Post by thread:[OT] Driving in Rome, was CE specification docume

>Maybe THAT explains the way they drive in Rome!!! >Didn't have too many problems elsewhere, but I don't really many >traffic lights either. We didn't drive in central Rome but the traffic >was, as everyone says, diabolical. > >At pedestrian crossings they are unaware of the meaning of red or >green lights (if they have any meaning). The guide book says to walk >steadily across and they will avoid you. And it works!!! > >A major proof of concept was tried on an extremely busy street at the >end of the Roman forum away from the Colosseum after any amount of >waiting hopefully at the kerbside had not produced any ebbing in the >flow. Take wife firmly by hand. Wait until light for traffic is red >(not green!*) and walk resolutely out. Hold wife's hand VERY firmly as >she is now screaming and trying to pull away. Pull her gently but >surely along behind you. Cars melt around you on either side as you >walk steadily across, speed not, apparently, slacking. If you think >I'm making this up then you haven't been to Rome :-). Yeah, red only means there is an "unsafe state", not "don't proceed" :)) One person I used to know reckoned the way to drive in Italy was to politely wave on the person you had inadvertently blocked, and is now sounding their horn at you. Said person cannot have someone more polite than themselves, and waves you on instead :)) I don't know if there are any Italians on this list, but I am sure they can give as many stories about driving in the UK or elsewhere.

At 11.23 2005.02.11 +0000, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>>Maybe THAT explains the way they drive in Rome!!! >>Didn't have too many problems elsewhere, but I don't really many >>traffic lights either. We didn't drive in central Rome but the traffic >>was, as everyone says, diabolical. >> >>At pedestrian crossings they are unaware of the meaning of red or >>green lights (if they have any meaning). The guide book says to walk >>steadily across and they will avoid you. And it works!!! >> >>A major proof of concept was tried on an extremely busy street at the >>end of the Roman forum away from the Colosseum after any amount of >>waiting hopefully at the kerbside had not produced any ebbing in the >>flow. Take wife firmly by hand. Wait until light for traffic is red >>(not green!*) and walk resolutely out. Hold wife's hand VERY firmly as >>she is now screaming and trying to pull away. Pull her gently but >>surely along behind you. Cars melt around you on either side as you >>walk steadily across, speed not, apparently, slacking. If you think >>I'm making this up then you haven't been to Rome :-). > >Yeah, red only means there is an "unsafe state", not "don't proceed" :)) > >One person I used to know reckoned the way to drive in Italy was to politely >wave on the person you had inadvertently blocked, and is now sounding their >horn at you. Said person cannot have someone more polite than themselves, >and waves you on instead :)) > >I don't know if there are any Italians on this list, but I am sure they can >give as many stories about driving in the UK or elsewhere. I'm Italian (nobody is perfect :) ). Last Semptember me and my wife, freshly married, spent our honey moon in Scotland. Since then my life as a driver has changed. I now understand why so many foreigners have so much to complain against Italian traffic and, let me say it (although I wish I didn't have to), how much ineducated we Italians are in our cars (and often also out of them..). Among the many things, what irritates me a lot of the way Italians drive (unlike Scots) is the safe distance. This is a concept highly unknown here, and one I am extremely sensitive to, having got serious physical damage because of an idiot that has hit me from behind (and it happened two other times with two other idiots.. and I did nothing to make it easier to happen). I loved Scottish people.. educated, sensitive, kind. Now, if you Scots were just capable as much as us to cook, make love, make the sun shine and play soccer, I would call Scotland "home". *grin* ;D

part 1 401 bytes content-type:text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii (decoded 7bit) I'm an Aussie born first generation Italian. Having been back to the old country twice in the last 3 years I can safely say that all that you've heard is true. Nino. Sergio Masci wrote: {Quote hidden}>>I don't know if there are any Italians on this list >> >> > >At least one that I know of :-) > >Regards >Sergio Masci > > > part 2 466 bytes content-type:text/x-vcard; name=nino.benci.vcf; charset=utf-8 (decoded 7bit) begin:vcard fn:Antonio Benci n:Benci;Antonio org:Monash University;School of Physics & Materials Engineering adr:Clayton Campus;;Building 27;Clayton;VIC;3168;Australia email;internet:spam_OUTelectronic.servicesTakeThisOuTspme.monash.edu.au title:Professional Officer / Electronic Services Manager tel;work:+613 9905 3649 tel;fax:+613 9905 3637 tel;cell:+61414924833 x-mozilla-html:FALSE url:http://www.spme.monash.edu.au version:2.1 end:vcard part 3 35 bytes content-type:text/plain; charset="us-ascii" (decoded 7bit)