American tourists have a bad reputation, which is sometimes well-deserved. That’s the case here as one wayward driver decided the Piazza della Signoria in Florence would make an excellent parking spot.
The square dates back to 1330 and is surrounded by historic buildings such as the Palazzo Vecchio. This, along with a copy of Michelangelo’s David, has made the square a popular tourist destination and it seems one American couldn’t wait to get a look.
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In a press release, the city of Florence said the tourist drove down Via dei Gondi in a “nonsensical way” and then parked in the square on March 20th around 1:15 pm. It goes on to say “officers immediately intervened” and found the 43-year-old driver had a license that “did not comply with international conventions, and was found to have no international driving permit.” In essence, it sounds like he thought his local driver’s license would work internationally.
While it’s not immediately clear why the man was driving a Ferrari 488 Spider with a Swiss license plate or how he got it, he was cited for “parking in a pedestrian area, driving against the direction, and [having a] non-compliant foreign license.” As a result, the man was fined €470 ($506 / £414).
CNN notes this isn’t the first time an American has run afoul of driving laws in Florence this year. Back in January, a California man reportedly drove a Fiat Panda across the Ponte Vecchio, which the publication notes is an “ancient, pedestrianized bridge spanning the River Arno.”