Driving in Europe (ahhhhhh!!!)

Uh, these folks are nuts. Of course, that's according to our standards--and who's to say who's nuts? Look at all the road-rage headlines we hear/see in The U.S.

I am waiting for the right video to add to this post and I'll do so once we can get some great footage. When we were here in 2006 all we did is ride around as passengers in a bus. I drove in Spain in 2007 with Jillian and Landon and didn't have too much trouble.

France and Italy have been a real eye-opener. They're all over my behind. If these folks went to the U.S. and followed the same habits they'd be dead in 12 hours. . . we couldn't handle it. We'd take it personally.

Here, though, it's just the way it's done. They are fabulous tailgaters. They tailgate you until you either make room for them to pass, or they make their own move to pass. It doesn't always matter what they can see ahead of them when they make their move, either. Uphill, downhill, clear vision, foggy, rainy, blind curve--it doesn't matter. Trucks are just as aggressive as the automobiles.

They're always in such a hurry. Today I saw someone make a pass 200 yards from a known dead-end. It's their way and it seems to work. I don't see fights. I see an occasional gesture, but no road rage. I'd love to see statistics on traffic accidents and fatalities. I would not be surprised if it's favorable to the U.S. experience. I will say that their cars do have a higher amount of dents, scratches, scrapes, and the like. They bump into each other parking, passing each other in narrow lanes, coming too close to walls.

Racing is a huge part of the culture here--is that at the root?

I am having a hard time trying not to get caught up in the moment. I want to tailgate, too, but Linda keeps me grounded. So I drive like the old guys.

So what's this mean from a riding perspective? Well, they won't hit you, but they come really close. The cycling culture in Italy is very strong, so I think that helps. Our only ride thus far was around Lake Como. I will say that Lake Como is an ideal spot for cycling, but make sure you speak with someone that knows all the roads and can give specific advice on which roads to travel. We made some mistakes on route choices and ended up in heavy traffic areas. If you spend a lot of time around the rim of the lake, you'll be sharing the roads with lots of cars. The roads are narrow, the cars close, and there are many of them. It can be very unnerving. Carlo has many suggestions, as does an association he's affiliated with: Comolagobike. They can assist with great routes that will keep you safe and enjoying the ride.