Danger of berries making the asphalt slippery on many Cagliari streets. "And after 16 years, we're still facing roadblocks. When maintenance is lacking, it's the safety and heart health of motorists that pay the price."
The issue was raised by the leader of the Brothers of Italy group in the city council, Pieluigi Mannino.
"It was 2010 when, on Viale Trieste, a scooter rider was seriously injured after slipping on asphalt made slippery by ficus berries. He died about a month later. A tragedy that should have taught us something," says the opposition representative, who warns: "Today, in 2026, the problem is recurring on Via dell'Abbazia, where another scooter rider is said to have fallen. And what's the response? Barriers, a narrowed roadway, and further traffic disruption."
The problem is well known: the berries fall, are crushed by vehicles and, especially when it rains, form a slippery and dangerous patina for those travelling on two wheels.
"Is it possible that, after sixteen years, we can't organize a constant cleaning service, intensified during peak berry fall periods? Of course, temporarily cordoning off a dangerous stretch may be necessary. But barriers don't collect the berries," Mannino concludes, "they don't clean the asphalt, and they don't solve the problem. They merely narrow the roadway, adding queues, delays, and some inevitable coronary risks for drivers."
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)