Italy is the European country with the highest number of speed cameras, a fact that doesn’t surprise me as an Italian driver. More than 8,000 speed cameras have been installed, compared to around 3,800 in Germany and just over 4,000 in the United Kingdom. The fine for speeding is far from pleasant, especially because speed cameras are often installed in strategic positions that make them difficult to spot. Fleximan knows this well, the current people’s hero, the speed camera slayer, now the dark knight of social media.
Not all heroes wear a mask; some carry an angle grinder
This is how Fleximan is glorified on social media, the avenger who roams at night with an angle grinder, taking down speed cameras to save his wallet and those of others. The name Fleximan is a play on words with an Italian twist. “Flexi” derives from the Italian word “flessibile,” meaning flexible.
In a matter of months, the public enemy number one of the municipal coffers has taken down 14-speed cameras in the Veneto region alone. The Italian Robin Hood, one of the names he is hailed by on social media, also sawed down the Passo Giau di Cortina speed camera: it was issuing over 5,000 fines per year.
Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, in this triad of Central-Northern Italy, the destructive and, for some, savior action of the mysterious character is unfolding. But not everything that glitters is gold; in this storm that law enforcement cannot seem to quiet, attempts are made to scare his followers. Fleximan’s fans and supporters have been warned: glorifying his exploits on social media can lead to charges of incitement to commit offenses. According to Article 44 of the criminal code, inciting others to commit violations can lead to imprisonment for up to one year. Well, a warned man is half saved, but in the meantime, the exploits of the Batman of Veneto are spreading like wildfire.
From Rovigo without pause and brake
The first cases of vandalism originated in Rovigo and its province. Initially considered isolated cases with no possible follow-up, they didn’t immediately attract the attention of social media or law enforcement. However, over the months, the hooded hero has surpassed even the wildest fantasies. Fleximan is not just the angle grinder; he is truly an eccentric jack of all trades. His favorite weapons for taking down speed cameras, besides the grinder, seem to include explosives, agricultural machinery used as rams, and pellet guns. The rebellion against speed cameras is serious, and the identity-less hero is always prepared for action.
