Anyway, in the September issue, you'll find the article about Driving in Italy, penned by Robert Shipley, clearly a man after my own heart (although I was saddened to learn upon reading it, he's married).
the notorious killer pandaHe goes on to provide a perfect listing of things to watch out for if you're driving on Italian highways. Now, it's a 2 part article, so, I'm afraid to preempt his listing, but, I'd like to add a few more caveats:
- It is not my experience (and I used to drive over 5000km / month) that people pass on the right, except in city centers. But on those 3-lane highways, you will find absolutely no motorist worth his salt (and I stress his), in the far-right lane, dedicated to slow vehicles. Truckers and slow pokes will simply not take a blow to their masculinity and be caught ever in the slow lane, forcing all other cars going over 80km/hr to pass in the left lane, risking to be back-ended by the approaching car coming in at 160, before being able to make their way to the middle lane.
- As I mentioned in a previous post, those white pandas nowadays are as rare as the real things (and they're undeniably just as cute);
They've been upgraded to SUVs, pulling all the same maneuvers, but now, seriously posing a life-threatening risk.Of course, no rules apply to motorinos. Foreign visitors are left mouth-gaping the way they drive down the center lane, weave in and out, pass all over the place, and then jump the gun. I'm used to it, but utterly shocked the death rate for them is not infinitely greater.
As for Shipley's query about driving down the middle lane? That's easy to figure out. Staking out the middle means you can take your pick literally, down the road...
6 comments:
I have one!
The old one I mean...
Oh no! So, do you pull those stunts -- or, have you cleaned up your act now that you live in Dublin??
Francesca:
An ancient history lesson. Going backward in time, CBers used to name the three lanes of a highway as the,"Granny Lane, The Sandwich Lane and the Hammer or Show Off Lane."
Going further back in time to the early 1950's, when I dated Ornella Giuriati in London. Her father was the Italian Naval Attache. He would never allow anyone to pass him on the road. God forbid it were, by some mischance, happen, he would summon up all his Italianess, his native pride, and by God re-pass even if it meant crossing a double white line. Nobody, but nobody passes an Italian. Methinks, it's still true today. At least, it has been my experience with my driver Massimo.
city car drivers were once motorino drivers. it is so obvious by the way they drive that they think they are still on a narrow 2 wheeled vehicle. they weave in and out, creep in between 2 cars (or at least try)even if the space is limited etc etc
Oh, those are lanes? I thought those were just part of the whole design thing. :-)
You can read Bob Shipley's article in full now at http://www.theromanforum.com/?p=5707. Please feel free to leave a comment, I'm sure Bob would appreciate it.
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