What are the roads like in N. Italy (not Alps)

[havoc]

Planning a trip to N. Italy (for obvious reasons) and it's been suggested to me that many of the roads are straight and that there are lots of speed cameras (inc. average ones) being put up.

...which worries me a little bit. Anyone been recently (aside from L. Como or Garda, we're particularly thinking Modena / Genoa / maybe Venice) who can comment?


Also any suggestions for 'must-do' roads (moderately quick car, prefer sweeping corners and technical stuff to 'point-and-squirt' switchback passes)?

Thanks,

Martin.

[davepoth]

havoc said:

Planning a trip to N. Italy (for obvious reasons) and it's been suggested to me that many of the roads are straight and that there are lots of speed cameras (inc. average ones) being put up.

...which worries me a little bit. Anyone been recently (aside from L. Como or Garda, we're particularly thinking Modena / Genoa / maybe Venice) who can comment?


Also any suggestions for 'must-do' roads (moderately quick car, prefer sweeping corners and technical stuff to 'point-and-squirt' switchback passes)?

Thanks,

Martin.

Don't take the back roads. You'll be holding up all of the locals in their classic 500s. And I'm not even joking.

[mikey k]

davepoth said:

Don't take the back roads. You'll be holding up all of the locals in their classic 500s. And I'm not even joking.

Absolutley agree
We followed a Panda down a mountain pass in an S2000, the guy was a nutter!
Roads are generally good & smooth, never seen a scamera, rush hour around towns are a bit manic
For some "nice" roads try

www.alpineroads.com

[dcb]

mikey k said:

Absolutley agree
We followed a Panda down a mountain pass in an S2000, the guy was a nutter!
Roads are generally good & smooth, never seen a scamera, rush hour around towns are a bit manic
For some "nice" roads try

www.alpineroads.com

+1

Italians wouldn't bother about speed cameras anyway.

Whatever the rules are, the Italians just ignore them and
make it up as they go along, and that includes overtaking on a bend,
driving on the wrong side, parking absolutely anywhere etc etc.

I have been driving at 40 mph and been overtaken by *cyclists* before
now in Italy. Northern Europe it isn't.

[Nur Links]

dcb said:

Italians wouldn't bother about speed cameras anyway.

Whatever the rules are, the Italians just ignore them and
make it up as they go along, and that includes overtaking on a bend,
driving on the wrong side, parking absolutely anywhere etc etc.

I translate that into: Italians aren't sanitized into being comatose yet. They mind their own business and don't judge other people's driving style. In general they drive pretty well and are alert. Rule 1 is: "Anything is allowed as long as you don't touch". The horn is therefore no sign of discontent, but is used to signal the fact you're in a hurry.

I love driving in Italy and the roads are great. The motorways can be boring between Torino and Venice and in the Po-plain (Milano to Bologna), but ground can be covered at great speed. In other regions the A-roads are cracking (Parma-Genova or Bologna-Firenze). If you want to enjoy the driving, get of the highway and use a good map (a paper one) or plan your routes in advance through Google maps.

In 20 years of driving throughout Italy I've never had a speeding ticket. There are cameras but they are pretty rare and are very visible. When you do get pulled over by the police be polite and patient, usually you'll be sent of after your papers have been looked at.

Have fun.

[havoc]

Thanks all. So defensive driving at 3-figure speeds is the order of the day down there, then?!?