Italian driver Stefano Angeloni was left stunned after receiving a parking fine in Rome when city council workers repainted the lines around his car from white to blue while it was parked. The incident, which he captured in a viral video, has drawn widespread criticism and praise for exposing what many see as a deceptive practice.
How the Fine Happened
Angeloni legally parked his car on a street with white lines, indicating free parking without a ticket. However, when he returned, he found fresh blue lines painted around his tyres—blue lines require payment. A fine of €29.40 (£24.91) was stuck to his windscreen. In the video, he says: “Look at this fantastic parking spot I found. I leave my car in a white-lined space; then, one night, they come by and paint over the white lines with blue ones. Obviously, they couldn’t paint underneath my car — or anyone else’s — so the white lines I parked in are now blue. The result? A nice fat fine. Fantastic, right? We’re in a fantastic city.”
Viral Reaction and Backlash
The video garnered over a million views and sparked a flurry of comments. One user joked: “You gave me a great idea. Thank you so much. I will never pay for parking again, but rather buy a can of white paint and a brush, so I can sign up for my lifetime free parking membership.” Another noted: “The wheel is on the white one, you don’t have to pay.” A third simply called the situation “crap.” Angeloni’s daughter later wrote on Instagram that her father posted the clip by mistake and didn’t realise it had gone viral.
Uncertain Outcome
It is unknown whether Angeloni has contested the fine from the City Council of Rome. The incident highlights ongoing frustrations with parking enforcement in the Italian capital, where coloured lines dictate parking rules: white for free, blue for paid, and yellow for restricted.
