ITALIANS – THE BEST DRIVERS IN THE WORLD!
A lot has been said, and written, about Italian drivers. They’re crazy – certainly! Particularly in and around the cities, but it’s my opinion that they are also excellent drivers! They have to be!
Best of all, I believe, are the bus drivers. If you don’t believe me, take any bus along the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Salerno! That’s me in the bus on the pic! Hairpin bends, road is barely wide enough for two cars most of the way.
Those guys are so layback, and so skillful. Everything is happening around them – tourists who have no idea and all the other PAZZI Italian drivers. Pazzi means mad, by the way.
In cities and old towns, bus drivers – and truck drivers – manoeuvre these big chunky vehicles through narrow streets. They negotiate little bypass roads barely wide enough for their wheels, with cars coming at them from the other direction.
They squeeze past cars parked in the usual ‘any-old-way’ of Italy, halfway onto the street, barely millimetres to spare. Some parked cars retain side mirrors intact, and one often sees drivers turn side mirrors back when they park.
Pedestrians don’t help. Giovanni is driving through the town, and his friend Roberto starts to cross the road. So, Giovanni stops to say “Buongiorno!” and have a chat to catch up on the news. Cars going in both directions have to stop. And then of course the car horns come out!
And this is why they are great drivers. Dealing with the challenges means all drivers must be ready. For anything! Cars come out in front of you, turn without signalling, just stop for no reason, anywhere, any time.
In Australia, if you want a Defensive Driving course, you have to pay for it. In Italy, it just comes naturally. On Italian roads, you never know what the next person is going to do.
I think Italians learn defensive driving very early.