The Ferrari Roma is named after one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. In an odd turn of events, an Italian city could have a street named in honor of the Roma (if its mayor has a sense of humor) after one got stuck in a narrow street. Footage showing the $225,000-plus grand tourer scraping its sides on centuries-old buildings surfaced on YouTube.
Where the video was shot is up in the air. It was taken in a small street that’s partly paved with cobblestones and located somewhere in Italy. There are thousands of strade that meet this description. They’re picturesque, and we fully understand the temptation to explore them, but what the driver seemingly forgot is that the Roma is not a small car. At 77.7 inches wide, it’s about three and a half inches narrower than a Chevrolet Suburban. And, while “low clearance” signs are common around the world, “tight street” indications are rarer.
It looks like the Roma fit (barely) until the narrowest part of the street trapped its quarter panels. Seeing the coupe stuck, a bystander tried to help the driver through but stopped when a presumably very angry woman came running with her hands in the air. At that point, the bystander calls it: zero for the Ferrari and one for the street.
The video doesn’t show the aftermath, so we can only guess how the Ferrari was freed and how much damage it drove (or was hauled) away with. What’s certain is that the driver now understands why small cars reign supreme in Italy. And, nothing suggests the street will be named after the Roma, but it would be a creative way to spur tourism.
While it’s tempting to blame this incident on human error, especially when we’re talking about a car that costs more than the average house, it’s important not to forget about the possibility that technology played a role in embedding the Roma into its home country’s architecture. Navigation apps don’t know that your Ferrari is too wide for the street they’re sending you on. You’re ultimately responsible for how you drive, where you turn, and which detours you take, but the main takeaway here might be “don’t blindly follow directions” rather than “don’t blindly assume it fits.”
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