Any tips for crossing the street in Italy?

Question

I may be spending a few months in Rome next year. A friend of mine went to Italy a few years back and said it was fabulous but a bit dangerous when crossing the street.

So, any advice on how to avoid accidents when crossing the street? Well, aside from just "hurry and get to the other side..."

Thanks! :-)

Answer 1

I agree with the other advicess: look both ways.

This is mine: cross in group

Answer 2

In Rome, whenever possible, follow a Roman. Also, observe how they do it. They are aggressive, and the worse thing you can do is hesitate.

Answer 3

hey girl I am in Italy now. I am not italian,but Italians drive very reckless

Really you need to look left and right twice.

Where it is possible only cross over to the other side where you see a zebra crossing.

Good luck Ciao

Answer 4

Watch carefully to your right and left before crossing a street without the lights. Also, if the drivers are very stubborn but if you are on the white crossing strips on the road, make a sign of stop to them with your hand, it's your right to cross that street in that point and they need to stop and let you go.

Unfortunately few Italian drivers will stop when they see you at the edge of the street, very few.

Answer 5

Unfortunatly they are not so well signed as in england so lots of cars see that at the last time....some dont stop just because it would be dangerous to crash with the car behind them for the same reason...it would be easier to cross where the special traffic light for walker are....they stop there because is well signed...in other place I advise you to watch lots of time and cross only when no one is coming

Answer 6

ohhhh goodness - we are crazy drivers. we drive on the wrong side on road if the person in front of us is going too slow and we drive very fast. be very cautious while crossing the street... cars will not stop for you. pedestrians do technically have the right of way, but drivers do not follow the rules - they'll go even if you're crossing. make sure to make eye contact if you can with the person driving if you're crossing so they know to stop. also do not think that they'll stop for you - see if they slow down at all and then cross.

this sums it up nicely!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yav5tHWQ4...

this is mild traffic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj30GH-cy...

Answer 7

Just make sure u look twice or three times LOL its just like any other big city; the crossing lights are short so alot of people jaywalk against the lights whenever theres an opening in traffic. but it does help to use the lights and the crosswalks. most people yielded to pedestrians even though the light may have changed to green and ur still going across that was our experience anyway.

Answer 8

hi!

i'm italian living in Turin, ... when i cross the street i look at left and right and then go... if a car is coming just look at the driver very badly and go on slowly, then, try to understand if he would stop or if he's tryng to go faster to pass before you did... if you have the last perception, please stop!

if you look afraid of crossing the street you can stay there for hours..

italians know pedestrian MUST go first...

Answer 9

The going joke is that in Milan you must stop at a red traffic light, in Rome, it cautions you to slow down, whereas in Naples it’s simply an opinion. Funny but tragically true.

The only piece of advice I can give you is that once you’ve looked well and truly in both directions, be very very decisive about crossing, not necessarily fast, on the contrary go at a normal pace, but be decisive. Roman drivers (been living here for decades) are very good and usually miss you by inches if they gauge the distance and your speed correctly. Lately there’s been a clamp down on  drunken drivers, who are a menace, but fortunately there are not so many of them (except Saturday night youngsters from the disco bars). Do not, please do not consider the zebra crossing as “holy ground”, drivers tend to ignore them, they don’t even slow down and just dodge you at will. All in all, though you’ll get along it’s a great place to live in and a Tourist’s paradise.