When driving in Italy, there are a few specific matters to take into account. And so, I’ve put together a little driver’s guide for you. This might come in handy for anyone who would like to mentally prepare themself before hitting the roads over here and those who have always wondered about the mysterious ways of the Italian driving culture. Please note that the further south you drive, the more applicable these recommendations become.

Before and after pics of eco-printing (in this case using plants as negatives with a natural dye on wool) and Pepe, the cutest kitten in the world (second cutest cat)

Speed minimums:

The red-rimmed round signs with numbers in them (in other places also referred to as “speed limits”) indicate the very minimum speed that must be applied when driving on that specific street. In other words, the numbers on these signs are not of great importance. However, if you encounter anyone driving a maximum of the speed mentioned on the sign, it is recommended to apply hand gestures, blinking or honking to communicate to them that a higher speed would be appropriate. When encountering special “speed limits” due to street works etc., these can be fully ignored. If anyone else shows signs of slowing down, overtaking is recommended (see tips for overtaking later in this post).

On the highway:

It is generally a good idea to concentrate on your own driving, without considering the other drivers on the road (unless they are doing something prohibited or stupid and need to be reminded of this - see tips to tackle this issue below). Always advance on your journey however suits you best; this means that overtaking is possible both on the right and left-hand lanes – if necessary, also the hard shoulder (that side lane on the very right of the highway) can be used for overtaking purposes. Even if generally speaking the ‘the faster the better’ rule applies, it’s equally important to stay relaxed. So, being overly decisive about where you’re headed to is not necessary. It is for example very acceptable to hover over two lanes and drive in the middle of them for as long as you feel like. For extra excitement, be reckless and throw in some last-minute moves to the highway show. Remember to also apply the above instructions regarding the speed minimum signs when driving on the autostrada.

Turn signals:

Whatever you do, do not use your turn signal to indicate your movements. But if for some reason you do decide to warn other drivers about your plan to overtake them for example on the highway, use the opposite blinker to distract everyone. So, when e.g. overtaking using the left lane, use the right-hand side blinker when making your move. After the overtake, it is highly recommended to leave the blinker on, for as long as possible. This will confuse other drivers even more, as it is now unclear whether you are planning to switch lanes, or if you have forgotten to turn off your blinker. Please note that it is strictly forbidden and against any common sense to use a turning signal at a roundabout to indicate your intentions to exit. The only time using your blinkers is encouraged, is to warn other drivers about the Carabinieri doing street checks on the road.

Other guidance:

• Even if generally you don’t have to consider other drivers (e.g. by using your blinker to indicate your moves), it is recommended to criticise others’ driving styles. Don’t be afraid to get emotional here; all type of elevated hand gestures and vocal expressions are welcome, plus,  *important* don’t forget the honk
• Strive to drive with an open window and let your arm dangle out of it, whenever possible
• The usage of honks is encouraged at all moments. Not only to indicate idiot behaviour, but also to announce your presence on curvy roads, to communicate hellos to other drivers, pretty people and other by-passers and additionally, whenever you feel like it without specific reason
• When looking for parking, get creative! The colour codes of the different types of parking spaces don’t really matter, as long as you stop your car using the hazard flasher, no parking fees need to be paid. The signs for “parking prohibited” don’t apply to you specifically and if even these spaces are all occupied, you can always invent your very own parking space – the sky is the limit!
• Spice up your life by aiming to overtake as many cars as possible on your way, never minding curves on the road and the traffic on the counter lane you use for the overtake. A bit of extra excitement is always a plus!
• Remember also that your car looks much cooler with a few signs of life on it. This means that by all means, get close to other cars and objects, especially while parking, to scratch them just a little to contribute to your unique car paint design

To summarize the Italian way of driving in one sentence, I’d say staying emotionally active, relaxed, in a frenzy, creative, reckless and loud all at once is the way to go. To answer the question “is it really as mad as they say?” I’d say the answer is yes, but you get used to it :) So with these instructions…good luck!

Bacio 💋 Cass