the green Panda
I swear I see this car everyday when I am out driving the treacherous roads in Italy. It invariably gets in front of me and drives at 45 kph, while long lines of angry Italians form behind me and the car behind me sits 3 centimetres from my bumperbar. I would like to install a heavy bull bar at the back and stop suddenly on occasion to give them the fright they deserve.
I recently had my 17 year old Finnish cousin staying with me and he was horrified by the driving here. From what he says, Finns, much like Australians, generally follow the road rules. Following road rules is quite a good idea, especially when they are designed to help keep you alive.
For instance, a double solid line on a curve in a tunnel lets you know it is not a good idea to overtake the car in front. I respect this rule and stay on my side of the road.
Not so in Italy. Just the other day a car behind us zoomed out across the double line, on a curve, in a tunnel, overtook us and 2 other cars and made it across to the right side of the road in front of a truck with centimetres to spare. My cousin and I said “Oh shit” at the same time. Not a day goes by that I don’t have an “Oh shit” moment on the road here.
And it often involves a green Panda. They must have made a heck of a lot of these cars or the one in the picture gets around a lot.
Click here for another story about driving in Italy. It also involves a green car.
The only thing I really remember about my trip to Italy at age 16 was being terrified by the traffic in Rome.. 😉
By: Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial on March 16, 2011
at 6:15 am
I wouldn’t even think about driving in Rome. It is completely terrifying.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 6:43 am
I bet the driver wears a hat! all slow drivers do
By: tastetravel on March 16, 2011
at 6:16 am
Ape drivers almost always have a hat on – and a wife squeezed in beside them.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 6:44 am
I think I drove at 45 in Italy too. Am I right in thinking lanes are narrower there?
By: Richard Tulloch on March 16, 2011
at 6:41 am
Yes, they are way too narrow for 2 lanes, but somehow trucks manage to pass each other without incident, but not always.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 6:45 am
Sounds terrifying. Do you often see accidents?
By: Anna Johnston on March 16, 2011
at 7:09 am
Surprisingly few, but we see lots of close calls. The road toll here is very high and there is no surprise there.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 7:13 am
I’ve always said that green cars are bad news. Apologies to anyone that has one. But maybe it’s time to change color.
By: The Daily Cure on March 16, 2011
at 7:40 am
Green is my favourite colour, but I have never had a green car. We have a baby blue Fiat 500 in Australia and a silver (like everyone else) Toyota here. I would never choose silver, but it was our only option at the time.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 8:32 am
Hehe well Finns do drive rather wildly too! It’s the rally car driver within I think 😛
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on March 16, 2011
at 8:59 am
The roads in Finland are so much wider than in Italy and there are far fewer cars on the road. We didn’t feel unsafe in Finland at all. Fast is OK if the conditions are good.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 9:19 am
Hi Deb,
I have been going to ask you something for ages, so here goes. — When we were staying in your area in Sept, we often caught the bus from Bar Italia to Lucca at 0650. While waiting for the bus a large man driving a small green 3 wheeled car with a large cigar in his mouth would drive through Ponte a Serraglio heading towards La Villa. It was a hilarious sight. He almost took up the entire seat. We saw him many times. We laughed and laughed. Have you seen him in his little green car? Loved it.
Cheers Judy.
By: Judy on March 16, 2011
at 10:14 am
Yes, I have seen this man. He is almost as big as his car, you wonder how he gets in it.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 11:52 am
It’s a grey and dreary day in the Big TO but reading this entry (and the link to that really spiffy green car thrown up on the sidewalk) made me laugh, smile and shake my head all at the same time. ‘Solo in Italia’. Grazie.
By: Caterina on March 16, 2011
at 12:58 pm
Yes, only in Italy. It is raining and dreary here too.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 2:21 pm
Nice colour green though, sort of eau de nil – restful – maybe it compensates for the driver’s temperament. He/she might be even worse if he drove a red car or one of those siren yellow cars that Fiat do!
By: Joanna @ Zeb Bakes on March 16, 2011
at 6:36 pm
No that makes no sense does it? What I meant was maybe the colour explains his temperament and his slow driving…
By: Joanna @ Zeb Bakes on March 16, 2011
at 6:39 pm
There are so many cars like this, and I didn’t even mention the Ape drivers.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 8:29 pm
Debra you are a brave woman to take on Italian traffic. I think if I was driving it would be a whole string of ‘oh shit’ moments continually rolling off my tongue starting from putting on my seatbelt, (are seatbelts still an optional extra for passengers in Italia?)
By: cityhippyfarmgirl on March 16, 2011
at 7:46 pm
More people are wearing seatbelts, but I am still horrified to see children standing on the back seat leaning into the front. The driver will have a seatbelt on, but leave children unrestrained.
By: bagnidilucca on March 16, 2011
at 8:31 pm
Poor little green car. You can just tell that it doesn’t like being honked at and sworn at. It really wants to be fire engine red and driven by a rally driver, but ..alas, here it is dejected and helpless. Its only hope is to be gathered up by the RSPCC.
By: Jan on March 16, 2011
at 11:36 pm
I think that would be the ISPCC. Yes the poor little thing does look a bit dejected, I’ll give it a pat next time I see it and perhaps a saucer of oil. Glad to have you back commenting.
By: bagnidilucca on March 17, 2011
at 6:03 am
I had no idea Italy was only 150 years ‘old’. Learn something new everyday
By: Clay Simpkins on March 19, 2011
at 12:17 am
Italy is surprising in so many ways.
By: bagnidilucca on March 19, 2011
at 6:00 am
Love your post. My American wife and I used to drive from Geneva, Switzerland to Bagni, through twisting tunnels and over terrifying viaducts in Liguria, between Genova and Viareggio. I was used to it but I remember her look of terror verging on serious panick. It always felt like a miracle when we eventually exited the autostrada in Viareggio, alive…. There was a lot of artistry though, give it to the Italians!
By: Jean-Louis on March 22, 2011
at 3:26 am
Italians are very skilfull drivers. I suppose when you learn to drive on these narrow, winding roads with lots of traffic, you have to learn quickly. They seem to have a natural affinity with cars, but they are still terrifying.
By: bagnidilucca on March 22, 2011
at 6:22 am
You should try riding a motorcycle in Italy! Over the past 5 years I have learned that all FIAT Pandas and Punto’s are to be seriously avoided at all costs. I am sure I have seen the above car a million times also….. They are mainly driven by very old men and woman who still live in the iron age and have no understanding of the road rules. I have seen them drive at a snails pase straight out of their driveway onto the road without even looking or caring what is comming. So I keep a very close eye on any small square looking Fiats that look like entering the road from a driveway. The bad thing is that often they park their little cars at the start of their driveway pointing their nose towards the road as if its ready for a fast getaway the next time they want to go to the shops. I hit the brakes and find out there is no one in the car. Better safe than sorry.
By: paul on March 25, 2011
at 6:07 am
I hate the way they drive half way onto the road when they come out of a side street or driveway, it terrifies me. I have a motorbike licence, but I have not ridden a motorbike for almost 40 years and I certainly wouldn’t do it here. I want to live.
By: bagnidilucca on March 25, 2011
at 8:48 am
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By: 34 green Pandas before 3.00 pm « Bagni di Lucca and Beyond on August 25, 2012
at 12:49 pm