Instructor: [slap] Why why why are you going to the left?
Myself: Because there’s a trash bin on the side of the road and I’m afraid of hitting it.
Instructor: That doesn’t mean you have to weave all over the place. Stay straight! You need to look straight ahead! You almost hit that oldie. Madonnnnnnnnnnnnna. Why? [slap]
Myself: But I hate the trash bins.
Instructor: It seems more like you hate oldies.
Myself: I don’t hate oldies.
Instructor: Oh, really? Because you almost took that one out.
Myself: I thought it wasn’t PC to say ‘oldies’ anymore. I thought you had to say ‘ancient person.’
Instructor: You can say it. It’s not bad. Go into second now. Dammit, that’s fourth. [slap]
Myself: Oldie. Oldie. Oldie.
Instructor: And now you almost got that other one. Keep your eyes straight; stop looking at the oldies.
Myself: I can’t stop looking at them. They’re there. I have to look at them.
Instructor: Why do you hate oldies? Now you almost got two of them, that couple over there.
Myself: Two for the price of one!
Instructor: Yes, that’s right.
Myself: I won’t stop until I get them all.
Instructor: I’d just be happy if you kept your eyes on the road.
I love this post. I have been dreading getting my license here in Italy. I am also American to Italian license. and It has been 8 years since I have driven and never drove manual. Did you have to take the written test? Did you finally get it?
Firenze mom – you don’t need a new license!!!!! If you already have an American license, it functions as an international document. I took driving lessons simply to give myself some more confidence after 12 years of not having driven. No written test or new license necessary.
I am a permanent resident (Carta di Soggiorno) here and after one year here you need to go through the whole process at least that has been the law for awhile now. Did they change it? I also read that you need to take the written along with driving test. Please if you have documentation that shows I don’t have to take it could you link or send it to me. If I don’t have to take it I would be just happy to learn how to drive manual without the added hassle.
The government likes to tell foreigners that they need a different license just to get them to pay. Even the guy at my driving school tried that line on me but I said: “That’s not true” and he backed down immediately. I don’t have written documentation of this; my father hepped me to it. He’s not an Italian citizen but comes to Italy every year and drives; he’s been doing so for the past 40 years. The other day, I got stopped by the police for one of their routine checks; I gave them my NY license and my car registration and they just waved me on through. I’ll investigate this myself; if there is something like you have to take a test after a year, that’s a pain in the crack. But for now everything seems to be kosher?