Walking out of Meijer the other day and as I reach the crosswalk I looked right and left and spotted a car that was close enough and going fast enough that a few weeks ago I would have stopped in my tracks and let the 2000 pounds of Detroits finest power on through.
But that was then and this is now.
I took a big step out and turned my head to the left and stared the driver down and with a glare that would have given Nero himself the chills I continued across the crosswalk with a new found confidence garnered some 5000 miles to the east.
Rick Steves the travel guru gives sage advice for street crossing in the packed 4 million plus Rome. He says its best to shadow a local as they make their precarious street crossing between the speeding mini-cars.
But at some point you need to cross a street without the benefit of a local sacrificial lamb, and this is where the local tour guides instruction comes into play.
She told us in so many words, timidity is hazardous.
As you step out in the street you stare down the motorized Roman chariot driver in the eyes and dare him to run you down. Continue your gate and pray the Roman has good brakes.
In Venice there was not much call for this technique as you merely had to walk across the canal on the thousands of bridges as you made your way on another gelato run. Don't think we were ever in any danger of getting run over by a gondola.
Nor was this method of street crossing needed or used in Tuscony or Cinque Terre.
The slow pace and serenity of these places lulled us into a sense of well being that would not serve us well in the hustle and bustle of the Eternal City.
It didn't take long to master the stare down however and soon we were stopping the Smart cars and tiny Fiats like we were the barbaric invaders during the Sack of Rome.
As I strode across the Meijer crosswalk it hadn't even occurred to me that the cars I saw in Italy would have easily fit in the truck of the American made muscle car the I just challenged with room left over for a couple of Gypsy pick pockets.
If I would have been hit by one of those overgrown skateboards in Italy it probably would have bruised my shin at the worst.
Hmmmm maybe the saying "when in Rome do as the Romans do", does not translate well here in the "land of the free and home of the brave".
After all, here size does matter
5 comments:
Still looks like Anthony Quinn.
Yeah he does Ed and I took editorial lisense with this photo. The guy is actually a Cinque Terrian not a Roman but I liked the guys stare!
My friend in China said the Chinese cross the street in groups of ten. I suppose a Chinese driver will not crash into ten people. Less than ten -- crosser beware!
Pedestrians do not have the right of way at an intersection. Right turning cars go into people walking with the expectation the walkers will stop, run or dodge.
Joe, I can't imagine trying to navigate thru the city streets of any place in China. I know you just got back from there on business, would you go there as a tourist?
CnC
Would I do China as a tourist -- sure. I did do some tourist stuff along with business. I visited some tourists sights -- the Temples at Hangzhou (look it up -- awesome) and the Great Wall. I wanted to see the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square, but there was not time. I would like to go back and see that and the Yangtze Gorges.
The problem is I would rather go back to Germany or Austria. I want to see the beaches at Normandy and the battlefield at Waterloo, both places I missed in my visits to Europe. I want to see Rome and Venice (I have been to Torino twice). I want to visit Athens. Prague is supposed to be beautiful. There are a lot of places in front of another visit to China on my bucket list.
I have been to 10 countries and and 44 states but I have yet to see Mt.Rushmore or the Grand Canyon. Those are way ahead of another China trip -- especially if I had to pay for it!
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