Meanwhile, in Italy...
Discussion
Not quite.
Full picture as follows from an Italy watcher.
"A NEW HIGHWAY CODE IN ITALY
Italy's government, ostensibly acting to curb the country's high number of road deaths, has approved some baffling changes to the highway code, including an increase - but only sometimes - in the speed limit.
If passed by MPs, the alterations contained in an omnibus bill would affect more than a third of the existing 240 articles in the code.
Many of them are totally confusing, and would mean that drivers would be best advised to keep their eyes trained on the sky as well as the road, not in search of omens, as did the ancient Romans, but for signs of "adverse atmospheric conditions."
For if the weather in future were to turn nasty, for example with rain, sleet, snow, or winds, the driver would have to slow down by 20km or about 12mph on motorways.
Under the present overall speed limit, this would have meant slowing down to 110km or about 66mph. But under the new code, Italians would be advised to keep a calculator in the glove compartment, in order to work out the array of new speed limits.
This is because the present 130km flat limit on motorways is increased in the new code to 140km. However this only providing that the motorway has three lanes, which while they sometrimes exist, tend to last for only short stretches.
All this would mean that under the new code, a driver experiencing sudden bad weather on a three-lane motorway would have to slow down from 140km to 120km, before having to slow again to 110km when the lanes went from three to two. Sudden better weather would then allow to go 130, until the lanes became three.
One could also imagine a sudden calm and burst of sunshine in a storm being cited in court as a loophole for offenders.
Although they are only therotical, since Italians rarely observe road regulations anyway, the new rules recall others which an earlier government was forced to drop, which reduced speed limits at weekends.
Italy almost dominates Europe for its high number of road deaths - more than 7000 a year - while it ranks highest for the per capita number of cars.
Italian motorways are rarely banked, and cars tend to drive on them at 140-160km, and often even at 175km.
With most having two narrow lanes, frequent hard bends, and one lane packed with lorries, thus badly reducing visibility, they could be best described as high-risk dual carriageways where you also have to pay a hefty toll.
In a bid to ensure that future Mont Blanc disasters are avpoided, the new highway code also bans the transport of dangerous substances in tunnels.
In addition it introduces licences for scooter riders, and a penalty point system for normal driving licences that envisages eventual confiscation, with points against being doubled during the first five years of issue.
Cars will be also required to have front and rear airbags, and special easy-draining asphalt will have to be adopted for all motorway surfaces.
by www.lanazione.it"
Full picture as follows from an Italy watcher.
"A NEW HIGHWAY CODE IN ITALY
Italy's government, ostensibly acting to curb the country's high number of road deaths, has approved some baffling changes to the highway code, including an increase - but only sometimes - in the speed limit.
If passed by MPs, the alterations contained in an omnibus bill would affect more than a third of the existing 240 articles in the code.
Many of them are totally confusing, and would mean that drivers would be best advised to keep their eyes trained on the sky as well as the road, not in search of omens, as did the ancient Romans, but for signs of "adverse atmospheric conditions."
For if the weather in future were to turn nasty, for example with rain, sleet, snow, or winds, the driver would have to slow down by 20km or about 12mph on motorways.
Under the present overall speed limit, this would have meant slowing down to 110km or about 66mph. But under the new code, Italians would be advised to keep a calculator in the glove compartment, in order to work out the array of new speed limits.
This is because the present 130km flat limit on motorways is increased in the new code to 140km. However this only providing that the motorway has three lanes, which while they sometrimes exist, tend to last for only short stretches.
All this would mean that under the new code, a driver experiencing sudden bad weather on a three-lane motorway would have to slow down from 140km to 120km, before having to slow again to 110km when the lanes went from three to two. Sudden better weather would then allow to go 130, until the lanes became three.
One could also imagine a sudden calm and burst of sunshine in a storm being cited in court as a loophole for offenders.
Although they are only therotical, since Italians rarely observe road regulations anyway, the new rules recall others which an earlier government was forced to drop, which reduced speed limits at weekends.
Italy almost dominates Europe for its high number of road deaths - more than 7000 a year - while it ranks highest for the per capita number of cars.
Italian motorways are rarely banked, and cars tend to drive on them at 140-160km, and often even at 175km.
With most having two narrow lanes, frequent hard bends, and one lane packed with lorries, thus badly reducing visibility, they could be best described as high-risk dual carriageways where you also have to pay a hefty toll.
In a bid to ensure that future Mont Blanc disasters are avpoided, the new highway code also bans the transport of dangerous substances in tunnels.
In addition it introduces licences for scooter riders, and a penalty point system for normal driving licences that envisages eventual confiscation, with points against being doubled during the first five years of issue.
Cars will be also required to have front and rear airbags, and special easy-draining asphalt will have to be adopted for all motorway surfaces.
by www.lanazione.it"
First, let's forget pre-concepts all of us ...
First thing to say is that here we have a mass of non educated, violent and too fast drivers. People speeding like mad and observing no rules. If you take a highway from Turin to Milano, you can observe that medium speed is about 160 kmh with leftmost lane occupied with "train" of lorries pulling out without indication or attention. From time to time you, travelling at 170-180 kmh, get tailgated by some BMW M3 or Pork travelling 2 cm from your real bumper (salut McNab
). If you make a tour in the major cities you can observe that nobody follows lanes, stops at redlight or gives you the way. Complete chaos.
But,
The road quality is catastrophic (maintenence).
Semaphores are adjusted in the most "idiotic" way.
Goverment preffers lorry transport instead of trains.
Even city cars are faster and faster you figure sport cars.
Drivers are non-educated and self-trained to drive.
And police is absent. This is not true only when...
..they have a CERTAIN possibility to fine you.
Conclusion.
I agree with the new driving rules and I sincerely hope that will bring some improvement. Personally, for racing, I use Monza or Magione tracks and they are fine, especially when I can overtake some youngster in his Audi TT.
First thing to say is that here we have a mass of non educated, violent and too fast drivers. People speeding like mad and observing no rules. If you take a highway from Turin to Milano, you can observe that medium speed is about 160 kmh with leftmost lane occupied with "train" of lorries pulling out without indication or attention. From time to time you, travelling at 170-180 kmh, get tailgated by some BMW M3 or Pork travelling 2 cm from your real bumper (salut McNab
). If you make a tour in the major cities you can observe that nobody follows lanes, stops at redlight or gives you the way. Complete chaos. But,
The road quality is catastrophic (maintenence).
Semaphores are adjusted in the most "idiotic" way.
Goverment preffers lorry transport instead of trains.
Even city cars are faster and faster you figure sport cars.
Drivers are non-educated and self-trained to drive.
And police is absent. This is not true only when...
quote:
One could also imagine a sudden calm and burst of sunshine in a storm being cited in court as a loophole for offenders.
..they have a CERTAIN possibility to fine you.
Conclusion.
I agree with the new driving rules and I sincerely hope that will bring some improvement. Personally, for racing, I use Monza or Magione tracks and they are fine, especially when I can overtake some youngster in his Audi TT.
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