Over the next week we will be travelling around few countries and discussing their different driving styles, in relation to their ‘stereotypes.’
We begin by reviewing the world renowned drivers; the Italians. It is well known that Italian drivers can be a little ‘crazy’ or sporadic whilst driving; however, it is always done to detail, which in turn makes them one of the world’s best drivers. Take a moment to understand their habits and you will soon agree.
According to a survey commissioned by a large UK car website, Italians topped the table with 34% of the votes for worst Europeans behind the wheel, followed by the French (20%) and the Spanish (8%).
However, this reputation is founded on their very self-assured driving style. On the road, the Italians are confident and assured, they do not hesitate, they know where they want to go, how to get there and most importantly, how to be there as quickly and efficiently as possible. It’s this difference in attitude, which contributes to the high scores on the survey.
We want to take a moment to identify the differences to between Italian and other European driving styles, read on to find out more:
• The Italians have a driving ‘motto’ if you like; “You watch your front, let everyone else watch your back”. And this is a true reflection on how they drive. The results: very little shoulder-checking and aggressive driving forward to fit into gaps in traffic. Therefore you must pay attention a lot more to what is in front of you than you may need to do in the other European countries.
• The Italians don’t just use their horns in an aggressive way, they are also used to help people know they are coming, for example, a longer lean on the horn is used when driving round a blind corner. Don’t feel like if you get beeped at it is in an aggressive or angry manner, it may just be trying to tell you what is coming.
• As previously mentioned, the Italians are forthcoming when it comes to driving. So if they begin to indicate, is doesn't mean “I would like to go” or “I’m waiting to see if you let me go”. It means, “Get out the way”. If you hesitate, the other drivers will believe that you aren’t going. So, similarly, when you are indicating that you’re changing lanes, you need to promptly change. Hesitation can actually cause more accidents in this case.
• While a stop sign usually means that drivers have to come to a complete stop in most parts of the world, in Italy, stop signs mean simply that you just have to make sure that the road is clear before moving forward! Sometimes, they don’t slow down at all! And if you do, you might get rear-ended.
We appreciate that these key points may make the Italians seem like they are crazy drivers, but they are not, and amongst themselves they all know what they are doing, so it’s vital when driving in Italy you drive like an Italian to avoid any accidents. It’s important to note that they’re perfectly rational drivers concerned solely with getting to their destination in their own style, and not bothered by anybody else.
Their confident driving style is could derive from the fact that they undergo much stricter driver training than most Europeans. It is very difficult to obtain a driving license in Italy and the training is way more complex. So when they are finally able to go on the roads, they do not hesitate and they are very confident in their manoeuvres and they may drive fast but they are skillful !
