I have never seen such a high concentration of vespas and motor scooters as in Genova. To say that motorini make up half the vehicle traffic in Genova might be an exaggeration, but not by much. There are entire lots designated just for motorini where they pack in like sardines with handlebars wedged precariously close to the next bike. Business men and women zip around in their suits; passengers clutch little dogs in their arms; and kids can be seen at any time of day walking around with their helmets. The strangest thing about motorini are the traffic rules, or rather complete lack of traffic restrictions they are subject to. As long as they obey the speed limit and wear a helmet, motorini can pretty much do anything. They creep through traffic at red lights, and by the time a light turns green half a dozen scooters will have assembled ahead of the cars only to zip off the split second the light turns green. It’s common practice for motorini to pass cars at will along windy streets in no passing zones. If you’re standing on the curb at a crosswalk, look out! It’s entirely likey a motorini may use that as an entrance to hop onto the sidewalk to park.

Last Modified : April 14th, 2007
Filed under : Italy, Local customs
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