Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: beet1e on August 07, 2005, 03:56:35 PM

Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: beet1e on August 07, 2005, 03:56:35 PM: Imagine you've just arrived in Italy, to be told that to access what would be your home for the next 2 weeks, you would have to drive up a ramp rising out of the ground - see my pic! We were travelling as a family group. Our destination lay in a village in Tuscany, some 4km off the main road. To get to it, we had to drive up a winding road with at least 5 hairpin bends/switchbacks. However, that was nothing compared with the horrors that lay ahead! To get to our villa, which nestled in the hills above the village, it was necessary to turn the cars around in the "village square" to face the access "road". This road was about 600m in length, and had a gradient of around 1:4 at its steepest point, with three or four hairpins. Needless to say, it was a two-way road, though mercifully I never had to deal with an oncoming vehicle.

The fun part was driving up this thing at night - I needed sideways pointing headlights! The Citroen DS21 had such a system, by which the headlights turned in response to steering input.

(http://www.zen33071.zen.co.uk/italyroad3.jpg)
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Gunslinger on August 07, 2005, 04:03:20 PM: :eek: :eek: :eek:

geesh and I complain about the flat asphault roads leading south of here. WOW
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: J_A_B on August 07, 2005, 05:07:31 PM: It would be fun to try to cram my 18 foot long Roadmaster onto that driveway.

J_A_B
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Meatwad on August 07, 2005, 09:47:00 PM: Buy something with tracks on it, like a Catapillar. Turn on a dime plus you make sure nothing gets in your way.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Hangtime on August 07, 2005, 10:02:27 PM: wus.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Naso on August 08, 2005, 03:21:19 AM: So you did not enjoyed the stay?

I am sorry.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: beet1e on August 08, 2005, 03:35:04 AM: Quote
Originally posted by Naso
So you did not enjoyed the stay?

I am sorry.
Quite the opposite! Had a great time. Always do in Italy. :) Perfect weather throughout, except for one wet day - last Wednesday. But extremely hot - 39° on some days. Naso - this bridge was not far away - do you recognise it?

(http://www.zen33071.zen.co.uk/pontediablo.jpg)
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Naso on August 08, 2005, 03:51:54 AM: mmmm...

No, but seems an old medieval bridge.

I live in Naples, so I have a relative low knowledge of Tuscany's area.

Maybe is the bridge drawn by Leonardo in the background of the Gioconda?

Happy that you had fun.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: beet1e on August 08, 2005, 03:59:43 AM: Devil's Bridge - near Borgo, about 20km north of Lucca.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on August 08, 2005, 05:32:19 AM: I been there (italy) i know what u are talkin about although it didnt worry me as i was in my beetle.

i know ur MB must have more trouble with it.
:aok

i came with style, aircooled :) :)
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: lazs2 on August 08, 2005, 08:10:03 AM: I still think english roads are bad.

lazs
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: DREDIOCK on August 08, 2005, 08:40:50 AM: Looks like someone needs to remind Italy that chariots and oxcarts are not gonna be making a comback anytime soon LOL
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on August 08, 2005, 09:15:42 AM: My tomtom gps nav thingy. Says all maps of europe are 99% covered
in italy its 97%
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: DREDIOCK on August 08, 2005, 09:36:14 AM: Quote
Originally posted by BUG_EAF322
My tomtom gps nav thingy. Says all maps of europe are 99% covered
in italy its 97%

Covered by what?
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: BUG_EAF322 on August 08, 2005, 01:09:52 PM: 3% not to define as road i guess

hobby roads made by amateurs :)
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Skydancer on August 08, 2005, 01:31:31 PM: Lazs , of course they are bad we and most of Europe still have have corners! Anything with corners would feel bad in an American car! ;)
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: lazs2 on August 08, 2005, 02:06:01 PM: cueball.... we have thousands of miles of roads with curves here.... they just aren't one and a half lanes wide with oncoming traffic and centuries old stone walls on one or both sides and no shoulders.

lazs
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Skuzzy on August 08, 2005, 02:35:47 PM: Italy is one of my favorite places to visit. The food, the people, the atmosphere, and the history just make it one of the best places I have ever been to. You really do not need to travel far for anything in Italy.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: eagl on August 08, 2005, 02:39:49 PM: But if you DO need to travel in Italy, you may be better off renting a burro and cart. Or a moped.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Skuzzy on August 08, 2005, 03:51:57 PM: Traveling far is a matter of hopping on the train and hiring a cab close to where you want to be. Hehe. I would rather the locals drive than to try it myself.
Where cabs have not been available, we rented mopeds.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: Skydancer on August 08, 2005, 04:37:39 PM: Italy is fantastic. Spent our Honeymoon there. I loved the Dolomites, a little bit of Italy, Austria and Switzerland all wrapped up in one. With some of the best ( re most exiting ) roads I've ever ridden.
Title: If you thought ENGLISH roads were bad, check this...
Post by: wasq on August 08, 2005, 06:04:12 PM: Quote
Originally posted by Skuzzy
I would rather the locals drive than to try it myself.
In my travels I've found this to be a sound advice. Not only in Italy, but at least in every country they drive on the wrong side of the road :)