Italian Bus drivers

They are, to say the least, the scariest drivers I have come across! Given most drivers in Italy are off their rocker, that says a lot. Never in any other country have I seen a bus maneuver out of such small places with a constance gaze out their rear view mirror as if, it doesn't count if they hit the front when they have such a large ass behind them!! They're literally covering their asses! Or complete a 10 point turn at a hotel by the beach. That one was actually pretty impressive, it was a double decker too!

Seriously though it is scary. Here, when a Bus Driver gestures for you to go across the zebra crossing - RUN. Believe me, that 'wave-on' doesn't mean 'Yes please go and I'll wait for you to pass'. Oh no, it means 'If you go NOW I reckon I won't hit you, but it depends how fast you run, you ever can tell!'. Seriously I walk across roads here as if at any moment a driver could have a sudden change of heart and hit the accelerator, as if having weighed the time it will take to wait for me to pass versus killing me, the later option comes out on top!

I've seen little old ladies just walk out into the road. They are obviously hardened to the constant looming possibility that death is literally just round the corner, it's 1.6 engine revving; either that or they're blind. Much like their impatience for queuing, these little old ladies are crossing that zebra when they want and you just better had stop! Maybe I need more pedestrian bravado. Perhaps if I stand out in-front of the Bus and stare it down it will stop? Yeah no I won't be trying that. I'm happy with my half walk half hop, ready to run nervous tread!

Ciao