Crossing Busy Streets in Rome

standard advice is, make eye contact and once you start moving keep moving. The drivers are calculating how closely they'll miss you, so if you stop they will either hit you or curse you for disobeying the social etiquette.

Wait until a nun or a priest is crossing and walk beside him or her.

I don't view that as a problem. Many streets in the historical center have traffic restrictions. The issue might arise if you try to cross a busy thoroughfare but in that case all you have to do is cross at the street light or at least at a pedestrian crossing. Just make sure you signal with your hand you are about to cross, because cars don't automatically stop at a pedestrian crossing. You need to be a bit assertive with Roman drivers.

Just back from Rome. It was crazy! I like the priest or nun method. My husband and I used the attractive woman in a short skirt and high heels method. Made it home in one piece!

While it can be very intimidating, it is highly unlikely that any driver will hit you crossing at a light or in a cross walk. American drivers often do not stop or pay attention to pedestrians, but it is the complete opposite in most of Europe.

If there is no light, just start crossing when there is a gap in traffic near the curb. The rest of the traffic lanes will stop for you. Never just stop in the middle of the street - once walking keep going. And best to cross with others.

Cross with others when you can. Always look for a crosswalk or a signaled intersection and wait for the light. If you're crossing at one of the unsignaled crosswalks do indeed follow the advice of holding up your hand, walk with a purposeful stride and don't change your pace.

I'm also not the youngest anymore, and can't remember any severe problems with the traffic. Some patience when it thins out. Some boldness when that takes too long. Trust that the car driver doesn't want to have an accident.
But I'm used to the traffic conditions in Europe, which can be somewhat more chaotic than in the USA.

I don't know about priests, but crossing with nuns always works for me. Another good one is with a baby buggy or toddler's stroller. Mostly I just followed what others have said, when you see a gap in traffic, head out and walk at a steady pace. It is incredible how the drivers adjust to that. One more reason not to be a driver in Rome! Oh, also - don't assume that a driver will automatically stop at a red light. As a friend warned me before my first traffic, rules of the road are viewed as suggestions in Italy.

BTW, in Palermo, pedestrians just pop out from between parked cars on busy streets, not busy streets, and side streets, never really looking to see what's coming. After 3 days of seeing this as a pedestrian, I was terrified of hitting one as I got in the rental car to head out of the city! That was the hardest part of driving in Palermo :-)

We're not the youngest either (73 & 72) and just returned from our first trip to Italy - six nights in Rome and four nights in Florence and had no problems! We crossed at intersections with lights 95% of the time and the other 5% of the time only when there was no traffic in sight. It's not something to worry about. The one situation that requires extra caution is a very narrow street where a car or scooter may approach you from the rear - don't assume that because someplace is extremely narrow that you won't encounter a car.

I just got back from Rome, and this was something I was worried about before the trip. I thought I would either get run over or not be able to go anywhere because I was stuck unable to cross the street. It ended up not being a problem at all, and I walked everywhere so was forever crossing streets. I used the crossing with a local method when possible. When no one was crossing where I needed to cross, I just went to a cross walk, waited for a slight gap in the first line of traffic, then crossed making eye contact with each next driver. They all stopped every time. I never felt like they were going to hit me. I was actually impressed but how alert to pedestrians the drivers seemed to be.

Crossing with nuns is a great idea. Also, keep in mind that insurance rates are high and penalties for any traffic violation are much more strict than in the US, so no driver wants the paperwork involved. I lived in Roma on and off for several years, and still recall how proud I was to cross Piazza Venezia by myself.

Just be careful of Mercedes Benz drivers in Rome.

Romans use the Mercedes Benz logo as an aim to hit American pedestrians trying to cross the street. They are like road snipers.

Great tips everyone - mille grazie!! I think we will make it back home one piece, but I certainly hope Roberto was kidding about the Mercedes road snipers!!

Roberto kidding? Perish the thought. (^_^)

Did I hear Norma hint at 'sacrificing' a nun ?

We always use the Rick steves method...find an elderly person and help them as they won't run them over...or did he just get in the middle of a crowd? I'll have to rewatching that Rome program. We did try once to follow a local across the street...striding along side like we lived there...and her high heeled shoe came off halfway across the road!

So I guess if you cross with an elderly nun, preferably one not wearing high heeled shoes, you should be safe.

We have been in Rome for a week and we are still alive. ; ). It is a bit of culture shock after Venice.

We walk a lot---6-7 miles a day. We have survived by following the advice above. I will add that drivers do not necessarily stop when their light tuns red, so do not assume it is safe to cross when the pedestrian light turns green. Always look before you step off the sidewalk.

Always looking before you cross when you have the green walk light is true anywhere...I have almost been run over twice in my own little town by people running red lights when I started walking across the road. And probably more than twice, but two times stick out in my mind as being...if I had stepped off the curb two seconds sooner, I wouldn't be here right now...or if I was, I'd probably be in a wheelchair. It's a finely timed game getting across the street in Rome for sure! (And Naples too!)

Also: do not assume that scooters will not pass an unloading bus between the bus and the curb. I got lightly struck by a scooter doing just that when I was stepping off a bus.

Crosswalks at traffic lights worked fine. Felt more at risk in taxis than walking.

Our tour guide in Rome said it best "walk with a purpose" when crossing the street.

No lollygagging

I lived in Roma on and off for several years, and still recall how
proud I was to cross Piazza Venezia by myself.

Thanks for the chuckle, Zoe. Yep, that one can take a few deep (!) breaths.

Crosswalks work pretty well but we've gotten so used to motorcycles zipping around us regardless that we barely even blink anymore. Just remember that there are no points for eliminating a tourist or two so they'll do their best not to do that!

We didn't have an issue last year in Rome, and we walked all over. Eye contact and obvious motion that you're walking forward helps. Almost every place you want to cross has a light, so other people usually are gathering at those corners, too.