If you thought you had seen everything in terms of toll evasion, think again. A truck driver recently attempted to avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel toll by taking a rather unusual route: the ski slopes of the Aosta Valley. This bold initiative is part of a trend where some motorists seem to find unexpected inspiration in ski areas. Indeed, this is not the first incident of its kind, as a car had already been found stuck on a slope near Grenoble at the beginning of February.
The truck in question, a Renault Master registered in Poland, was spotted by the Carabinieri (Italian police) as it calmly drove on slope number 7 of the Espace San Bernardo. This ski resort, located in the picturesque Aosta Valley, is obviously not designed to accommodate heavy trucks. The reason behind this escapade on the slopes? The driver wanted to avoid the Mont Blanc tunnel toll while crossing the French-Italian border.
The truck driver’s trick was to take a detour to cross the border, which unfortunately led him onto the ski slopes. Far from being discouraged by this situation, he even took the time to stop and install chains on the wheels of his truck before continuing his journey on the ski area. However, his adventure was short-lived, as he was caught by the Carabinieri after traveling only 500 meters on the slope.
The outcome of this misadventure was a fine of 200 euros imposed by the Carabinieri. In the end, the truck driver’s attempt to save money proved counterproductive. Not only was he unable to deliver his load on time, having to go to the nearest police station, but he also had to pay a fine which, ironically, was probably higher than the cost of the toll he was trying to avoid. An unusual story that reminds us that shortcuts don’t always lead to the desired destination!
