½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

I have just had a vision of an instructor quietly saying, "No, we covered left and right last lesson, now please reverse from under this truck, and turn in the opposite direction"... Hang on, There could be a heck of a TV series in this, Get that curious welsh woman to move over and decide to learn to drive here, while simultaneously learning ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ...(where's that "were making a new moving abroad TV show" thread,) :eek: :eek: ;)

oh my god, that sounds amazing. i'm going to start stalking channel 4 right away! watch this space...maybe she could make a ramshackle shed into a hip hotel too.

He would have to take a conversion coruse to learn to teach the additional skills required in Italy, such as how to drive at 200kph on the autostrada while talking on the phone, applying makeup, brushing one's hair and steering with the knees. Or the fine social etiquette of stopping dead without warning every time you see someone you know or even someone who looks vaguely like someone you know.

Advanced lessons on how to park in a spot 100mm shorter than your vehicle.

such as how to drive at 200kph on the autostrada while talking on the phone, applying makeup, brushing one's hair and steering with the knees. Or the fine social etiquette of stopping dead without warning every time you see someone you know

I know, and that's just the men...
And what about parking sideways in the middle of carparks (shade issue)
I really do love it here, everyday a new challenge...

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]such as how to drive at 200kph on the autostrada while ...[/QUOTE]

....as usually does our Minister of Transports, as he recently stated

[url="http://www.kwmotori.kataweb.it/kwmotori/kwmprima.jsp?idContent=1158073&idCategory=780"]http://www.kwmotori.kataweb.it/kwmotori/kwmprima.jsp?idContent=1158073&idCategory=780[/url]

...very sad....

I know that this is not the real purpose of the tread, but if we are diverting onto amusing anecdotes about '½ûÂþÌìÌà Driving' (which I have to say, I adore & feel much safer driving in Italy than in the UK), I have one to share.

We were on the A15 travelling at a 'steady rate' in a fast moving line of traffic when the rozzers appeared in my rear-view mirror, lights flashing, sirens going, the works! Now, as I had my 'British brain' in, this has the same effect as a prune curry and I checked my mirrors, indicated, dutifully pulled out of the way, praying to Jeremy Clarkson that they were not after me. To my relief, the police wizzed past me, thankfully with bigger fish to fry.

What amused us most, however was that right behind the police car (and when I say behind, I mean no more than 5 inches behind!) was a vast BMW being driven by the classic 'rep' who was managing to talk on the phone whilst 'flashing up' the Caribinari to get out of the way.

I have since learned to check my rear view more often, and to look out for larger beemers.....

[QUOTE=GeorgeS]I know, and that's just the men...
And what about parking sideways in the middle of carparks (shade issue)
I really do love it here, everyday a new challenge...[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, the local Tigre puts up shade nets in summer but the art of parking is to get all of your car under the net so that it is shaded all day long. This means that instead of the 40 cars that the space was designed for, only about five can get in there.

My neighbours daughtr is a lovely girl, who drives a small Mercedes. If I see her approaching from any direction I start scanning for bolt holes because it's guaranteed that whatever she is doing, driving will be the last thing on her mind. She even managed to overtake me in the Borgo where the streets are just wide enough for two Apes to pass in comfort.

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]What amused us most, however was that right behind the police car (and when I say behind, I mean no more than 5 inches behind!) was a vast BMW being driven by the classic 'rep' who was managing to talk on the phone whilst 'flashing up' the Caribinari to get out of the way.[/QUOTE]

:) We saw something similar on the A1 at Modena Nord. I was hacking down the A1 at 150kph when I saw the lights of a police car approaching from behind. Nothing, but absolutely nothing would get out of their way and they took a long time to get level with me, pass me and then to realise that they were about to miss the service station they were heading for. So they slammed on their brakes swerved across the front of my car and we both headed off at the same exit. I was half expecting a bollocking for getting in the way of a police car, but at the service station shop we got a friendly wave and then they went off to arrest a shoplifter.