DRIVING IN ITALY

By John Moye 

If you are planning to rent a car in Italy to enjoy the hilltowns and the non-urban environment,  there are some rules and observations that may be helpful to you as you navigate the Italian countryside.

Initially, it is valuable to keep in mind that Italian drivers are among the best in the world. They are alert and well trained, and they know the rules.   Practically every famous race driver is Italian (remember the Andrietti family) and they all were trained on the roads you’ll be driving.  It is also important to note that there are very few injury accidents in Italy -- most of them are fatal.  So adherence to and understanding of the rules of the Italian roadways are more important than mere passing travel tips.

1.  Pass only in the left lane and only be in the left lane when you are passing.

This really is the first and most important rule of Italian driving.  Italian drivers expect you to get out of the way when they want to pass you.  Sometimes (but not always) they will flash their headlights at you from a distance to warn you that they are driving faster than you are.  Actually, if this happens, get into the right lane immediately because they are driving so much faster than you that they will likely go over your trunk, roof and front hood before you can react.  In other cases, they will turn on their left turn lights while they are in the left lane (which means they intend to stay in that lane until you move over) and they will simply “snuggle” up to your rear bumper until you move into the right lane. 

2.  Lane identification is just not important to Italian drivers.

When you are traveling in the same direction, often an Italian driver will “straddle” the right and left lanes of a highway -- to keep his options open.  After passing a car, it is typical for an Italian driver to drive directly over the line dividing the highway, preparing to pass other cars, or, if absolutely necessary, to move into the slow lane so someone can pass him.  Be defensive at all times!  If a driver next to you needs to move into your lane to avoid a child, an animal, a bus or whatever, he will move into your lane and you had better vacate it to the extent necessary.  This is also true with oncoming traffic.  Do not be surprised if an oncoming car drives directly into your lane.  It is up to you to hit the shoulder and avoid the collision.

3.   Italian drivers would prefer not to pass you on a straight stretch of a two-lane highway. 

They will wait until you have started around the curve because that is a lot more fun and more sporting.  Of course, lane encroachment is not an issue (see rule number 2 above).  If there is any oncoming traffic, the oncoming driver has the responsibility to permit the passage of both cars on the roadway.  While the Italian driver is preparing to pass, however, she is communicating her intentions by placing her car approximately three inches from your back bumper and about three feet to the left of your car (so she can see what is coming in the other lane).  Were you to apply your brake, this would be one of those non-injury accidents.  Be calm.  Keep your velocity.  When the curve has passed, she will have also passed you.  Incidentally, the fact that the passing car is very close to your car just before passing will be repeated after the gesture -- it will be very close in front of you when it finishes passing.  The courteous Anglo-Saxon approach of waiting to pull in until the passed car can be seen in one’s rear view mirror is silly.  Spazio e Spazio -- space is space.  A few inches is as good as a meter to an Italian driver.  And they’re right about that. 

4.    At intersections, Italian drivers like to see both lanes of passing traffic. 

Consequently, they will enter the intersection by several feet, rather than stopping at the place we would normally expect.  Most of the time, this will result in an American driver swerving violently to avoid what is a certain anticipated collision as the Italians simply take their rightful place in the intersection.  Remember rule number 2 -- lane identification is not important to them.  Neither is intersection identification.  Of course, the oncoming driver also expects this violent reaction of the non-Italian, and will swerve accordingly to make room for everyone in the intersection.

5.   It is permissible for Italian drivers to park anywhere they want.

It is not permissible for you to do so.  Italians will park their cars on the sidewalk, in intersections, backwards, on the opposite side of the street, sideways, on lawns and driveways, diagonally, or in any place or position that they decide to exit their vehicles.  This is not acceptable for non-Italians.   Tourists may only park in designated parking areas.  First, be prepared to dodge and circumvent Italian cars that are parked in every direction.  Second, do not try this yourself -- the carabineri (see “types of police” below) are fully prepared to issue tickets, impound cars, and otherwise harass drivers that are not entitled to these unique parking privileges.   How do they know which cars are parked by local drivers?  Don’t ask.  They know. 

6.  It is a myth that there are no speed limits in Italy.

There are speed limits, although they are only observed when a policeman is present and paying attention.    Generally, the speed limit on the Autostrada is 100 km per hour and on lesser four-lane highways it is 90 km per hour.  On rural roads, 50 km per hour is the normal limit.  You’ll not find any obvious signs that tell you the speed limit.   Actually, speed limits are posted, but they don’t use words like “Speed Limit” -- they are just numbers with red circles around them or, even more confusing, the number 9 and O with a diagonal line between them.  Regardless, the speed limit is only enforced if you get in the face of the policemen patrolling the roadway.  Once I passed a police car on the Autostrada north of Rome.  The policemen then passed me (at speeds well in excess of the speed limit) and I, thinking that there was no limit and no inhibition concerning speed on Italian highways, passed the patrol car again -- only to learn that the reason the patrol car passed me was to make sure I saw them so I would slow down.  The officers issued a ticket to me for stupidity.

BE CAREFUL AND ALWAYS OBEY THE SPEED LIMITS. Several months after our June 2013 trip we received a ticket for 400 euros for going 100 in an 90!

7.  Pay attention to the signs. 

They tell you what is expected of you.  This does not mean that your fellow Italian drivers will observe them, but you should.  For example, the word “rallentare’  means “slow” or “reduce speed” to non-Italians.  The term “zona pedonale” means only pedestrians are permitted to traverse the area.  These warnings are expected to be observed only by non-Italians. 

8.  Do not think that your familiarity with a particular city will have any longevity.

If you have driven into Rome or Milan to your hotel before, do not expect that you will be able to do so the same way again.  Often, the Italians will change the one-way streets to a different direction, or block off an entire area for any reason -- a strike, a parade, a festa (celebration) or just because.  It may be necessary to back up a one-way street to reach a particular destination because one can simply not get there from here.   There is no solution to this problem.  If necessary, abandon the vehicle (making sure that you know how to describe the location of its abandonment) and take a taxi to your final destination.  Call the rental car company and let them know where the car can be found.

9.  Do not ignore a ticket if you get one. 

There are several types of police in Italy -- the Carabineri -- local police; the Polizia Stradale  -- highway patrol; the Polizia Financia -- the tax police.    All of them can arrest or cite you for parking or driving violations.  None of them will do so unless you provoke them.    If they do issue a ticket, you can expect to receive a certified letter from the Italian Consulate in Chicago, working in cooperation with Europcar, Avis and Hertz, telling you that you have violated an important law of Italy and must pay a large fine before you will be allowed to enjoy the fruits of Italy again.   They mean this.  Pay the fines, say you’re sorry, and all will be forgiven.