Changes in Rome...RIP faux gladiators ;)

Yep, I posted something on this last month:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/ya-ll-behave-yourselves-in-rome-hear

They've tried to corral the gladiator street hustlers before; obviously it didn't stick:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/intelligent-travel/2012/03/30/say-ciao-to-romes-gladiators/

Fantastic news, especially the bit about the 'love padlocks'. I know I'm a middle aged grump but I can't stand them. Why do people do it? It's a selfish act of vandalism to adorn an historic structure with a stupid padlock simply to demonstrate your love to someone, grow up and buy him/her a little trinket if you feel so insecure.

They had a chance to add begpacking to the list and missed it. Yes, this is good news but I am skeptical that it will actually be enforced. You need more police, judges, courts, jails and lawyers, not just new rules. More importantly, you need the will of the people (i.e., voters) to support it politically and pay for it. After all, pickpocketing is already illegal and somehow manages to avoid eradication.

I totally agree with you on the love padlocks JC!

Laws do nothing unless they’re actually enforced. The enforcement is the big question mark here.

When I was in Rome, the police kept whistling at people to get off the Trevi Fountain's edge. Peeps would sit down so they could have a pic with the rushing water and fountain as a backdrop. No can do with that cop, lol. Either stand up or get off was his moto. (I wondered how often he had to replace his whistle - must have worn out the little ball.)

I saw the same cop a few times (each time I visited Rome too), so it may be his "stationed area."

I have no clue why men want to walk around anywhere (except a beach) with no shirt on. Throwing on a tee shirt is not a big deal.

I read about it but never witnessed it, women walking around NYC with no tops on. Yes, you can have your freedom to not wear a top in NYC.....it really comes down to your own self respect; never mind other people. People go to such "smh" lengths to prove some kind of point. It has nothing to do with security of yourself. It is about insecurity - some need attention to feel validated, I guess.

The trend of putting a lock on is crazy. Like someone wrote, buy a trinket to mark the occasion. No one will know it was "you" who hung the lock there. They should cut them off.

Nothing like that "authentic" gladiator talking to his buddy gladiators while smoking a cigarette that we caught on Monte Pincio. Needless to say the picture I grabbed of that scene gets a lot of laughs.

Nothing like that "authentic" gladiator talking to his buddy gladiators while smoking a cigarette - Blahh

Ha, that is funny. I wondered for a few seconds (when in Rome), if the glads feel silly standing there dressed like that. Or, do they just accept it is part of the tourism of Rome?

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-busker-dressed-as-a-gladiator-near-the-pantheon-in-rome-italy-checks-83506168.html

At the moment parts of the Italian central government seem much more interested in putting its resources into stopping asylum seekers arriving by boat or patrolling the border with Slovenia (or even building a wall, god help us). So unless the local governments decide this is a policing priority, I'd guess it's just a bit of PR and after some occasional enforcement for a few weeks will turn out to be all fur coat and no knickers.

This post is seriously pushing one of my buttons. (^_^)

They're not dressed as gladiators, people. They are dressed as Roman centurions or soldiers.

This is what gladiators looked like:
https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/roman-gladiator-armor---3d-model/772840

I know I know...they call them legionnaires (or ‘legionairies’) in the article, but it’s so much easier to spell gladiators...lol. ;p

LOL Nicole! Exactly!

"Joey, do you like gladiator movies?"

Laws do nothing unless they’re actually enforced. The enforcement is the big question mark here.

Well, we are talking Italy here, so...yeah.