Frustrated by the indolence of the town hall to repair a 30 cm long hole on a pedestrian crossing in Barlasina, a small town in the Italian province of Lombardy, Claudio Trenta decides to act himself by filling it with cold bitumen.
However, this led to a ticket being issued against him and his demand to pay a fine of 882 euros, while the case sparked controversy over the potholes plaguing Italian roads and may pose a hazard to pedestrians and motorists.
Trenta decided to fight the offense in a post on his Facebook page, where he posted a photo of the letter he received from the police accusing him of breaking traffic laws, and stating that he had been fined for “committing a potentially dangerous act in a public place, without authority or jurisdiction to do so.
Trenta has also been ordered to restore the hole to its original state, according to details reported by British newspaper The Guardian.
The 72-year-old told Italian media: “If they think I’m a fool, they’re wrong. They provoked me and now I’m filing a counter complaint against the council for negligence.”
Trenta, who confirmed having reported the hole to local authorities several times in 3 months, received an outpouring of solidarity from all over Italy.
A commenter wrote on Facebook: “Today I sent a protest email to the Barlasina City Council. I am aware of the facts in Calabria and Sicily, where the streets have been turned into sieves and if people don’t act on their own, everything will fall apart.”
Another wrote: ‘The council should refund you the money you spent (fixing the hole).’
Culture Ministry Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi also joined in the discussion: “In addition to the law on the road, there is common sense. Common sense should have prompted the local police to thank this man,” he said.
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