23 November 2018

If you are actually reading this section, you are running through your veins .. ready for anything, quick, swift, aggressively defending its territory from any unexpected outside ... relying solely on instinct to make sudden decisions, no compromises, no submission. Great! You're ready to rent a car in Italy !!!
And if you have already done so, congratulations! You've made it back!

Ok, I know driving in Italy is not for the casual driver (ie a tourist who is driving while enjoying the views of the countryside). While I was teaching myself to drive "indecision on the road equals death". But I guess the wide lanes of "I would like to take this exit?" of on-the-road ponderation. Yes, the urgency is there, but ... there is a little extra room between my car and that one other over there ... so I could still technically switch lanes if I must ... in a little bit ... ok .. perhaps now? .. ok now I'm turning my blinker on ... he sees me ... so now I'm veering to the left lane ... here I go.
This is not what you should expect from Italy. As well as city streets. If you can do this across a wide street, that is a 3-lane road. And then of course .. the Italian stuntmen. Oh, I'm sorry did I say ~stuntmen '? I meant to say drivers. If you're trying to go for a ride in the countryside, the Italians will make sure you get a little "thrill" out of your vacation and make you feel like you're on a race-track. And did you know which country is arguably considered to have the worse signs in Europe? You guessed it! Let me go ahead and break down the pros and cons of car driving in Italy, so you can decide for yourself.

Pro # 1: You are free, you can stop when you want to stop, go when you want to go. You can visit the towns you want to visit, and skip the ones you do not.
With # 1: You are not free, you are tied to a car. What is it for you? And do not think that parking is so easy. It is the best chance you have in finding a parking spot. But be careful, because you'll have to pay in most cases. Very often the meter is not in front of the parking space. It's actually nowhere near the car! Sometimes you have to look for it. Ticket in a visible spot. If you do not trust me, you will get fined. Speaking of fines, how would you even get fined if you re driving a rental car? Remember the credit card did you give the car rental company? That's how.

Pro # 2: You can listen to the music you want to listen to.
With # 2: You can not enjoy the music behind you, who's been blinking his headlights at you for the last 30 minutes, riding about 1/4 "from your tailgate. every first-time driver in Italy, when you're driving in the LEFT lane, which is considered the "passing lane" and keep your left blinker ON UNTIL If you are not passing, you get out of the left lane and if you forget, do not worry, there will be means of occasions to remind you You want to pass ONLY in the Left lane and make sure to sign this sign "ONE SENSE" means ONE-WAY, and be careful,because there are many one-way roads in Italy.

Pro # 3: You can take off your shoes and not worry about people complaining about your smelly feet.
With # 3: "Wow, look at all those parking spaces. If you happen to be "ZTL" sign, which is the limited traffic zone, You are going to a town of 500 residents. It is no way to get the permit, and most of the time there is a small white sign. So you're thinking "What's the big deal, I can just make u-turn and get out of here, no?". Well, the bad news is that everywhere you go,

Pro # 4: You can use your American driver's license, although it is an IDA from your local AAA office for about $ 10.
With # 4: Shoes are not the only expensive thing in Italy. Nowadays, gas is considered one of the most expensive commodities with a price of over $ 8.00 per gallon. Gas stations can be found on the side of the highways, as well as in the cities. Fewer are found in the rural areas, "Where can I make gas?" (where can I get gas?). Sundries and holidays, so make sure you have plenty of "gasoline" to carry you over the weekend. You can have a "gas station" fill up for you (with a surcharge) or do it yourself. If you do it yourself, the machines are not like the ones here, some of them only take cash.

Pro # 5: You can get to know the country people, the locals! Oh, well, this would be the case if you speak fluent Italian, of course.
With # 5: Do not even try to pick that up! The cell-phone, that is. If you are caught doing it, you may be pulled over and fined. It's a good thing that's against the law ...

Pro # 6: You can take your GPS navigation tool with you, given you download the Italian maps on it, and use it in Italy!
With # 6: You can not drink as much as you want to get back to the hotel ... in the dark ... hopefully without getting too many times. Signs in Italy can sometimes be "amusing", but unfortunately not very easy to interpret. Like the elusive "all directions" sign (to all directions), or the seductive "center" (historical center) that you eventually want to get to, but do not want to trespass the infamous "ZTL". You can see two signs indicating the city you want to go to, but going in the opposite directions. The GREEN sign indicates a toll-highway, while a BLUE sign will indicate a local road. It would be a good idea to learn some Italian, because if you find yourself in a rural area, chances are,

Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Renting a Car in Italy:

Ask yourself these 5 questions to help you hire a private driver / use trains and public transportation.

1. How long will you be in Italy? Things to be in your itinerary.
2. Can you handle high-stress driving scenarios? And most of all, do you travel? If you are OK with getting lost, you are going to find your way around, then you should be alright.
3. How many people are traveling with you? Can be with the luggage, etc.
4. Do you want a relaxing vacation or an adventure with unexpected surprises? EVERYTHING because you are traveling with no expectations.
5. Are you going to visit major cities like Florence, Venice, Rome, Milan, are you also wanting to visit the countryside? If you are on a week-end dedicated to the countryside town, you might be interested in renting a car.

TO CONCLUDE:Make sure you can drive a manual transmission, because it is not guaranteed you will get an automatic, even if you requested one. Also, if you get an automatic, you will be charged to premium. You do not have to wear a huge suitcases, as if you were giving a hummer. Even if you reserve an SUV, it will be smaller compared to one you'd find in the USA. RIGHT with a red light !!!). Italian cities are very crowded, and so are the streets: mopeds, cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians and .. strollers ?! Just about anything you can imagine! So you really want to develop "360"
Brace yourself with a lot of patience and have a "good trip" !!

Some useful websites chosen by Nada's Italy:

<www.nationaldrivesafe.com><www.viamichelin.it><http://www.italiantourism.com/transp.html> - road rules of foreign countries.
 - maps of Italy, itineraries, road tolls, and much more. 
 more tips offered by the Italian tourism board.

USEFUL PHRASES FOR DRIVING IN ITALY:

1. Right "Right" day-strah
2. Left "Left" see-nee-strah
3. A right "Straight ahead" ah-deeree-toh
4. No Parking Stop "No-parking zone" deevee-ay-toh dee -sostah
5. One way sense "One way" sain-soh ooh-neekoh
6. Excuse me, where is it? - Excuse me, where is ...? - mee-skoo-zee doh-vay ...?
7. I need information "I need an information" - oh-beezone-eeh-oh dee oon-een-fore-mah-zee-ohn-nay
8. Parking "Parking lot / deck" par-kayjo
9. Is there a parking lot nearby? - Is there a parking lot nearby? - chay-oohn par-kay-jo qoo-e and vee-chee-noh
10. Street "Street" vee-ah
11. At the corner "At the corner "

13. At the intersection "At the intersection" ah-leen-crocho
14. At the traffic light "At the light" ahl-say-maforo
15. Passage Driveway "No parking / tow away zone" pas-soh kar-ah-beelay
16 Stop "Stop - stop
17. Exit" Exit "oo-sheetah
18. To go to ...? - To go to ...? - pair-ahn-dah-ray
19. Far away" Far "lone-tah- no
20. Near "Near" vee-chee-noh
21. Opposite "In front" dee-fronetay
22. Next to "Next to" ah-kahn-toh ah
23. Gasoline "Gas" ben-zeenah
24. Diesel / Diesel "diesel fuel" deisel / gas-oleeoh
25. Lead-free "Unleaded" sane-zah pee-om-bo
26. Distributor "Gas station "dees-tree-bootore-ray
27. Where can I make gas? - Where can I get gas? - dovay-pos-soh fa-ray ben-zeenah