Driving in Italy, cupholders

[LEGoLAMB@xxxxxxx]

Just got back from a 3 week trip in Italy.  I tried to rent a 156, but my
agency was out.  I ended up with a Daewoo wagon, which came in handy for
space, but handled like crap, and passing anything bigger than a Fiat Brava
would blow it into the next lane.  

Driving in Italy is quite an experience.  No matter how small the town, people
who do everything leisurely become maniacs in cars.  There are no cops, no
rules, no stop signs or lights, etc.  Average speed on the Autostrade is
around 150km(90mph).  Drivers will come right up your butt in the leftlane,
and will be in your backseat if you don't move quick enough.  Mountain roads
are as wide as a 164, and are 2-ways!  Corners have mirrors so you can see if
anyone is coming around the bend.  You can almost always expect and old lady
in a Punto to be riding your ass down a treacherous mountain road in the dark.
Milano is not for amateurs.  There are so many cars and so much traffic all
day, but this is the only city where it makes sense, with so many offices.
It's impossible to find anything without a map, and even then it's tough.
Cars will race out from every angle.  They will park on sidewalks, crosswalks.
They will double park on a busy street and cause a traffic jam to buy a pack
of cigarettes.  Funny thing, though-it's expected and accepted.  There are
less accidents than here, and you hardly ever here horns beep.

I did get to drive a few Alfa's though.  A friend of my father had a 145 with
an Alfa, not Fiat engine, but it only had 90hp.  It was pretty peppy, though,
and handled well.  My uncle's mechanic had a brand new 156 2.0.  It was very
nice.  The car is so smooth and tight and handled great.  He brought me to a
friend who let me drive his '95 GTV v-6 turbo.  Awesome, gorgeous car.  He
offered to sell it to me for a good price. Now if I could only get it here and
register it!  If anyone has tried, please let me know what to expect.

For all those cupholder people. In Italy, nobody does anything in cars but
drive, especially in big cities like Milano.  They don't eat or drink while
driving, so there is no need for cupholders. Eating and especially coffee
drinking in Italy is a way of life.  You get out of the car, go to a bar-which
is not like bars in the US, but more like a Starbucks that serves some food
and alcohol- and you order an espresso or cappuccino, and brioche, eat and
drink with a little conversation, and go on your way.  The lifestyle in Italy
revolves around food.  They take eating and drinking very seriously.  All
stores close between 1-4pm for lunch, then re-open until 8pm.  Workers of all
kinds, including laborers, can be found in restaurants eating full meals with
pastas, salads, meats, fish and wine, for lunch.  Nobody grabs a sandwich and
scarfs it down while working like we do here.  The only drive-thru restaurants
in all of Italy is McDonalds, which can be very expensive.  A cheeseburger is
almost $2.  You could spend $9 for nothing, which could get you a pasta, salad
and beer at most small restaurants.

On the highways, there is a restaurant called Autogrill.  The food available
is unreal- pizzas, crispini, panini, tramezzini-all with fresh cheeses,
prosciutto, mortadella, salami, etc.  No burgers or hot dogs in sight.

It was a great trip, and if anyone needs any info on driving in Italy, e-mail
me.

Michael Magnotta
1993 164L

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