Àngela Coromina, known on social media as iaia Angeleta, is 93 years old. Despite her advanced age, she exudes a vitality from all sides that younger people would want for themselves. The iaia Angeleta has become a reference for the more than 100,000 followers she has on Instagram. With her jovial and carefree character, this woman who worked in the field one day decided to get her driving license. She did it when she was 50 and she still drives now, every day, to go shopping.
At your age, how do you handle fame?
Well, the truth is that it is very good. I like making videos and having people watch them. But I don't give it more importance than it has. I am just any woman, no more, no less.
How did the idea of creating an Instagram account come about?
It was by chance. My grandson Jordi used to feature me on his Instagram account and he soon realized that the videos he published with me were very popular. So he suggested I open my own account and I accepted. April 29, 2023, soon to be a year ago, was the day we started publishing the first videos and followers began to arrive immediately.
Did you imagine that it would be such a resounding success?
No. We neither imagined it nor were we looking for it. But since on the networks there are so many girls doing stupid things, if someone like me comes out, with a clear head and explaining things that interest people, then success is assured. I think it's that simple.
Do you consider yourself an influencer?
No! Absolutely.
Some of his videos are viral and have accumulated more than a million views. What do you think?
I am happy, because it means that, in general, they like what I do and this satisfies me.
You drive, in the videos you can see you behind the wheel, there is no trick or cardboard...
Yes, I still take the car every day. To go get bread, to go shopping... you know? My back hurts a lot and it is very good for me to take the car to go shopping at the supermarket and then go straight home with the groceries because I have the garage under the floor.
And do you drive many kilometers with the car?
Right now, you won't believe it, but I'm in Vic (about 10 kilometers from Roda de Ter, his place of residence). I drove my car to the funeral home, Can Casacuberta, because in Vic I don't know where to park. Then my grandson comes to pick me up and we go to the center of Vic to do the shopping.
At what age did you get your license?
At 50 years old. Until then she had not had the need to have a license. We were farmers and we didn't need to have a car. But when we came to town it was something else. Since my husband didn't have a license and didn't want to get it, I told him that I was going to get it myself and he didn't object, rather he encouraged me to do it.
Did it cost you a lot to pass?
Absolutely! In three months I did the internship and passed the exam on the first try.
What car do you drive now?
A red Fiat 500 with white upholstery.
Do you remember what other cars you had before?
Yes, a green Renault 5, and then a Micra.
Small cars are his thing…
Yes, I have never seen myself in a big car. A small car is enough for me alone, I have them very handy.
Have you been fined?
Only one in all the years I've been driving. It was a 'bad xinat' that fined me because the rear wheels of the car touched a pedestrian crossing. But they only played a little. For 10 minutes that I left the car there, they fined me 200 euros, but I only paid 100 for prompt payment.
Did you say anything to the officer who fined you?
Yes, of course. I told him that it didn't bother anyone, that pedestrians could cross anyway. And do you know what he told me?: “The rules are the rules.”
Taking the car at your age every day is an exercise in courage...
Yes, there is no doubt that I consider myself a brave woman in this sense. But I will also tell you that my insurance has never had to pay anything. If I have made a report it has been because of another car.
Do you think that with age people lose driving skills?
A little, yes. Now, at 93 years old, I go a little slower and be very vigilant. Plus, I don't go as far as I used to. Ah! And when it's night I never take the car unless it's necessary.
What is the farthest place you go with your car?
Until Vic and Manlleu. But from time to time, I still escaped to Prats de Lluçanès (about 35 kilometers from Roda de Ter) and even a little further, since I am from there.
Aren't you afraid of having an accident?
I don't think about that, because if I thought I might have an accident I would never take the car again. Of course, I drive very carefully and I am very aware of the road and other cars.
Does it drive better now or a few years ago?
Much better before, that's for sure. There are a lot of crazy people on the loose now. Sometimes I have to slam on the brakes because someone has missed a stop sign. Today's youth do not take the same care as older people. And to round it all off, it turns out that if you're not careful you can get a scooter or a bicycle anywhere. Scooters scare me very much.
Do you drive the car a lot?
I have already told you that I am very careful, but it is easy for me to reach 80 or 100 km/h if the road is clear. There is a section of the Eix Transversal that I have to do at 120 per hour because otherwise the trucks that come from behind will eat you.
From what I see, you don't wear glasses when driving.
No, I have good eyesight. Two years ago I had cataract surgery so I could continue driving.
How often do you have to renew your driving license?
Every year. I'm afraid that one day they will tell me that I can't drive anymore because with the back pain I have, how will I manage to go shopping? The day my license is not renewed I will buy a small motorcycle so I can continue living a normal life.
What do other drivers say to you when they see you behind the wheel?
Some people are surprised that at my age I can still drive the car so well. A neighbor recently followed me with her car to Vic and then told my grandson that he could rest assured because he had respected the stops and traffic lights and I had not forgotten to turn on the indicators. If she even told her that I drive better than her...
Do you listen to the radio while driving?
Not that. Never, because it's distracting. When I got my license I did listen to music at first. But I quickly realized that it is something that is distracting and I stopped playing the radio. Better to go quietly.
Where are your followers from?
Mostly they are from Catalonia. The language limits us by doing everything in Catalan. But for us the language is more important than the number of followers. If we made the videos in Spanish we would have two million followers, but this is not our goal.
What did you think of a woman dressing up as a Fiat 500 at the Roda de Ter carnival?
(Laughs) It was a lot of fun. A girl I know did it. That day, in the morning, I met her on the street. She was dressed in black and she told me that at night she would wear red. But the damn thing didn't tell me anything else. Then I saw her in the disguise of my car. She told me that she had spent two or three nights making the costume.
Will we soon see her driving a tractor or is she only a passenger as shown in one of her videos?
If I'm sure of one thing, it's that I'm not going to drive a tractor. I can get on a tractor, but driving it is not for me. I was in the video because it was from some French friends and I wanted to give visibility to a sector that I was part of for many years and that is now going through a bad time. In fact, everything I do is to give visibility to older people from the respect and affection of a generation of people who sometimes neglect us a little.
Do you have any pending issues with the car?
No, if I can continue doing what I do, that's enough. As long as I can go shopping at Vic and Manlleu and the supermarket, that's enough.
Wouldn't you have liked to drive a sports car, for example?
No, no, no... Give me a small car and it will make me happy. Less problems.
I get the feeling that you are a very impetuous person. Do you get angry at reckless drivers?
Sometimes I say to someone: “Donkey, why are you doing that?” But they don't hear me and I think it's better.
