July 24, 2009

• When in Rome…

  Carey Anthony

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  Driving in Italy?
  3 messages
  

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  From: Logan	Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 9:32 AM
  To: Carey
  Hey Carey, Guess what?  I’m heading to Italy tomorrow.  I’m flying into Rome and was thinking of renting a car.  Will you still be around?  Any tips on whether I should rent a car or take the train?  Hope to hear from you soon!  Lo

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  From: Carey	Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 1:47 PM
  To: Logan
  Hey Logan! You’re not going to believe this, but I left Italy yesterday and I’m in Germany now.  I’m so sorry I missed you!!  Are you with Maria?  If so, tell her Hi. Regarding driving in Italy, it’s pretty easy on the highways IF YOU DRIVE LIKE ME!  The roads in the villages are narrow, but  the signs are pretty easy to follow once you get used to them.  This kind of sums it up: People drive fast on the Autostrada.  Really, really, fast! Tailgating seems not only permissible, but encouraged.  Even when you’re going fast on the Autostrada.  Leaving any discernible gap between the car ahead of you is an invitation for someone to pass. You need a navigator or two to read the map and watch for directional signs.  When you blowing by them at speeds of 100+ kph, you need some extra eyes reading them. All roads lead to Rome – or so it seemed – as no matter where you are there is a sign pointing you toward Rome. In rural areas, you’ll find lots of narrow roads, frequently on the side of a mountain, and frequently containing lots of switchbacks.  People still drive fast. When you are driving along the steep side of a mountain, you probably won’t find any guardrails or warning reflectors. On these narrow winding roads, drivers will pass on a curve.  And sometimes that driver is in a large bus or truck. In the small, picturesque hill towns, the roads are very narrow and rarely go straight.  People drive on them, even though there is very little room on either side of the car.  We did this once, and in error.  The photo shows the street, a term used loosely, that we drove down.  Most of the time we parked and walked. Don’t expect drivers to stop for you in a cross walk. You’re going to need to dash across the street. The stereotype of aggressive Italian drivers has some roots of truth, but these observations are not meant to be demeaning.  We soon found ourselves conforming to many of these driving habits as well. If you’re staying in one of the larger cities like Rome, Florence, or Milan, you’ll probably have no need for a car.  If you want to take a day trip, you can rent one for a day or two.  But, if you’re going to explore the beautiful rural areas of the country, like Tuscany or Umbria, you’ll need to have a car.

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  From: Logan	Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 1:07 AM
  To: Carey
  Hey Carey, I just got back from Italy.  Remind me to never take your advice about driving.  Easy???  You Italians are CRAZY!! From now on it’s the train for this Midwestern boy!  I’ll send you pictures soon.  I’m not as good as you are about posting them.  Your trip looked amazing though.  Ciao!  Lo

  
  Click Above to Play Video
  Me, driving in Italy…See, I drove OK, despite holding the camera.  What you didn’t see was me navigating through the very narrow one way roads in the village.  That definitely took two hands, because the car was a stick shift.
  

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  I got to see the kids tonight for the first time in a month when Lisa met me for dinner in Orange County.  They’ve grown!!  The sunset was gorgeous! 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  Chazz & the boys left Tuesday.  The house won’t be empty for long though.  David, Rebecca and the 3 kids arrive tomorrow. 
  It will be a busy weekend at The Hotel Careyfornia!  Ciao!

  • 2:56 am
  • 24 Comments