I can still remember the first time I drove in Cyprus. Getting into a right-side driving car was weird enough, but the first time I turned left, I turned into the right lane as I always do...in the US. I encountered a terrified Cypriot driver heading straight at me at perhaps 60MPH. It took me a split-second to realize my mistake, and I veered into the left lane. For a moment, though, I think both of thought this was how we were going to go out. It was the one and only time I made that mistake. :-)
Bummer about needing a license for the scooter. Oh well, if I move to Italy it will be in an area with lots of public transportation! And thanks for the tip on Google maps and the cameras!
Great recount of your driving experience! I had the pleasure (or, DIS-pleasure) of driving in Italy back in 2017 using my "international" drivers license. We drove from Milano to Nocera Umbra, then to Roma. My wife, son and I in one rented Fiat Panda (I've always had manual transmission cars, so this was a breeze to drive), and my cousin, her daughter and son-in-law in the other. Driving on the highways was fine. The big cities, however... scary. So scary that we decided to ditch the cars in Roma and take a train back to Milano (and we saved a couple Euros in doing so)! Two things I was constantly warned about was inadvertently driving in ZTL zones and speeding (I guess Italy is known for hidden cameras all over the place?)! As a matter of fact, my good friend (who lives in the USA, but has a home in Italy) got a €300 speeding ticket EIGHT MONTHS after he had been in the area where a camera supposedly saw him speeding (he didn't deny it, though)! Anyway, I don't plan on ever driving a car in Italy. I *would* like to drive a scooter, though. But if I still would have to go through everything you described, then fugeddaboudit! I'll do taxis, trains, buses or feet!
What a funny and informative post this was!!! I had no idea that getting a license was such a nightmare. Interesting because we found driving in Rome a nightmare...! You’d think they’re grooming talented drivers? This also explains the aggression. Passing all these tests, the waiting and the simmering that is part of the experience makes for a different kind of driver on Italy’s roads.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Fantastic! I’ve read a bit about preparing for and taking the driving tests and your account is, by far, the best and most fun (well, at least fun to read). Mamma Mia! This is not something I look forward to. But oh, the sense of accomplishment!
Your posts are always so funny! 😄 And they are always enlightening about how foreigners see Italy and Italians, and how things I consider obvious are definitely not. For example, studying hard for a license allowing you to launch a potentially fatal vehicle along a road with other vehicles and people (and walls). Is really much easier to get one in the US?
About Piedmont: no, it is not possible to have the test in French, and despite this region being on the border with France, no one speaks French, actually. I think the only exception to the rule about the language is in Trentino, where the official second language is German and ao perhaps they also have tests and books in this language.
I am sorry you had to repeat the exam! You surely didn't deserve it!
Hi! I did the license last year. It cost a little more than €1,000, and the eye test was €50. I studied five or six hours a day for eight weeks and passed the written test. (A2 level Italian) The instructors do like to yell. It was stressful, yes.
This is an awesome article, thank you
I can still remember the first time I drove in Cyprus. Getting into a right-side driving car was weird enough, but the first time I turned left, I turned into the right lane as I always do...in the US. I encountered a terrified Cypriot driver heading straight at me at perhaps 60MPH. It took me a split-second to realize my mistake, and I veered into the left lane. For a moment, though, I think both of thought this was how we were going to go out. It was the one and only time I made that mistake. :-)
Bummer about needing a license for the scooter. Oh well, if I move to Italy it will be in an area with lots of public transportation! And thanks for the tip on Google maps and the cameras!
Great recount of your driving experience! I had the pleasure (or, DIS-pleasure) of driving in Italy back in 2017 using my "international" drivers license. We drove from Milano to Nocera Umbra, then to Roma. My wife, son and I in one rented Fiat Panda (I've always had manual transmission cars, so this was a breeze to drive), and my cousin, her daughter and son-in-law in the other. Driving on the highways was fine. The big cities, however... scary. So scary that we decided to ditch the cars in Roma and take a train back to Milano (and we saved a couple Euros in doing so)! Two things I was constantly warned about was inadvertently driving in ZTL zones and speeding (I guess Italy is known for hidden cameras all over the place?)! As a matter of fact, my good friend (who lives in the USA, but has a home in Italy) got a €300 speeding ticket EIGHT MONTHS after he had been in the area where a camera supposedly saw him speeding (he didn't deny it, though)! Anyway, I don't plan on ever driving a car in Italy. I *would* like to drive a scooter, though. But if I still would have to go through everything you described, then fugeddaboudit! I'll do taxis, trains, buses or feet!
What a funny and informative post this was!!! I had no idea that getting a license was such a nightmare. Interesting because we found driving in Rome a nightmare...! You’d think they’re grooming talented drivers? This also explains the aggression. Passing all these tests, the waiting and the simmering that is part of the experience makes for a different kind of driver on Italy’s roads.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Fantastic! I’ve read a bit about preparing for and taking the driving tests and your account is, by far, the best and most fun (well, at least fun to read). Mamma Mia! This is not something I look forward to. But oh, the sense of accomplishment!
Terrific synopsis Cheryl. Only thing I noticed is that they changed the number of questions in the written exam to 30 from 40. You can miss 3.
Both entertaining and terrifying, LOL
Your posts are always so funny! 😄 And they are always enlightening about how foreigners see Italy and Italians, and how things I consider obvious are definitely not. For example, studying hard for a license allowing you to launch a potentially fatal vehicle along a road with other vehicles and people (and walls). Is really much easier to get one in the US?
About Piedmont: no, it is not possible to have the test in French, and despite this region being on the border with France, no one speaks French, actually. I think the only exception to the rule about the language is in Trentino, where the official second language is German and ao perhaps they also have tests and books in this language.
I am sorry you had to repeat the exam! You surely didn't deserve it!
Elena
Hi! I did the license last year. It cost a little more than €1,000, and the eye test was €50. I studied five or six hours a day for eight weeks and passed the written test. (A2 level Italian) The instructors do like to yell. It was stressful, yes.