Fiat fun

In 1997, during a normal nightshift, we happened across a suspicious looking Fiat Cinquecento. It turned out to be perfectly in order, but the subsequent radio message to the control room caused much hilarity.

Details of the vehicle registration number were passed and the control room operator responded (unable to pronounce Cinquecento):

Thats a blue Fiat Chinka.....

a Fiat chentey......

a choontee.......

a sinchee.......

a honkachinty......

oh whatever.

For the next few hours, we scoured the streets for another Cinquecento and radioed the same operator:

Thats a red Fiat chempa......

a chankachinty........

a sintacoonie

oh hell, I cant pronounce it.

What's next we thought? Well the best place to find another Cinquecento would be at the local Fiat dealership. Every registration number was noted and over the next few days, when the same operator was on duty, we would have a supply of suitable vehicle to check out. Every one hit the same problem;

A Fiat chantysinta.....

a soonkwykwento..... etc

until the penny dropped and the response came back:

oh bugger, its a Fiat 500.

End of Fiat fun.