In a scene straight out of The Italian Job, an elderly man in Rome stunned onlookers by driving his small hatchback partway down the iconic Spanish Steps. Captured on video by a bystander, the surreal incident unfolded early in the morning, with the car calmly descending the world-famous staircase.
An 81-year-old man drove a car down Rome's iconic Spanish Steps before getting stuck halfway down.
The driver tested negative for alcohol and told officers that he was on his way to work.
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Despite the dramatic visuals, authorities later confirmed the man wasn’t under the influence—just confused and trying to get to work. He told nearby security guards he was following what he believed was a road, possibly misled by GPS.
Rome police were soon on the scene, but the car was wedged awkwardly on the ancient steps. Firefighters had to call in a crane to lift the vehicle out, creating quite the spectacle for locals and early tourists alike.
Connecting Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, the Spanish Steps are among the city’s most treasured landmarks. Incidents like this are rare—and shocking—given the pedestrian-only nature of the area.
While social media erupted with memes and comparisons to Hollywood car chases, the incident serves as a bizarre reminder of what can happen when navigation tech meets old-school confusion—and a tiny European hatchback just happens to fit.
Source: Sky News on X via Backfire News
