I've driven in Italy! It's great!
Have you ever driven in France?
I actually fid driving in these countries to be more enjoyable than driving in the UK - especially on motorways. There seems to be a larger assumption of the autonomy of the other driver which leads to a more 'flowing' traffic.
On motorways, people are very good at lane discipline. This is something that fucks me right off about UK drivers - here people seem rather afraid to change lanes on a motorway, which leads to massive queues as people try to save their place in the fast lane. In Italy, people use the fast (inside) lane to overtake or go fast, they then pull back into the outer lane (sometimes lanes, though a lot of motorways are 2-lane) once they have overtaken. It took me a little time to get used to changing lanes frequently, but it made a lot more sense when i did.
Road quality can vary - it tends to get a bit worse as you go further South. A keen eye will help, but you might get the odd scare when you hit a heat-formed pothole at 80.
Oh - a VERY IMPORTANT thing to remember - In italy, people flash their lights to get attention/get people to move. Example: when you're indicating to move into the fast lane and looking in your mirror, the driver coming up behind you in the fast lane while flashing their lights is warning you that they are there and intend to keep going; they are NOT letting you into the lane. This is an IMPORTANT thing to remember, for obvious reasons.
If there is a traffic jam, it will last forever. Make sure you have aircon and a high threshold for boredom.
In contrast to the UK, driving in Italy is less controlled by the highway code. People will frequently make maneuvers which would be seen as reckless or idiotic in the UK, but because this is the norm in Italy, it seems to work fine. As people are expecting the unexpected, it all seems to go along quite well. Styles might clash if you drive 'more British', so maybe go along with it. When in Rome...
HAHAHAHA!
Sorry.
Apart from the whole flashy-lights thing (and it really is something to beware of - i'd not noticed how automatic my "flashed headlights - Thanks! Go!" interpretation was.. It was quite funny in restrospect..), there's not much else to watch out for.
Obviously, they drive on the other side of the road. If you've not driven on euro/other 'rightie' roads before, beware at junctions. You need to look the other way and turn onto the other bit of road. If you're coming off a long stretch of motorway driving, this is something to look out for - you may be on 'auto' after a stretch of no-junctions.
A lot of people speed; some go really fast, so keep an eye on the mirrors on the motorway. However, speed cameras are becoming more frequent, which is a good/bad thing, depending on your views.
I think there's a law that you have to give right of way to anybody coming up a steep hill. It might just be lorries, and i think this applies more in the Alps.
Most european countries require you to carry various things like a fire extinguisher, warning triangle etc. You can get these for cheap at a local Halfords.
Obviously, this is all based on personal experience. There are a lot of cars with dents in in Italy, so maybe the system doesn't work, but ho-hum.
Have fun! |
