How to Cross the Road in Rome by TRimer
Possibly the most lasting impression you will have of Rome is that motorists do not stop to let pedestrians cross the road at the zebra crossings. This is not just inconvenient for pedestrians - given the sheer volume and overall high speed of traffic in central Rome, it's actually downright scary and dangerous. You can try to put off a road-crossing only so long, but sooner or later you will have to venture out into the fray. The first thing you need to remember is that Roman drivers do not regard zebra crossings as places where pedestrians have priority to cross. Rather, they view these crossings as places where pedestrians may be granted a sporting chance to get across. That is to say, if you are already on the crossing, approaching motorists may just reduce their speed a little, giving you time to advance a few more paces. It is no good waiting on the curb for traffic to stop before you cross - You will wait forever because no cars will stop... Instead, you must clearly assert your intention to cross by actually stepping out onto the crossing. Once you're on the crossing, keep going at a steady speed, but watch out for cars and weaving scooters that may not have seen you. Do not slow down or stop unless absolutely necessary, as the motorist has usually plotted his path in the assumption that you will have moved forward before he gets to the place you were a split second ago. For the same reason, do not start running either, as this also makes it tricky for the motorist to plot his route and speed. Native Romans do not run on the crossings, not because they care about being run over, but because they're too gosh-darn proud and posey to be seen running on a zebra. Remember to always keep an eye out for cars taking a diagonal route or even overtaking on their blind side across the zebra. Romans don't care about blindsides, and lane markings on the roads are universally ignored. Most three-lane streets actually bulge into five lanes as motorists constantly jostle for position and prominence in the pack.
