Driving in Italy

Ok, I must admit, I probably didn't think out the whole driving in Italy thing very well. Renting a car in Rome and driving south to Pompeii, then Sorrento, then over to Positano, and finally back to Rome wasn't one of my better plans.

A few thoughts...

Agressive drivers - It is definitely every man/woman/child for him/herself. There is more weaving and winding than a drunk snake in the Arizona desert.

Scooters and motorcycles - What a total pain in the butt! Apparently if you are 14 you can buy a scooter and drive it. No license, no classes, nothing. Oh, but they do wear helmets. It is shear madness having scores of scooters weave in and out of cars, on sidewalks, anywhere, just to get ahead of the cars and busses. Madness, I tell you.

I thought I saw it all while in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Two adults, a child sandwiched between them, and a carrying a propane tank on a rinky-dink scooter. Nope, two adults, two children (one of which was standing!), several backpacks and packages dangling in the wind. Wow!

Blinkers - I'm not sure why, but it seems that most folks have no idea how to turn off a blinker (let alone turn one on!). Maybe the car manufacturers here have yet to perfect the automatic blinker shut off thing when you turn a corner.

Chuck's comment after we returned the car....I'm glad that's over and now we can take a taxi.