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Tourist Survival Guide On the Autostrada |
| Traveling on Italian highways reserves quite a few surprises for the
international traveler.
1.The Italian autostrada is one big toll road. Prices vary according to the flow of traffic on any given stretch of road. Only the autostrade in the very south of Italy are free of charge, thanks to a regional development initiative. To avoid waiting in the often dismally long lines at the tollbooth in the heat, there are three magic words:viacard - fastpay - telepass. To avoid getting stuck in a traffic jam, try the word: isoradio. 2. The speed limit is 130 km/hour. That makes it close to 85 mi/hr. But the limit is purely theoretical. Italian drivers usually decide their speed limit based on their cars' performance - but it's not as bad as it sounds: they are generally fast yet good drivers.To survive, just keep calm, and travel at the speed you feel confident in, and don't mind the honking from behind. 3. The lanes are not all the same! Always use the right lanes except for passing. The right-hand lane marked with a solid line is an emergency lane, and can be used only by emergency vehicles and for very brief stops. Don't be surprised if a police cars pulls up to check what's wrong if you are parked there. 4. There is a service phone every km. in the emergency lane, through which you can communicate medical or mechanical emergencies. Help will come from the closest town, so be sure to ask how long a wait you can expect. Emergency tow trucks are not cheap; most Italians are members of ACI (the italian AAA), mainly because it includes free emergency service. 5. There's no need to leave the highway for gas and food. Every 30-40
kms. unless posted differently, there are Autogrill stations with gas pumps,
snack bar, and often, a restaurant and gift shop.
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