Ostuni

Will be in Italy in September and have been researching cycling options...

Thought this cycling journal worth sharing, especially the positive spin (no pun intended) on the experience he had navigating Rome's streets and traffic...

Should have posted in the Touring forum, but it works for roadies, too...

jackcoke

Hey Ostuni...have you been to the White City recently? I ride through there at least once a week.

skiracing

Didn't read the journal yet but my personal experience as a pedestrian in Rome is "anything goes" as in scooters and cars will go through red lights, no one obeys the road rules, and generally has no regard for those around (other motorists or pedestrians). The traffic in Rome was one of the down sides to the city... compounding the way ppl drive it is also very high volume and the air gets pretty crappy as a result. A lot of cars I found were damaged... usually its not major damage but more like "bumper car damage" I guess due to the lack of space and so on.

Rome is still nice to visit so I'm sure you'll have a positive experience.

botto 

you've just won the understatement of the month award.

CaseLawZ28

Indeed. Bellissima Roma!

skiracing

Ok read the journal. Found it quite interesting and in many ways similiar to my expereince but without the bike. The drivers are definetly FAST so he is very accurate in pointing that out, but perhaps my description of them disregarding everyone else is inaccurate... who knows.

I'd love to go touring through Europe on a bike.

Also, while I was in Italy I went to a place called Cinque Terre... I don't know whether ppl bike in the area but other than that it is GORGEOUS. Look into it on the net and maybe you will be interested in visiting it as well.

skiracing

Thanks!

When I visited Rome it was part of a long trip through Europe so everything was relative. To be honest, at the time I was looking forward to getting out of the place.... I had mix feelings, loved it and hated but on the last night I was just looking forward to getting out of it.... too quickly summarize things, I got driven on a bus at night to hell knows where and dropped off and told out of service.... calling for a taxi was useless.... i started walking back trying to re-trace the bus route and while walking back someone decided it was fun to throw a glass bottle from a balcony at me. It didn't hit me but by this time I wasn't exactly to fond of the ppl even though obviously those were small incidents among many which weren't all that bad.

Now looking back, I'd love to go back cause there is something special about Rome not to mention that my next destination in Italy erased all my negative feelings about Rome.

Ostuni

sigh...

have not been since 2000....

but might make it down that way in september for a day...

if i win the powerball will keep a villa down there somewhere....

Ostuni

a safe or a piano would have to fall on my head for me not to have a nice visit to Rome...

have been six times, and each time had a great experience...

but this will be my first time cycling there... plan to do early morning rides, so hopefully will not experience the most gnarly traffic...

have had the kind of day you describe (in other cities), and know how that can make you want to move on to the next place, but glad to hear you don't carry a grudge about it... a bus ride gone wrong and a jerk throwing a bottle should not be anyone's impression of Rome...

gabiker

I cycle the streets of Rome several times a week. Oops Rome, GA that is...

CaseLawZ28

To give you the benefit of the doubt, the bus routes there are more difficult to learn than the subway and train. And since you weren't there long I can understand since the destinations on the signs aren't readily apparent to fly by night or weekly visitors. But when you're there for a while and taking the public transportation every day, you learn it, and the "different" is no longer a bad different, but just the way it is.

Point

"Oh the streets of Rome, are filled with rubble
Ancient footprints are everywhere"

From "When I Paint My Masterpiece"

Sorry, I couldn't help but quote B. Dylan

skiracing

On my way back that night, I finally reached the Vatican, once I was there I knew I was about 15 min away from my bed.... and in the end I got rewarded with this sight:


https://image59.webshots.com/59/8/72/...5WuorQA_fs.jpg

It was actully my first time seeing St. Peters at night and it was great to see all quiet and free of crowds. I also rewarded myself with a gelato... just can't get enough of that when you are in Italy!

Az B

I love Rome, it's a beautiful city and the people are very friendly.

I would never, ever ride a bike there.

There is great cycling north of the city, around a big lake that I can't remember the name of. But anywhere up in that area would be a far better place to ride.

Az

Davet

My wife and I were in Rome last year at the end of a Italian cycling trip. We didn't cycle in Rome, nor would we. I've driven cars all over the world, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii but nothing prepared me for driving in Rome. I thought I was in the middle of a stop light-to-stop light F1 race! I turned in our rental car the morning we arrived in Rome and walked the city during our stay there. Old Rome is fairly small and almost all the interesting places can be walked to within the day. Plus, walking around you meet the people, smell the shops and really see the sights. Bicycling in Rome? Nossir, not gonna do it.

RelevantCycling

Hmm, I had no problem at all on scooter, bike or car in rome. I love cycling but man, riding in a scooter in Rome just feels right.

Billy Bones

This sums up the enigma of Roma and the Romanii. Beneath the quite obvious INSANITY of the traffic, there is an underlying consideration for pedestrians and for that matter, other drivers. I swear that a drunk could stagger across the street, have 30 60kph SmartCars roar [well, buzz actually] past him from 5 directions, and arrive safely on the other side.

OK, I'll admit that this reflects this "matter of the heart" I have toward Italy.

By the way, if you want to see the ultimate traffic insanity, complete with a "go nuclear early" attitude toward road rage, try Israel! These folk take no prisoners out there! 'Course, the US is getting quickly to the same point.

Ih8lucky13

If you are young and reckless, scooter riding in Rome is one of the greatest things you can do.
My memory of riding down the Spanish Steps in a scooter is one of my most cherished.

If you are older Scooters are still the way to go.

skiracing

Lived in Israel for 1 yr and 8 months... personally I don't think it's that bad; I lived most of the time in the "country side" and it's totally fine but then I lived in Haifa for a few months and that was a different scene. You must be refering to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem because I could see those places being the worst for traffic?

CaseLawZ28

According to a friend of mine, India is the worst (out of his knowledge). (He grew up there and returns there with family to see family).

botto 

apparently you've never driven in memphis when it snows.

jungna01

As I currently live in Rome and have been studying here this past year I feel as if this might be an apt time to respond. First of all as has been said, traffic is really really interesting (at best). I think what has not been said are the changes in traffic rules, yes all the rules you are thinking of are the same but there are some important changes. Mainly, in Rome on the streets and sidewalks, to look at someone (in the eyes, face, or anywhere else for that matter) means that you just gave them the right of way, regardless of what the normal rules are like (this creates some really interesting situations, for example ill walk down the sidewalk, look at someone in the face, then not get out of their way it usually ends up with us effectively body checking one another) this b/w a bike and car however would not be as interesting.
I don't know if on the streets, there are any other differences but thats just one to keep in mind.
good luck