Driving In Florence and Anna's Fiat 500

When we arrived in Madrid Spain last October and were on our way to our hotel, Trey shouted from the back seat of the car “Wow, the lanes here are really wide!” They sure were compared to our current place of residence. In reality the lanes were no different in Madrid than what all of you are used to in America, nice and wide and numerous. Here in Florence, you are lucky (I mean this sincerely) to find a street that is two way, much less one that has two lanes. It makes sense when you think about it, this is a city that was built hundreds of years before Henry Ford invented the car and for this reason is not equipped to hold the auto congestion that we have in today’s day and age. The streets of Florence are a giant labyrinth of winding roads that are not only one way, but often times are incapable of hosting so much as a mid sized car much less a Sport Utility vehicle or something as ridiculous as a Hummer.

In Marignolle, where we live, there are several stretches of road where you must stop and pull over to the side of the wall to allow another car to pass (Often both cars need to roll down their windows and fold in their side mirrors to make this possible). No wonder no one is in a hurry here, what would be the point given how long it takes to drive from one place to the next! I should also add that the requirement of pulling ones car over to a stone wall while others pass, often results in scratches and scrapes to ones vehicle, which is probably why you don’t see many Mercedes or BMW’s in these parts as it is pointless to own something that is in constant danger of being dented! When we have had house guests from the United States, one of the first things that they are amazed by is dramatic difference in driving conditions here compared to at home. I have refrained from mentioning in past blogs the incidents that have occurred with Anna manning the wheel out of respect for her driving reputation. Without going into detail, she has racked up nearly fifteen hundred dollars in wreckage fees to date and only drives about ten percent of the time. Driving is tough here!

The result of these conditions is a long list of tiny cars that occupy the roads of Florence, which we rarely if ever see at home. The Smart Car is the most popular. Those that have been to Italy have likely seen this cool little vehicle that can not pass American Safety standards and whose length is small enough to fit in the “Width” of normal parking spot! There are also a ton of Mini Coopers here in Florence, which is a personal favorite car of mine. Another such vehicle is the Fiat 500 a car that has been around for over five decades and that Anna has fallen in love with. This car, which measures slightly under 10 feet in length, is a classic in every way and the streets of Florence have dozens of them in wonderful condition. About two months ago, Anna decided that it is her goal to drive one of these tiny vehicles in the streets of Thousand Oaks California one day! Candidly it might need to remain relegated to the streets as I am not sure that it can maintain the speed necessary to survive our highways! Not only would it be economical and good for the environment, but it would surely turn heads due to its unique size. Believe it or not, this tiny little car does have a back seat that the kids can fit into as well. The most striking feature of the Fiat 500 to me is the size of the tires. They look like they belong on a mountain bike! Following are a few questions for Anna regarding her new dream vehicle:

Q1: Anna what is it about the 500 that you love so much?
AA: I just love how small it is. Its timeless and classic. I feel that one somehow in a past life I had one. I feel like I’ve had one before!”

Q2: Don’t you think that people will make fun of you when they see you driving one in LA?
AA: “I don’t give a shit what people think about me.”

Q3: Are you not fearful that the 500 may be crapped on by a Sport Utility Vehicle in Los Angeles?
AA: “Nope, I don’t think that it’s a lot smaller than a Porsche 911. It may not be as glamorous but I don’t care about that. I like the fact that its totally different. I’m a recycler. Its an original which is what I like about it.”