Need a bike?

If you need a (bad) used bike, just come to Rome! Here are a few that have been tied up with a lock around a light post and left basically to rot. In true Roman fashion, they’ll probably stay here for months to come (and gathering by the rust that they have, they’ve probably been here for months too!). You can find a variety of things along Rome’s streets: old abandoned and stolen cars, stolen scooters which have nothing at all left to them, used fridges, old couches and mattresses, old dentures (??) you name it, you’ll find it. Many years ago, my car was stolen in front of my house. It was a ten year-old Citroen AXE car. I never did find it. Ditto for my scooter. It was brand new. I had it locked in my courtyard with three chains plus a kryptonite lock. I found the lock cut in two the day after on the street. Like a fool, I didn’t even have it insured. Basically, all which is NOT locked under chain and key disappears in Rome (lately, a descendant of Nero has been burning cars and scooters in Rome. The arsonists must have burned close to 100 so far) (picture by M. Rimati).