Rome Travel Guide

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Sunday, October 23, 2016

Deaths on 2 Wheels and 2 Feet - Warnings of the Perils of Getting Around Rome

"On the streets of Rome, 25% of the deaths are motorcyclists."

This LED display is one that never ceases to disturb me as we (motor)cycle around Rome.  Bluntly stated, it cites the statistic that 25% of deaths on the streets of Rome are of those who ride 2-wheelers. "Motociclisti" here includes we scooter riders.  Bear in mind, scooters can be quite large - up to 600cc.  Audrey and Gregory rode a 50cc Vespa.

It's not just riders, though.  Pedestrians are similarly warned:
The translation here:  In Rome in 2014, 45 pedestrians were killed and 1800 injured.  As Bill recently wrote about walking around Rome, "You can walk, but they can kill you."

Just don't be looking up at these signs while driving.  I took the one below while on the back of our 250cc Malaguti scooter.  Bill has never seen one of these signs - his eyes are on the road.

Dianne

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where is the top image in this post located? What street(s)?

Dianne Bennett and William Graebner said...

Ciao Anonymous... the street is via Giovanni Vitelleschi as it enters Largo di Porta Castello, which then goes into the streets around Castel Sant'Angelo. We were driving from the Carabinieri Museum (Museo Storico dell'Arma dei Carabinieri).
The signs change every 30 seconds or so. You can actually see the sign on Google Earth.