2 Ways to Cross The Street in Rome

In Rome red lights are more of a suggestion than a rule.

For pedestrians unaccustomed to crossing steady streams of traffic, this can be a little scary. You end up having to rely on the driver’s ability to miss you. Here are two methods for crossing the street in Rome:

Creative Commons picture by permanently scatterbrained.

The Advanced Method:

1) Make sure that there is enough room for the oncoming traffic to see you

On many roads, you will never be able to get enough room to make it all the way across. Enough space for the drivers to see, and react, to you is the best you will get.

2) Steadily and confidently walk across the road

Drivers seem to like pedestrians to walk at a somewhat constant speed. Because this allows the drivers to predict where the pedestrians will be, the traffic is able to flow around those crossing the road.

The Tourist Method (the one I usually follow):

1) Find an old lady who is carrying some groceries home. Stand next to her and do exactly what she does.

With this method you don’t have to judge when you have enough room. You don’t have to figure out what the ideal walking speed is. You don’t even have to remain calm when a moped suicidally passes the car that slowed down for you.