Driving Like An Italian

Do you want to be the next hit at your neighbor's cocktail party? Of course you do. Nothing like conjuring up some stories from the time you spent at the villa in Italy and those narrow roads and whacky Italian drivers...to get everyone to stop talking and listen in. Only we both know it wasn't really that bad, and after a couple of days you will find yourself just another maniac cruising at top speed only inches behind someone's bumper - safely!

Lezione Numero Uno:

A slow driver wanders (for illustrative sake, let's say it's you) into the left hand lane on the Autostrada. From far far back you can see a dot with brights flashing madly. Soon your rear view mirror fills with a car and a stern look coming from that driver who was just a dot moments before. Please note - This driver will not pass on the right, nor will he get off your bumper. What do you do? It's easy - get over in the slow lane on the right! I had to tell you?

Lezione Due:

The rule is simple and clear: fast cars stay to the left; slow cars to the right. Unlike many U.S. highways where it is more or less a free-for-all with passing on the right, left or center, Italian drivers do not pass anywhere but on the left.

Tre: The Round About

Traffic circles are everywhere in Italy. So are tunnels. When approaching traffic circle, what should you do? Close your eyes and make way! No, they are just like those in the US and UK - yields to the traffic in the circle, but don't be shy and plunge into the fray, and watch out Italy!

Numero Quattro: Who Has The Right Away?

Here's a dilemma - you're on a narrow road and an approaching car takes up more than half of the road, as do you. And let's throw in a cliff on one side to make it exciting. What do you do? Common Darwinism tells us to yield to the other if they are bigger. If they are the same size or smaller, it's more negotiable. Renting an Italian car is found here.