Rome's Spanish Steps
You aren't supposed to drive on the Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy. Even if you've never seen them, the name makes it pretty obvious that they're steps and therefore not for cars. Then again, you've almost definitely seen them since they were featured prominently in 2023's "Fast X." Alternatively, if you're too much of a snob to enjoy the "Fast & Furious" franchise, they were also used in "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One." Anyway, presumably in an attempt to recreate one of those scenes, an elderly man drove his decade-old Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback onto the Spanish Steps on Tuesday and got himself stuck, ABC News reports. Upon reading that, I'm sure you also assumed the man in question was an American tourist, but while more information may come out and change things, at least for now, I haven't been able to find a source that includes the man's nationality, so odds are, he's Italian. After all, you have to assume European newspapers would've been all over an American doing something stupid like that. Instead, all we really know is that he's 80 years old and didn't test positive for alcohol on his breath. Read more: These Are The Dumbest Car Crashes You've Ever Seen 🚨 RomeEarly this morning, just before dawn around 4:30 AM, an elderly man — about 80 years old — drove a car down the Spanish Steps — Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) June 17, 2025 Local authorities cited the man when they arrived but have not released his name or confirmed whether he personally owned the car or not. They also have yet to clarify whether or not he was using GPS navigation, which could possibly help explain how he got turned around. Considering he's reportedly 80, it wouldn't be surprising if we eventually found out there were age-related issues at play, and he really shouldn't have been driving anymore, but at least for now, there's no evidence to support that theory. Arguably, no one should drive in Rome because there's too much traffic. Authorities were able to remove the car, but to avoid damaging the Steps, which were first built back in the 1720s, they ended up bringing in a crane to lift it to safety. ABC News also reports that local authorities did not respond to a request for more information, so it's possible we may never know more about what happened. This also isn't the first time someone has driven a car down Rome's Spanish Steps or even the first incident in recent memory. Back in 2022, a 37-year-old Saudi man drove his rented Maserati down the steps and was later arrested at the airport in Milan, CNN reports. Following his arrest, he was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage and monuments, as his little escapade broke the 16th and 29th steps on the right side of the monument. The vehicle was safely removed by the fire brigade — Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) June 17, 2025 Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Washington Post
8 hours ago
- Washington Post
An 80-year-old drives a luxury Mercedes sedan down Rome's Spanish Steps and gets stuck
ROME — An 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome early on Tuesday before getting stuck part way down, municipal police said in a statement. The man tested negative for alcohol, and was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in Rome's historic center, police said. Police said the man, a resident of Rome, was at a loss to explain how he had wound up driving down the famed steps. They did not release his name and it was unclear if the car was his. The small sporty car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. Police did not respond to requests for more details about the dynamics of the apparent accident. One of Rome's most recognizable monuments, the Spanish Steps have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill seekers have tried their luck. A Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after a surveillance camera recorded him driving a rented Maserati down the 135 travertine steps in 2022. The Spanish Steps take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the nearby square. A famed background for numerous films, they were built in the 1720s and have long been a popular spot to people watch and hang out.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Elderly driver gets Mercedes stuck on Rome's famous Spanish Steps
An 80-year-old man drove a Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down Rome's Spanish Steps on Tuesday before getting stuck. The driver tested negative for alcohol and was cited for driving on the monument. Firefighters removed the car with a crane. The Spanish Steps, built in the 1720s, are a protected monument not intended for vehicles. In 2022, a Saudi man was charged for driving a rented Maserati down the steps.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Confused driver gets car stuck on famous Italian tourist attraction
An 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome early on Tuesday before getting stuck part way down, municipal police said in a statement. The man tested negative for alcohol, and was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in Rome's historic center, police said. Police did not identify the driver or say if the car was his. They also did not say whether or not he was using a navigator. The small sporty car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. Police did not respond to requests for more details about the dynamics of the apparent accident. One of Rome's most recognizable monuments, the Spanish Steps have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill seekers have tried their luck. A Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after a surveillance camera recorded him driving a rented Maserati down the 135 travertine steps in 2022. The Spanish Steps take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the nearby square. A famed background for numerous films, they were built in the 1720s and have long been a popular spot to people watch and hang out.
BreakingNews.ie
12 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man, 80, gets stuck while driving luxury Mercedes car down Rome's Spanish Steps
An 80-year-old man drove a compact luxury Mercedes-Benz A Class sedan down the landmark Spanish Steps in Rome before getting stuck part-way down, police said. The man, who tested negative for alcohol, was cited on the spot for driving down the monument in the Italian capital's historic centre, police said. Advertisement Police did not identify the driver or say if the car was his. They also did not say whether or not he was using a navigator. The small sporty car was later removed by firefighters using a crane. One of Rome's most recognisable monuments, the Spanish Steps have never been intended for motor vehicles, although some thrill seekers have tried their luck. A Saudi man was charged with aggravated damage to cultural heritage after a surveillance camera recorded him driving a rented Maserati down the 135 steps in 2022. Advertisement The Spanish Steps take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See in the nearby square. A famous background for numerous films, they were built in the 1720s and have long been a popular spot to people-watch and hang out.
