Re: Alfa Museo and Driving in Italia

[George Graves <gmgraves@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

One thing I noted on my last trip, which, in my mind sort of sums up 
the difference between driving in America and driving in Italy and the 
differences in the driving cultures of the two countries occurred on a 
two lane connecting road between two sections of Autostrade in Sicily. 
In America, if you want to pass somebody on a two-lane tarmac road, you 
make certain that there is nobody coming from the other direction 
before you pull out into oncoming traffic. If there is, and even if 
they are fairly distant, they will start flipping their lights and 
hitting their horn. Their eyes will get big with fear, but they will 
keep on coming at you. When you tuck back in front of the car you were 
passing, the driver in the car coming at you will flash passed you with 
his horn blaring and likely he'll flip you the bird.

In Italy, under the same circumstances, the oncoming driver will simply 
move to his right as far as the road will allow him to, and you do the 
same -getting as close to the car you are passing as is prudent (the 
car you are passing moves to his right as well). If you don't have 
enough time to pass before the oncoming car reaches you, no matter, 
because you and the oncoming car and the car you are passing have 
combined to make a temporary three-lane road out of a two lane. It 
works, i saw it time and time again, and after noting how it was done, 
did it myself (but the car I had was so fast (Alfa 147 GTA) that I was 
always able to make short work out of passing so I never actually had 
to pass three abreast on a two-lane highway).

George Graves
'86 GTV-6 3.0S


On Friday, July 4, 2003, at 10:02 AM, alfa-digest wrote:


> Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 09:11:26 -0400
> From: "Andrew Schwartz" <andrew_s_swartz@domain.elided>
> Subject: Re: Alfa Museo and Driving in Italia
>
> Having passed driving tests in both Europe and the U.S. - I have to 
> agree
> that the required driving standard in the US is woefully bad.  The 
> minimum
> test length in Britain is 45 minutes, here my Mass license look me 5
> minutes.
>
> When I lived in Rome, I learnt the secret of Italian city driving - 
> you have
> to focus on the cars IN FRONT OF YOU.  Everyone does this and 
> disregards the
> cars behing them - it is their responsbility to watch you.  That's why 
> what
> looks like chaos can actually work.  Try that in an American city and 
> you'll
> be in an accident in 10 seconds - different rules of engagement.
>
> While their city driving is fun and skillful, and 'when in Rome do as 
> the
> Romans do',  but if you are driving on the Autostrada in Italy - don't
> always follow the Italian lead especially in bad visibility or fog.
> Italians will continue to do 150 kph regardless of the fact they can't 
> see
> in front of their nose.  I've seen some very nasty accidents that have
> happened because of this.  An Italian girlfriend explained it 
> originates
> from the Italian male sense of indestructiveness (witness Valentino 
> Rossi).
>
> I never made it to the Alfa Museo - but sounds like I'll definitely 
> have to
> plan a trip when I'm next in Milano.
>
> Andrew Swartz
> '67 Duetto
> Brookline, MA
>
>
> > Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 13:19:58 -0700
> > From: George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>
> > Subject: Re: Alfa Museo and Driving in Italia
> >
> > Overall, I have to agree with you about driving in Italia. Offhand, 
> > I'd say
> > that from my experiences, the average woman driver in Italy is far 
> > more
> > competent behind the wheel than are 95% of American male drivers. Our
> > Sears-Roebuck method of licensing drivers coupled with TOO MANY laws 
> > and a
> > general paranoia with regard to traffic cops, makes Americans really 
> > timid
> > behind the wheel in my humble opinion
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