Rome

dubtom

Just back from a week in Rome and even though I didn't drive, it was terrifying.I promise not to complain about our traffic/penalitys/driving for at least a week.
The Romans pay no attention to red lights/pedastrian crossings,other road users and the local Police.They park wherever they like, on one occasion a guy in a merc stopped in the middle of a junction and got out of the car and walked away. Green men at pedastrian crossings are ignored,even if people are crossing the road, it got to the point with me that I wanted a near miss with a car so I could hit the driver.I'm sure the amount of fatalities on their roads must be in the thousands.Their are hundreds of armed police everywhere but they just seem to ignore the bad driving.I saw one policeman issuing parking tickets, that was for a few trucks that had parked in the middle of a busy road, the abuse he got I could hear from my sixth floor hotel room.On the same stretch of road it was common for people to park on the zebra crossing.On one taxi journey he drove 1 foot behind a bus for the whole journey, even though I'm used to keeping up with car in front I nearly ate my tee shirt with the fright. The whole expierence has left me feeling that although sometimes unfair, our system is on the whole civilised, their is an element of keeping our roads safe which seems to be totally lacking in Rome, those who have driven in Italy may disagree, I have driven in Spain and although bad it's not in the happeny place compared to those Romans.

gyppo

I was in Rome about 3 weeks ago, and I agree with you. Pedestrian crossings are like russion roulette, you can never have the remotest idea that traffic will stop/slow for you. Those scuttering mopeds were the worst, and also regularly ignored red lights.

The police there seemed to be more pre-occupied with looking cool rather than anything else.

Parking (especially around Stazione Termini) followed no order whatsoever. Touch parking (with a not so delicate touch either) was the norm. Also, the amount of keyed cars was unbelieveable.


Having said all that, I have driven in northern Italy, and although their driving on the autostradas was fast and aggressive with tailgating being widespread, they still appear to be good drivers. I only saw 1 accident in 3 weeks while I was there .

RobAMerc

I have driven in at least 12 different countries now and found the Irish far worse and more dangerous than anywhere else i have driven.
The Italians are crazy but excellent drivers. I am more nervous on the m50 than I ever was in rome - ( btw if you think Rome is mad, Napoli is truely nuts)

cregser

I was in Tel Aviv for a week a few months ago and my initial reaction to the traffic was like the OP's but then I grew to be more like gyppo and RobAMerc.

In Tel Aviv the taxi's alone drive about 1 foot away from each other (on all sides), whilst constantly changing lanes (rarely indicating), checking out the girls, rolling down their window to give out to the guy in the next car that cut them off two streets ago, and all the while talking to you in the mirror and beeping the horn. I was with an east german and polish guy who were equally amazed that we made it to our destination. Even old grannys have to run across zebra crossings!

But they're good drivers. They don't crash. I saw only one car with a dent. Pedestrians are rightly scared and cautious of the roads. I'm an average Irish driver, but I don't consider myself good enough to drive in Israel.

marku-allen

i was there few weeks ago and yes they drive like lunatics,but strangely it works!! i think they are better drivers than us here cause they use rear view mirror all the time ,something that a lot of drivers(specially women) dont do on tha m50,or naas rd like today on way to mondello,they stay in overtaking lane even though the other lanes are clear !!!and drive with blinkers on....oh i hate them drivers...

dudara

The italians may be mental drivers, but they are relatively good.

Gatster

Having been (driving) in Florence for a week, I have to say that once I began to understand how things work, I really enjoyed driving around. It's like some drunken ballet, I'm not sure how it works but it does...:D