How to be Italian - Traffic Edition!

Italians has always some kind of damages on their cars. These damages usually occur on the side or the back of the vehicle, which suggest that the damages are the result of bad parking skills. The Italian parking skills are very contradictory, because on one hand they are able to do difficult parking on small spaces but on the other hand almost all Italian cars has some sort of damages. So the first step to be Italian is to be good at parking but not careful while you’re doing it. 

While you’re driving in your damaged car you need to make “The Italian Arm” as Louise and me has named it. In Denmark you’re a “Brian” (A guy who thinks he’s tough but really just a loser, driving about in his styled car listening to and loud techno music) when you have your arm resting in the window frame. Italians take this one step further. To be a true Italian driver you must have your entire arm hanging out of the window. Rather this makes you look cool or it’s done to relax your arm is unknown. 

During the day many are not driving with lights on their cars. Rather this is done to spare the car-battery or because Italy in general has more sunshine than night (compared to Denmark) or it’s just regulatory is unknown as well.

If you decide to drive around in the Milanese night, prepare yourself for a surprise when you get to a crossroad and take a look at traffic lights. You will often not se rather a red, green or yellow signal, but a blinking yellow signal. This means that all cars from all directions can cross the road, but as a main rule, it’s the cars from the largest street that has first priority. The blinking yellow lights also occur when you get to a crossroad as a pedestrian. Maybe this is why the cars have damages. Who knows?

If you ever get out of your car and deciding to ride a bike, there are a few rules you must know. Do never ride on the street – but on the sidewalk among the pedestrians. This may result in a lot of zigzagging between the pedestrians and your presence might annoy some of them. 

As that wannabe-Italian-sidewalk-bike-riding person you are, you know that the pedestrians are suppose to get out of YOUR way, so make sure your bike have a bell. You will need it.

If you think it’s too complicated driving the car in the city and afraid of biking among the pedestrians you can go the middle-way. Take a scooter. Scooters are HUGE in Italy. I think it’s because it’s easy to get around the cars, in the case of traffic jams, and you’re able to ride in the streets without fearing for your life. So basically the same reasons why biking it popular in Denmark.

Ciao!

// Niklas