An American couple received a costly surprise four months after returning from a vacation in Italy, but the internet was stunned that they didn't see it coming.
In an anti-cars subreddit, a Redditor reposted a clip from content creator Kerry Anne Denevan (@kerrydenevan) and wondered, "How can you be this oblivious?"
In the footage, the couple and a pair of friends are driving on an Italian road "without a care in the world," according to Denevan — a fact that viewers certainly noticed.
"Did she just film themselves not stopping for the pedestrian at the crossing?" one person asked, to which another replied, "That was my first reaction — you just drove straight over a zebra crossing with someone standing on it!!"
While the pedestrian was fortunately unharmed and the couple didn't suffer any immediate consequences from the poor driving, officials were keeping watch. According to Italy Chronicles, the country has an extensive system of traffic cameras.
"The mail lady just dropped off all of these violations, apparently, from Italy. Do you remember doing any of this?" Denevan asks her partner, Patrick, who replies, "I can't recall."
Denevan didn't reveal all of the fines, but one of the violations was for driving a vehicle into a restricted traffic area. The couple's discussion also suggested they had been speeding.
The footage also sparked a conversation among Redditors, who were dismayed to realize that pedestrian safety is an issue in cities around the world.
"There's a joke that the zebra crossings are just for decoration in Italy so they're fitting in with the locals," one commenter wrote.
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Absolutely 👏 Walking is a beneficial form of exercise and a proven stress-reducer, and replacing just a two-mile drive with a walk each day can prevent hundreds of pounds of harmful heat-trapping gases from entering the atmosphere. The average gas-powered car produces more than 10,000 pounds of carbon annually (it's unclear if the couple rented a gas-guzzler or an electric vehicle, which releases zero tailpipe pollution).
Regardless, lack of infrastructure and fears about reckless or inconsiderate driving — as appears to be the case in this clip — can make people hesitant about hitting the pavement, though investing in safety barriers between roads and bike lanes/sidewalks is an effective and desirable tactic that city planners can employ.
"This is unfortunately really common in the US. … I'll be crossing from an intersection to the sidewalk literally waiting for a car to let me cross when I have the right of way. And there's no way in hell I'm gonna cross with an oncoming car just to prove a point," one person wrote.
Another commenter suggested a more eco-friendly way to avoid future violations when traveling.
"I would not drive in Italy again. … I didn't understand the road signs. Italy is rightly very annoyed by tourists ignoring their rules. Trains and bicycles for me next time I [go] to that lovely country," they said.
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