swee'pea99
Squire
Having recently returned from a week cycling in the south of Italy, I think it's only right & fair to share my (our) impressions - broadly speaking, that it's a great place to cycle, and the driving is all but invariably courteous and considerate to a T.
I heard various rumours before going, that they all 'drove like Italians' (though someone commented that Italians don't drive badly or dangerously as such...'they just do like to drive fast') but I have to say that we found everyone passing us very carefully and considerately, giving us loads of space, waiting if it wasn't safe to pass and so on. I said to my friend: 'It's like everyone on the road has a brother, or a daughter, or a best friend who cycles; like they see us as people to be looked out for, rather than vermin who ought to get off the farking road and out of my way!'
Classic incident: in town, pulled over at the side of the road peering at the map, and a car pulls up and the driver leans over through the open window and asks if we need any help. We assure him that we're fine, but he insists on knowing where we're trying to go, then giving us directions. All this time, two other cars are stopped waiting behind him (it was a narrow road and they couldn't get past) but nobody hoots or looks pissed off...they just wait calmly till it's all over, then everyone goes on their way. How decent, how kind, how civilised is that?
So - here's to Italy and the Italians! Gentlemen one & all! (Apart from the ladies, of course, who are, it goes without saying, ladies.)
I heard various rumours before going, that they all 'drove like Italians' (though someone commented that Italians don't drive badly or dangerously as such...'they just do like to drive fast') but I have to say that we found everyone passing us very carefully and considerately, giving us loads of space, waiting if it wasn't safe to pass and so on. I said to my friend: 'It's like everyone on the road has a brother, or a daughter, or a best friend who cycles; like they see us as people to be looked out for, rather than vermin who ought to get off the farking road and out of my way!'
Classic incident: in town, pulled over at the side of the road peering at the map, and a car pulls up and the driver leans over through the open window and asks if we need any help. We assure him that we're fine, but he insists on knowing where we're trying to go, then giving us directions. All this time, two other cars are stopped waiting behind him (it was a narrow road and they couldn't get past) but nobody hoots or looks pissed off...they just wait calmly till it's all over, then everyone goes on their way. How decent, how kind, how civilised is that?
So - here's to Italy and the Italians! Gentlemen one & all! (Apart from the ladies, of course, who are, it goes without saying, ladies.)
