The traffic in Naples could be compared to traffic in India or perhaps a similar Asian city, which may provide a visual to those who have been to such countries for the following topic. The Vespa and Motorino appear to be the common mode of transport around this city holding their own amongst a good mix of small make of cars. One of the first things you will notice about the traffic apart from the quantity is the noise. The constant use of the horn can be testing on bad days and familiarly comforting on good. The sounds of horns range from modest to down right irritating. The offensive ones are loud and aggressive and the makers of such devices or vehicles should be locked up in a cell and made to listen, repeatedly, to the sound of their own horn until their ears bleed.
In 2000 when I had returned to Melbourne from living in Naples I bought an imported 1984 Spanish Vespa PX 200cc inspired by my Italian experience. The horn on this beautiful machine sounded very close to a duck hunting whistle and whilst I thought it ridiculous at the time I now appreciate that the sound of a duck coming up from behind to let me know that traffic will soon be passing is far more preferable to the loud, jump-out-of-your-skin blare of the newer makes.
Neapolitan drivers, males mostly, for my case in point, (apologies to any dear males reading this) remind me of a class of Year 10 boys I once taught – or tried to. They belligerently hit the horns like a baby hits a squeaky toy, over and over again. They look at each other, lined up in the traffic, with a smirk on their face as if to say, funny hey? Not funny. And if I could I would rip those bloody horns from the bike panel like a heart taken from a hunted down beast.
To walk amongst this traffic is actually being in a controlled environment or should I say, the drivers of either kind of vehicle are in control. Chaotic it will appear but everyone has extra sensory perception for sound and vision as they meander their way to their destination. Drivers can stop or swerve with a racing car drivers proficiency. Vespas and Motorinos are often loaded with more than one passenger, or with animals, shopping and/or young children sitting in front of the driver as they eat their gelato. And to think the government felt they had to enforce the wearing of helmets not so long ago!
When crossing a road here perish the thought that you will use the walk sign and pedestrian crossing, or that drivers will adhere to the traffic lights. The game of Chicken is on. Drivers don’t even stop for old ladies or women with prams. No, they fly by with a hairs breadth. So how does one cross a road in Naples you may think to yourself? First, you look in the direction of traffic coming your way closest to you before you place a foot on the road. Once you lock eyes with the traffic, slowly, step off the footpath and start walking with a purpose. The traffic will not slow down because they’re anticipating your pace and will drive either side of you at the point of crossing paths. It may take all your courage to precede, do so, and if you think to yourself they really need to slow down, now, then stop at whatever point you are on the road and they too will stop. Easy! It’s an extraordinary thing.
I see travellers standing at pedestrian crossings waiting for the lights to change and when they do they become confused when the traffic keeps coming. They are equally astonished to see people like myself step out onto the road and weave through the traffic without being hit. Faith just doesn’t belong to the religious alone. It is required of the ‘crossers of roads’ in Naples and other places where traffic operates in a similar manner. Which takes me back to India. I recall being on a motored rickshaw and instead of the head on traffic passing opposite direction, so did the traffic to the right and left of me causing me to put my head in my hands and cry out with fear.
When walking around Mergellina last week, a trail of traffic was building-up as was the noise of the horns which made me look ahead to see what blocked their path only to find it was a police van. I can’t imagine this happening in Australia, but here, only the Neapolitans, who kept angrily thumping the horn until the police in their own sweet time decided to unblock the way, could dare. Drivers on Vespas are also guilty of speeding past a pedestrian way to close for comfort when there is ample room not to do so. Closeness doesn’t concern me but the speed of the bike with such closeness does and I often wonder what if I put out an arm one day or quickly turn around when a bike is too close what may occur?
What incited this blog was the repeated blast of one horn from the street below that drew me to the balcony of the hostel. I looked down and a car was trying to get out of the narrow street but two vespas were in its way. One Vespa was moved, eventually, by its owner who was possibly finishing a phone call, the other parked Vespa was budged out of the way by a helpful onlooker, setting off its alarm and adding an overarching noise to the noise.
Parking is another astonishment here. Cars park bumper to bumper and somehow get themselves in and out of such parks without the use of cranes. I have seen disputes requiring the involvement of police, with people arguing as to who presented first for a parking space. Amusing to watch as the police often show no interest in the matter and usually have a cigarette whilst watching young women pass by as the animated arguing parties jab their hands into the air, at their chest or to the ground.
Shredded and amputated side mirrors on cars are often seen demonstrating the closeness and recklessness of cars proximity to buildings and other cars – hopefully not pedestrians. Theft of such property is also a concern. Should you have the misfortunate to have a flat tyre or break down causing you to leave your vehicle temporarily it is done so with great risk as it may not be there when you get back. Such illegal activity is so frequent that it is taken as part and parcel of life in Naples.
Whilst I am reluctantly resigned to the fact that the sometimes irritating traffic is a big part of living in Naples, it’s still an impressive thing to walk amongst.
Ciao
hellsbells
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