Venice levies $630 fine for tourists pulling wheeled suitcases
The lovely, picturesque Italian city of Venice has 99 problems, but the only one anyone is talking about now is suitcases. Specifically, the kind with hard rubber wheels. One wheeled suitcase isn't that noisy, but 60,000 of them each day create quite a ruckus. So if the Venice city council has its way, starting next May, any tourist caught rolling a suitcase along Venice's scenic, car-less streets, bridges, and passageways will be liable for a 500 euro ($630) fine. Venetians are exempt.
Not all wheeled suitcases will be banned — luggage with inflatable wheels that don't make as much noise and won't cause so much wear on old paving stones and bridges are fine. If you can find one. "The law won't come into effect until May, so hopefully by then one or two companies might start producing trolley suitcases with air-filled wheels," says city council planning director Maurizio Dorigo.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
