eurobimbo's journey to enlightenment - the tuscany files

So there is some statistic here in Italy that a good percentage of the population are pulled over by the police at least once a year. Do we get extra bonus points for being pulled over three times so far this year?

Police stops are quite different than what we are used to in the U.S. The Carabinieri (who are the butt of most Italian jokes) set up sophisticated roadside stops in order to make sure everyone is abiding by the law. They are so advanced that during the summer you often see them under a highway or in a nice shady spot with trees which probably allows for a few more working hours being shielded from the hot sun. You don't see them much on rainy days.

The other strange phenomenon, especially to us "car chase" hungry Americans, is that they stand proudly, and quite posed, next to their car with a paddle that looks like it has a round red target on it. They stare menacingly at you and at the last minute pull out and flash the paddle, with much gusto. You are expected to stop immediately, do not pass go, do not even think of looking at go, stop and be very afraid.

Right. Like that would work in the U.S. I still have a hard time not giggling when I see a bicycle cop go by, although I've learned to respect them because they do move faster than traffic in southern California.

Usually the carabinieri check your documents. Which normally consists of the driver's license, the insurance and sometimes the documents of the car. Very rarely they have a speed trap set up but they usually leave those for the radar cameras that they warn exist, with very large signs, along every roadway. And trust me, they exist. We have helped pay for their existance.

I have learned how to adapt as a "stranieri" (foreigner) in Italy. When stopped, always pull out the English and nothing but English. Made even more convincing if the passenger has a map unfolded on their lap. Seriously. In each of the three times we've been pulled over it has taken the carabinieri less than a minute to frantically wave the paddle to move us along and get rid of us before I say a loud "HELLO" one more time. More time shaved off if I can manage a southern accent.

The absolute GREAT thing about these roadside crackdowns is that everyone who passes them flickers their lights at ALL oncoming traffic. It seems to be an unspoken but very important part of Italian life; it is your responsibility, even if you are less than a foot behind another car who is flickering HIS lights, to also flicker YOUR lights to warn everyone within a few miles of the "sting". This gives everyone in every direction time to look less, well, pull-over-able and more my-documents-are-all-in-order-able.

Because no one wants to be on the receiving end of the big red paddle!

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Last Updated ( Friday, 17 November 2006 )

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