Italian Driving Vocabulary (B1): ZTL, Tolls, Parking and the Petrol Station — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:00Giovanni, you look like you've just seen a ghost. What's that green envelope?
2. 0:06This one? It's the envelope no Italian wants to find in their mailbox.
3. 0:11A green registered letter. And inside there's a fine.
4. 0:16A fine? But you never drive in the city.
5. 0:20In fact, the fine isn't from here. It's from Florence. And it's for a trip in March.
6. 0:28March? But it's October!
7. 0:31I know. Seven months later. And the funny thing is, I didn't remember a thing. I'll tell you everything later,
8. 0:40so today you can learn from my mistakes: it involves a hotel in the city center, a rainy night
9. 0:46, and a red sign I misread.
10. 0:49I want to hear this story from start to finish.
11. 0:53But first, let's say hello to everyone. Hi everyone, I'm Alessia.
12. 0:57And I'm Giovanni. And today the green envelope takes us straight to the topic of the episode.
13. 1:03Today we're driving. We spend a whole day in the car, in Italy.
14. 1:09A real day, from morning to night. We'll rent a car, leave the city,
15. 1:16take a short drive on the highway, and go to lunch at the lake.
16. 1:20And by the end of the day, you'll know how to read parking stripes,
17. 1:25take a ticket on the highway and pay at the toll booth,
18. 1:28get gas, and calmly respond when a traffic officer says, "License and registration, please."
19. 1:35And halfway there, there's our column, "What's your name?"
20. 1:39Today we're talking about a verb that not everyone in Italy pronounces the same way.
21. 1:44But first, an important question. Who's driving today?
22. 1:48I'll drive. You, with that envelope in your hand, are the co-pilot today.
23. 1:53Right. I deserve it. I read the signs, look at the map on my phone, and explain the rules.
24. 2:01So those who listen to us learn the signs and the rules along with us.
25. 2:06And there are many rules. Some are written in the highway code.
26. 2:11Others aren't written anywhere, but everyone knows them.
27. 2:15The unwritten rules. They're my favorite.
28. 2:19And those arriving from abroad often discover them the hard way: with a green envelope, months later.
29. 2:26Let's also explain why we're in the car. Because, truth be told, I don't have a car.
30. 2:33Everyone knows that. You get around the city on foot and by public transport.
31. 2:37And I'm very happy with that. But getting to the lake by public transport
32. 2:42takes half a day. Two trains, a bus, and quite a bit on foot.
33. 2:47By car, however, it's an hour's drive. An hour and a quarter, if there's traffic.
34. 2:53So today we're renting a car. And I think it's perfect for those of you listening.
35. 2:58Many of you come to Italy on vacation, and rent a car to see the towns, the sea, the hills.
36. 3:06And others live here. And sooner or later, you get behind the wheel of an Italian car,
37. 3:12on an Italian road, among Italian drivers.
38. 3:16Put like that, it's a little scary.
39. 3:18A little, yes. But after today, much less so.
40. 3:21One thing for you, before you leave. You don't have to understand all the words. Sit in the car with us
41. 3:28and listen. The words on the road are repeated a lot, and by the end of the day, they'll seem normal.
42. 3:36And you don't need a license to listen to us. Just a seatbelt.
43. 3:39The seatbelt, exactly. Fastened. We're off. Almost, actually. First we have to get the car.
44. 3:48Here we are at the rental shop, right in front of the station. There's a bit of a line, like every Saturday morning.
45. 3:55While we wait, a word. Renting means paying to use something for a short time.
46. 4:01You rent a car, a boat, even a dress for a wedding.
47. 4:06And the place where you rent is called a rental shop. For example: "Excuse me, is there a rental shop near here?"
48. 4:14It's our turn. Let's act like a scene for those listening. I'm the employee, you're the customer.
49. 4:21All right. Good morning! I have a reservation for today, a small car.
50. 4:27Good morning, ma'am. Can you give me your license, ID, and a credit card, please?
51. 4:33Here you go. But why the credit card? I already paid online.
52. 4:39For the deposit. We block an amount on the card, and we unblock it when you return the car without damage.
53. 4:45And here's the first surprise for many foreigners. The deposit is almost always made with a credit card.
54. 4:53Sometimes they won't accept a debit card.
55. 4:56It's best to check before leaving home. Let's move on.
56. 5:01Madam, the car has an eight-hundred-euro deductible. Would you like to reduce it?
57. 5:06There it is, the mysterious word: the deductible.
58. 5:10Giovanni, step back from the scene for a moment and explain, like a normal person.
59. 5:15The deductible is the portion of the damage you pay.
60. 5:19If you scratch the car, and the scratch costs three hundred euros,
61. 5:23you pay three hundred euros. If you cause more damage, you pay up to eight hundred euros,
62. 5:29and the insurance company covers the rest.
63. 5:32And to reduce the deductible, you pay a little more per day.
64. 5:35That's right. It's called deductible reduction, or full coverage.
65. 5:42It costs more, but you drive more peacefully.
66. 5:44I'll take it. Today I want to drive peacefully. And what about gas, how does it work?
67. 5:49Back to the scene. The formula is full-full, ma'am.
68. 5:54The car is full, and you have to return it full.
69. 5:58Full-full. It's the most common formula. What if I bring it back half empty?
70. 6:04Then the rental company will fill it up for you, and charge you dearly. Much more expensive than the gas station.
71. 6:10Got it. Full-full, and I don't forget. Last question:
72. 6:15does the car have a manual or automatic transmission?
73. 6:19Manual, ma'am. Like almost all rental cars in Italy.
74. 6:23There's an automatic transmission, but you have to ask for it when you book, and it costs more.
75. 6:29This is important for those coming from, for example, the United States.
76. 6:33There, almost everyone drives with an automatic transmission. Here, if you don't ask, they'll give you a car with gears.
77. 6:40And a clutch. And with the Italian hills, the clutch makes itself felt.
78. 6:46I'm used to it, don't worry. I learned to drive in a country full of hills and descents.
79. 6:52I know, I know. So, ma'am: here are the keys.
80. 6:56The car is in the parking lot behind the office, space number twelve. Have a good trip!
81. 7:02Thanks! End of scene. However, I have to say one thing: the real employee was nicer than you.
82. 7:10Impossible. I was very nice.
83. 7:13Let me just say he didn't call me ma'am with that voice.
84. 7:17What voice?
85. 7:18That voice of an employee in a hurry to go to lunch.
86. 7:21It's nine in the morning. I'm not in a hurry for anything. Anyway, before getting in the car,
87. 7:27there's one thing you should do. In my opinion, it's the most important thing in the entire rental process.
88. 7:33The car tour.
89. 7:34The car tour. Let's go to space number twelve.
90. 7:38Here it is, space number twelve. A small, white car
91. 7:44with five doors. Perfect for the narrow streets of towns.
92. 7:49Before getting in, we walk around the car. We walk around it,
93. 7:53slowly, and look for every scratch, every dent.
94. 7:57A dent is when the bodywork is slightly pressed inward, as if it had been hit.
95. 8:04And a scratch is a line in the paint. Look here: on the back bumper there's a scratch this long.
96. 8:11And here, on the door, a small dent. And on the right mirror, another scratch.
97. 8:19And are they on the rental document?
98. 8:21Usually there's a drawing of the car, with crosses where the damage is.
99. 8:25The scratch on the back, yes. The dent on the door, no. The mirror, no.
100. 8:32So we go back inside and have them marked. Always. Even if there's a line, even if you're in a hurry.
101. 8:38And in the meantime, I take photos. One photo for each side of the car, and one for each scratch.
102. 8:45Good job. The photos on your phone are time-stamped.
103. 8:49If, on your way back, someone says, "She made that scratch," you have the photos.
104. 8:54Done. The clerk wrote everything down on the sheet and signed it. Now we can get in.
105. 9:01Just one more minute. Open the trunk.
106. 9:04The trunk? But we don't have any suitcases.
107. 9:08It's not for suitcases. Check if the warning triangle and the reflective vest are there.
108. 9:13The triangle is there. It's the red triangle you put on the ground behind the car
109. 9:18when you stop for a breakdown. And the vest is that yellow or orange vest that shines in the lights.
110. 9:25In Italy, you have to have both in your car.
111. 9:29And if you stop at night outside the city and get out of the car, you have to put on the vest.
112. 9:35The vest is there. In fact, there are two. One for me and one for the co-driver.
113. 9:40What a thoughtful thought. Now let's get in.
114. 9:44And let's get everything ready before starting the engine: the seat, the mirrors, the seat belt.
115. 9:50The seat a little further forward, because I'm shorter than the last customer.
116. 9:55The mirror in the middle, the side mirrors. Belt fastened. You too, co-pilot.
117. 10:03Belt fastened. And something many don't know: in Italy, belts are mandatory even for those sitting in the back.
118. 10:10I turn it on. And now, something that surprises many foreigners: the lights.
119. 10:16Yes. In Italy, outside the cities, the low beams must be on even during the day,
120. 10:23even in the sun. On the roads outside the cities and on the highway, always.
121. 10:28The low beams are the normal lights, the ones that don't bother those coming from the other side.
122. 10:33The high beams, on the other hand, are the bright lights, on dark roads.
123. 10:38Many new cars turn their lights on automatically. But it's best to check.
124. 10:43This one has automatic lights, and the green light is on. Good. And now, the map.
125. 10:50I have it here on my phone. The navigator, as everyone says, even when it's a phone. Where are we going?
126. 10:58To the lake. But first we'll stop for a coffee, because without coffee I don't drive.
127. 11:04The first rule of the Italian road.
128. 11:07And a rule for the co-driver too: no comments for the first five minutes.
129. 11:12Five minutes? That's a long time.
130. 11:15So three. But in silence.
131. 11:17Okay. I'll start counting now.
132. 11:20First, clutch, and off we go. We're really off.
133. 11:25We've left the parking lot. We're on a wide road, near the station.
134. 11:30The GPS says: straight for three hundred meters, then right.
135. 11:36Stop, stop! Don't turn right!
136. 11:39But wasn't that three minutes of silence?
137. 11:41This is an emergency. Look at the sign on the corner. A white circle with a red border,
138. 11:48and underneath it a sign: limited traffic zone.
139. 11:53The ZTL. We're there.
140. 11:55The ZTL, which Italians pronounce "zeta ti elle."
141. 12:01It's the limited traffic zone. Almost all Italian historic centers have one.
142. 12:07Only cars with a permit can enter: residents,
143. 12:12taxis, buses, delivery vans at certain times.
144. 12:17And we, with our rental car, don't have a permit.
145. 12:22No. And the GPS doesn't know it. The GPS looks for the shortest route,
146. 12:28and the shortest route often passes right through the center.
147. 12:31So the first rule is: the GPS doesn't know anything about the ZTL.
148. 12:37Sometimes it does, but you shouldn't trust it. You have to look at the signs. And at the entrance to the ZTL there's a gate.
149. 12:45The gate is the passage, the point where you enter. And above the gate is a camera.
150. 12:51The camera reads the license plate of every car that enters.
151. 12:55If the license plate isn't on the permit list, you get a fine.
152. 12:59No police officer stops you, no one tells you anything. You enter, the camera takes a picture, and you know nothing.
153. 13:06Until the green envelope.
154. 13:08Until the green envelope. But the most important sign is the illuminated one,
155. 13:13next to the camera. There are two possible signs. The first is red: "Gateway Active."
156. 13:21And here's the language trap.
157. 13:23For many foreigners, "active" seems like a positive thing. Active, open, working: I can pass.
158. 13:31But it's the opposite. Gate Active means the camera is on,
159. 13:37that it's active. So if you enter without permission, you get a fine.
160. 13:42Gate Active: you can't enter. And the second sign?
161. 13:47The second is green: "Gateway Not Active."
162. 13:50It means the camera is currently off, and anyone can enter.
163. 13:55The ZTL is usually active during the day, and not active late at night or on Sundays. But every city has its own timetables.
164. 14:04And where are the timetables written?
165. 14:07On the sign, under the circle. Days and hours. Sometimes there are lots of small numbers, and you have to read them while driving.
166. 14:15How stressful. Red means do not enter, green means enter. At least the colors are logical.
167. 14:23The colors, yes. It's the word "active" that's deceptive. Even many Italians fall for it when they're tired.
168. 14:30I feel like I'm hearing a preview of your story.
169. 14:34I won't say anything. Later.
170. 14:36Okay, I'll wait. Another question: what if my hotel is inside the ZTL?
171. 14:43Good question. Many hotels inside the ZTL can provide the license plate to the municipality,
172. 14:49so you can arrive at the hotel and leave your bags.
173. 14:52But you have to ask the hotel, preferably before arriving.
174. 14:57I'll make a note: provide the license plate to the hotel. And where do you leave the car?
175. 15:04Usually in a garage or a parking lot outside the ZTL.
176. 15:08Many hotels have a partner garage, that is, a garage that offers a special price to their guests.
177. 15:15Partner garage. So many new words, and we're still in front of the station. And now where do I go?
178. 15:24Straight on, then take the second right. That road is outside the restricted traffic zone.
179. 15:30The sat nav will get a little angry, but never mind.
180. 15:33The sat nav says, "Recalculating the route." I almost feel offended.
181. 15:39Let it recalculate. Better an offended sat nav than a green envelope.
182. 15:44I write this sentence on a piece of paper and put it on the dashboard.
183. 15:49We're outside the city center. The road is wider now, but there's also more traffic.
184. 15:55And everyone's in a hurry.
185. 15:56It's Saturday morning traffic. Everyone's going shopping,
186. 16:00everyone's leaving the city. I'll give you three rules for the city. The first: the turn signal.
187. 16:07The turn signal is the orange light that flashes when you turn. It's called "put on the turn signal."
188. 16:13"Put on the turn signal!" is a phrase you hear often in cars.
189. 16:17Especially from people who don't drive. Me, for example.
190. 16:21I know. You're the most annoying co-driver in Italy. Anyway, I always put on my turn signal.
191. 16:28Good for you. Because there's a famous joke: in Italy, the turn signal is optional.
192. 16:34It's not true for everyone, mind you. But sometimes the car in front turns without warning.
193. 16:39And then you always keep a little distance. Second rule?
194. 16:43The roundabout, which almost everyone calls a rotunda.
195. 16:47Here's one, right in front of us. Look at the sign at the entrance.
196. 16:52A white triangle with a red border, upside down. It means: give way.
197. 16:59So whoever is already inside the roundabout goes first. You wait, look left, and when there's room, you enter.
198. 17:06I wait. A truck passes, a motorcycle passes. Now there's room: I go in.
199. 17:13And to exit, I put my turn signal on. Second exit, right?
200. 17:18Second exit. Perfect. And the third rule is the strangest for those coming from outside: give way to the right.
201. 17:28Explain it carefully, because it's important.
202. 17:31At intersections where there are no signs or traffic lights, whoever is coming from the right goes first.
203. 17:39Even if your road seems wider. On small village streets, this often happens.
204. 17:45So, at an intersection with no signs, I always look right.
205. 17:51Always. And I also look for scooters. In the city, they pass everywhere:
206. 17:56on the right, on the left, between cars stopped at the traffic lights.
207. 18:01I noticed. One just passed ten centimeters from my mirror.
208. 18:07And then the pedestrian crossings. If someone is about to cross at the crosswalk, you stop and let them pass.
209. 18:16I do. There's a lady with her dog. Please, lady, go ahead!
210. 18:21She gave you a smile. A rare satisfaction. And the traffic light? What does yellow mean to you?
211. 18:29Yellow means: I stop, if I can stop safely.
212. 18:33Textbook response. For some, however, yellow means: I accelerate.
213. 18:39And then you hear the horn.
214. 18:41The horn. In some cities they use it a lot. A short honk means "watch out,
215. 18:48I'm here too." A long honk means someone is very angry.
216. 18:53And a short honk as soon as the light turns green?
217. 18:57That means: "It's green, what are you waiting for?" Half a second after green, someone always honks.
218. 19:04Half a second! What patience.
219. 19:07And then there's the flashing yellow light, at night or during quiet hours.
220. 19:12There, the traffic light no longer rules: the signs are valid, and if there are no signs, the right of way is given.
221. 19:20So the flashing yellow means: be careful, you decide, but within the rules.
222. 19:26Very well said. You've passed the city test.
223. 19:29Thank you, Professor. And look: we're almost out of town,
224. 19:34and I see a bar with a small parking lot in front. Coffee!
225. 19:38Coffee. And parking. Which is a whole lesson today.
226. 19:42A whole lesson about parking?
227. 19:45About an Italian parking lot, yes. You'll see.
228. 19:48Here we are in front of the bar. There are some free spots,
229. 19:51but the lines on the ground are different colors. White, blue, yellow. And a pink one.
230. 19:58Perfect for the lesson. In Italy, the color of the lines tells you almost everything. Let's start with the white ones.
231. 20:06White lines are my favorite.
232. 20:09I know why. They're usually free. You park and you don't pay.
233. 20:14But be careful: sometimes there's a sign with a little clock nearby.
234. 20:19It means you can only stay for a short time, like an hour, and you have to put a parking disc on.
235. 20:26The parking disc is that little blue card with a clock on it.
236. 20:30You write your arrival time and leave it on the dashboard, behind the window, so it can be seen from outside.
237. 20:36Rental cars sometimes have one in the front drawer. Look.
238. 20:41It's there! A little old and a little bent, but it's there. And what about the blue lines?
239. 20:45Blue lines are paid. You park and then pay at the meter,
240. 20:51the column on the sidewalk. In many cities, you can also pay with an app on your phone.
241. 20:58And how much do you pay?
242. 20:59It depends on the city and the area. In the center, it's more, in the suburbs, less. Usually, you pay during the day,
243. 21:08and late at night or on Sundays, it's free. But every time, you have to read the sign.
244. 21:14Read the sign. I think that's today's phrase. And the yellow lines?
245. 21:19Yellow lines are reserved. They're not for you. They're for people with disabilities,
246. 21:27for residents with permits, for taxis, for loading and unloading goods.
247. 21:33And if I park on the yellow lines for just a minute?
248. 21:37You're at serious risk. The fine for parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities is high, and rightly so.
249. 21:45And in some places, a tow truck comes and takes your car away. It's called forced removal.
250. 21:52And then you have to go get it back, pay the fine, and pay the tow truck. A ruined day.
251. 22:00And with a rental car, even worse. And the pink lines?
252. 22:05I know that. The pink lines are for pregnant women
253. 22:10and parents with very small children. You need a permit there too.
254. 22:15Good. They're fairly new, and not all cities have them. So, to recap: white lines are free,
255. 22:25blue lines are paid, yellow lines are reserved, pink lines are for moms and dads with small children.
256. 22:32White, blue, yellow, pink. Okay. And where do I park?
257. 22:38I see a spot in the white lines, a bit far away, and a spot in the blue lines,
258. 22:43right in front of the bar. And then there's that gentleman in the gray car, who did something completely unique.
259. 22:50He double-parked. Next to the parked cars, in the middle of the street.
260. 22:56With his hazard lights on.
261. 22:58The hazard lights are the emergency lights,
262. 23:01all four flashing at once. In theory, they're for warning of danger.
263. 23:06In theory. In practice, in many Italian cities, the flashing lights mean: "I'll be right back, it's only a minute."
264. 23:15And how long is an Italian minute?
265. 23:17The time for a coffee. Sometimes two. But don't do it:
266. 23:21double parking is prohibited, and anyone stuck behind you gets very angry.
267. 23:27And he honks.
268. 23:29And he honks, until the man comes out of the bar with his cup in his hand and says: "I'm coming, I'm coming!"
269. 23:36I've seen it happen a thousand times. In fact, it's happening now. Look.
270. 23:41There he is, the man in the gray car.
271. 23:44He rushes out, raises his hand, gets in the car, and drives away. All in forty seconds.
272. 23:50A professional. I, on the other hand, am a good girl. I take the spot in the blue car, right in front of the bar.
273. 23:57Good job. Because in the blue car, in five minutes, the checkpoint is coming. I can already see it:
274. 24:03there's a man in uniform checking the cars, one by one.
275. 24:08So let's pay right away. And now: the parking meter.
276. 24:12There it is, the parking meter. It's gray, with a screen and lots of buttons. And the first message stops me immediately.
277. 24:21I read it. "Enter license plate." See? This is a modern parking meter.
278. 24:26In many cities these days, the parking meter asks for your car's license plate.
279. 24:30And who remembers the license plate of a rental car?
280. 24:33No one. That's why everyone does it this way: they go back to the car and take a photo of the license plate.
281. 24:39Real advice: as soon as you pick up a rental car, take a photo of the license plate.
282. 24:44I go back. Here's the photo. I write down the license plate: two letters, three numbers, two letters.
283. 24:52Italian license plates are all like this. Now choose the time. How long are we staying?
284. 24:58A coffee and a croissant. Let's say half an hour.
285. 25:02Half an hour, one euro. Do you pay with coins or card?
286. 25:05With card. I hold the card up. Done. And he printed a small ticket.
287. 25:12The ticket. With this type of parking meter, with the license plate,
288. 25:16sometimes you don't even need to put it in the car,
289. 25:19because the person checking it can see the license plate on their phone.
290. 25:22But with the old parking meters, the ticket has to be placed on the dashboard, behind the windshield, clearly visible.
291. 25:29The dashboard is the front part of the car, under the glass. And the windshield is the large window in front.
292. 25:36Exactly. And if you're not sure, you can put the service notice on the dashboard anyway. It won't hurt.
293. 25:42I'll put it on. What if the coffee lasts more than half an hour?
294. 25:45With the app on your phone, you can add time remotely.
295. 25:50With the parking meter, however, you have to come back and pay again.
296. 25:55And if you're out of time, you'll find the fine on the windshield, under the wiper.
297. 26:00The wiper is the brush that cleans the glass when it rains.
298. 26:05A white piece of paper under the wiper: no one wants to see it.
299. 26:11It's the little brother of the green envelope.
300. 26:14And now, before coffee, a little quiz for you. We enter the bar, and you think of the answer.
301. 26:21Here we are at the counter. Two coffees, please, and a cream croissant.
302. 26:26While the barista prepares, Alessia asks the question.
303. 26:29Where is free parking usually found in an Italian city? Answer A:
304. 26:35on the yellow lines. Answer B: on the white lines. Answer C: on the blue lines.
305. 26:48The correct answer is B: on the white lines, you usually park for free.
306. 26:54But always check if there's a sign with a clock, because then you need a parking disc.
307. 27:00The blue lines are paid, with a parking meter. And the yellow ones are reserved: they're not for us.
308. 27:06If you answered B, great. You can park in Italy.
309. 27:11Almost. First you have to find a free spot. And that's another story.
310. 27:16The longest story in Italy.
311. 27:18Italians spend years of their lives circling the block to find parking.
312. 27:25Circling the block means circling the surrounding streets,
313. 27:30once, twice, three times, hoping someone will leave.
314. 27:34And when you see someone walking toward their car
315. 27:38with their keys in hand, you stop and wait. With your turn signal on.
316. 27:43A turn signal on means: this spot is mine, I saw it first.
317. 27:49It's an unwritten rule, but everyone respects it. Almost everyone.
318. 27:55The coffee is ready. And the croissant is still warm.
319. 27:59The best moment of the trip, and we haven't really left yet.
320. 28:04We drink standing, at the counter, as they do here. A minute and we're back in the car.
321. 28:10An Italian minute?
322. 28:12No, a real minute. We paid for half an hour, and the man in uniform is already outside.
323. 28:18Let's go again. Coffee drunk, croissant eaten. And now, highway.
324. 28:25First, the signs. In Italy, highway signs are green.
325. 28:30The signs for other roads outside the city are blue. And in the city, they're white.
326. 28:37This surprises many foreigners, because in other countries, it's the opposite.
327. 28:41In France, for example, the highway is blue and the other roads are green.
328. 28:46So here we follow the green. There's a green sign there: highway, with the right direction for the lake.
329. 28:54I take the ramp. And now there's a kind of large gate with many lanes side by side.
330. 29:01It's the entrance toll station. In Italy, almost all highways are toll roads.
331. 29:07You don't pay at the entrance: you get a ticket. And you pay at the exit,
332. 29:12at the toll booth, based on the kilometers you've driven.
333. 29:16So the ticket is very important.
334. 29:19Today, it's the most important thing after your driving license. Choose a lane with the ticket symbol.
335. 29:26And pay attention to the yellow lane: that's for electronic toll collection,
336. 29:30for those who have electronic devices in their cars. We don't have them.
337. 29:35White lane. I stop in front of the meter. I press the button. Here's the ticket!
338. 29:42Give it to me. I'll put it in the drawer in front, along with the car documents. So we don't lose it.
339. 29:50And what if we lose it?
340. 29:51Usually, at the exit, they charge you for the longest possible route,
341. 29:56as if you'd started from the farthest station. So, better not.
342. 30:01In the drawer, and the drawer closed. The barrier goes up. We're off.
343. 30:08And now we enter the highway from the acceleration lane. Look in the mirror,
344. 30:15put on your left turn signal, and when there's space, you get in.
345. 30:20Turn signal. Mirror. A truck, a car, and now there's space. I'm in. Right lane.
346. 30:31Perfect. And now the speed limits.
347. 30:35On the highway, the normal limit is one hundred and thirty miles an hour. When it rains, it drops to one hundred and ten.
348. 30:42And on the roads outside the city?
349. 30:44Ninety on normal roads. One hundred and ten on the main roads with two lanes in each direction,
350. 30:52which many call expressways. And in the city, fifty.
351. 30:57Fifty, ninety, one hundred and ten, one hundred and thirty. But there are many signs with different numbers.
352. 31:07The sign always wins. If the sign says eighty, go eighty, even on the highway.
353. 31:14And for those who have just gotten their license, the limits are lower.
354. 31:17I've had my license for fifteen years, so one hundred and thirty.
355. 31:21But today I'm driving easy, at one hundred and twenty. I'm enjoying the view.
356. 31:25And the view is beautiful. Hills, vineyards,
357. 31:28and a few hilltop villages, with bell towers in the middle.
358. 31:32In October, the vines have yellow and red leaves. It's my favorite month to travel.
359. 31:37Mine too. It's not hot, there's none of the August traffic, and the light is golden.
360. 31:42August traffic. Tell it to those who don't know.
361. 31:46The first weekend in August, half of Italy leaves for vacation on the same day, at the same time.
362. 31:55The highways to the sea become one long parking lot. And on the radio they call it the great exodus.
363. 32:03The great exodus. And then, at the end of August, the counter-exodus: everyone goes home, together, again.
364. 32:12Advice for those coming on vacation: if you can, don't travel on the highway on the first Saturday in August.
365. 32:20Today, however, is a Saturday in October, and the highway is quiet.
366. 32:25Just a few trucks and a few families with roof racks.
367. 32:31And since the journey is long, it's the right time for a little discussion. A discussion of words.
368. 32:40I understand where you're going. It's time for the column.
369. 32:44Exactly. And today the column is all yours, because you've said the verb at least ten times this morning.
370. 32:52Which verb?
371. 32:53You'll find out in a moment.
372. 32:55And now, what do you call it?
373. 32:57The column where Italy disagrees with itself!
374. 33:01And today the question is about the most important verb of the day, after driving.
375. 33:06When you leave your car somewhere and get out, what do you do?
376. 33:11I park. I park the car. And the place is the parking lot.
377. 33:15For you, yes. But in many parts of Italy you also hear another word:
378. 33:19parking. "Where did you park?" "Is there a parking lot nearby?"
379. 33:24Parking! I've heard it, yes. It seems like a slightly old word to me.
380. 33:29It's not old, it's alive. Parking is the most common word throughout Italy.
381. 33:35But parking is often heard in some areas, both
382. 33:38in the North and the South. And in Italian-speaking Switzerland, in the Canton of Ticino, the signs actually say "posteggio."
383. 33:46So if you go to Lugano one day and see a sign that says "Posteggio,"
384. 33:53don't worry. It's a parking lot.
385. 33:55Same thing, different word. And the parking attendant
386. 33:59is the person who supervises a parking space, who checks the parked cars.
387. 34:05But I have a regional word for you, also related to the street.
388. 34:09The traffic policeman. The one who directs traffic and issues tickets in the city.
389. 34:15Today the official name is "police local." But everyone still calls him "il vigile."
390. 34:22The policeman, yes. But in Milan there's a special name for traffic policemen: "il ghisa."
391. 34:28"Il ghisa"! Beautiful. It comes from the Milanese dialect. Once upon a time, traffic policemen in Milan wore a tall, black,
392. 34:37top hat. And people said it looked like a cast iron pipe, the metal from old stoves.
393. 34:44And so "il vigile" became "il ghisa." Even today, in Milan, you hear it.
394. 34:51I like it. Let's make a scene. We're in Milan, and I'm a pig in the ass.
395. 34:57Excuse me, officer, where can I park around here? Ma'am, you can't
396. 35:01park here. There are yellow lines. There's a paid parking lot around the corner, a hundred meters away.
397. 35:09Parking or parking?
398. 35:12Whatever you prefer, ma'am. Just don't leave your car here.
399. 35:16Thanks, officer. I'll be right there.
400. 35:18Please. And put on your turn signal!
401. 35:20Even the pig in the ass with the turn signal! And now you, go home. Repeat after me: parking, parking.
402. 35:34Good job, oh good job! Two words for the same place.
403. 35:37And a confession: I say parking, but my grandmother always said parking.
404. 35:44Maybe it's also a question of age.
405. 35:46Or the area. Or both. Words travel, like cars.
406. 35:52And like grandparents. My grandmother moved to three cities in her life, and from each city she took a word with her.
407. 36:00Words are the lightest baggage. They don't even pay the toll.
408. 36:05This is beautiful. And what do you call it at home? Parking, parking, or something else?
409. 36:12And what do you call the traffic police in your city? Write it in the comments.
410. 36:17Different countries, different words!
411. 36:20Let's get back to the highway. There's a bit more traffic now.
412. 36:24And a car behind me is flashing its headlights.
413. 36:28Are you in the left lane?
414. 36:30Yes, I just passed a truck.
415. 36:33And then the one behind you is saying, "Move over, I have to pass."
416. 36:38On the highway, you stay on the right. The left lane is only for passing.
417. 36:44I turn right. Turn signal. Done. He went by like a rocket.
418. 36:50He was going 160, minimum. And maybe we'll see him again soon.
419. 36:56Why?
420. 36:57Look at that sign: "Electronic Speed ​​Control." It means there's a speed camera up ahead.
421. 37:05A speed camera is the device that measures your speed. If you're going too fast, take a photo of the license plate.
422. 37:12In Italy, a speed camera must be announced with a sign.
423. 37:16So when you see the sign, immediately look at the speedometer.
424. 37:20The speedometer is the gauge that shows your speed, in front of the steering wheel. I'm going 110. Don't worry.
425. 37:28And on the highway, there's another system too. It doesn't measure your speed at a single point,
426. 37:33but the average speed between two points, perhaps ten or twenty kilometers apart.
427. 37:39So if you speed up between one point and another, and then slow down only in front of the camera, it's pointless.
428. 37:46No, because average speed matters. There's a sign here too that announces it.
429. 37:50The message is simple: go slow and check the signs.
430. 37:55And if all goes well, the green envelope won't arrive.
431. 37:59And those big signs above the highway, with the illuminated signs?
432. 38:03They're variable message signs. They tell you if there's an accident ahead, a construction site,
433. 38:09fog, or a traffic jam of several kilometers. Today it says: "Traffic normal."
434. 38:15Traffic normal. Two beautiful words. And the right-hand lane, the one after the solid line?
435. 38:22It's the emergency lane. It's never used for driving. Only if you have a breakdown or a real emergency.
436. 38:29And in that case: flashing hazard lights, wearing a vest, putting a warning triangle behind the car,
437. 38:33and everyone out, behind the guardrail.
438. 38:36The guardrail is the metal barrier along the road. Let's hope we never use it. Look,
439. 38:44a sign with a cup and a gas pump: service station in two kilometers.
440. 38:50The service station! The place where Italians on the road stop for coffee, a restroom, and a sandwich.
441. 38:57Even if the sandwich costs twice as much.
442. 38:59Should we stop?
443. 39:01Not now. We just had coffee, and the tank is almost full.
444. 39:05But there's a scene at the service station I love:
445. 39:09the bar counter at eight in the morning, in August, with a hundred people all ordering coffee at once.
446. 39:17And the barista making ten at a time, without making a mistake. An artist.
447. 39:22And then there's the man buying cheese and salami to take home, as if they didn't exist in the city.
448. 39:28My father! My father does exactly that. Every trip, a wheel of cheese from the service station.
449. 39:37All Italian fathers do it. It's a law of nature.
450. 39:40Anyway, there he is. The man from before, the one going 160.
451. 39:45He slowed down suddenly at the sign.
452. 39:48Too late or just in time? We'll never know.
453. 39:53Only he'll know when he opens his mailbox.
454. 39:56In seven months.
455. 39:58Don't laugh about the green envelope, please. It's a sensitive subject.
456. 40:02Okay, I'll stop. How far is it from the exit?
457. 40:06Thirty kilometers. And at the exit, it's time for the toll booth.
458. 40:10Is the ticket still in the drawer?
459. 40:12I check. It's there. Safe and sound.
460. 40:16The exit arrives. I take the ramp and slow down.
461. 40:20And in front of me is the toll booth: many lanes, with many different symbols.
462. 40:27It's the most delicate moment for those coming from abroad. We read the signs above the lanes together.
463. 40:34Some lanes have a yellow sign.
464. 40:37The yellow ones are for electronic toll collection. Only those with the electronic device attached to the window can use them.
465. 40:44The barrier rises automatically,
466. 40:46and the toll arrives later, in our bank account. We don't have one, so no yellow lanes.
467. 40:54What if I enter them by mistake?
468. 40:56It happens. Never back out. You stop, press the assistance button, and explain.
469. 41:04But that's a situation no one wants, because everyone behind you starts honking.
470. 41:10And the lanes with the blue sign?
471. 41:12The blue lanes are for card payments.
472. 41:15Credit or debit cards. They don't accept cash there.
473. 41:21And the white ones, with the image of a hand and coins?
474. 41:24Those also accept cash. Sometimes there's still a person in the booth,
475. 41:30the toll booth attendant. But increasingly, there's only a self-service machine.
476. 41:35I go to the white lane. I stop. Giovanni, the ticket.
477. 41:40Hold the ticket. You insert it into the slot. The screen says: "Amount: four euros and eighty cents."
478. 41:48I pay with my card. I hold the card close. Done. And the receipt?
479. 41:54Press the receipt button, if you need it. For work, for example. And now the barrier goes up.
480. 42:02It's up! We're out. We made it.
481. 42:05Good job. And note one thing: the price isn't written on the ticket.
482. 42:10You only find out the price at the end. It depends on the kilometers and the type of vehicle.
483. 42:15And the toll, how much does it usually cost?
484. 42:18It depends on the highway. For a normal car, it's about seven or eight cents per kilometer.
485. 42:24For a long trip, for example from Milan to Rome, you'd spend more than forty euros.
486. 42:31More than forty euros just for the highway. Plus gas. That's why so many people take the train.
487. 42:37And the fast train between Milan and Rome takes less time than driving. And you don't have to find parking.
488. 42:45But it doesn't take you to the lake.
489. 42:46Not that. One last thing about the toll booth. On some highways, near big cities,
490. 42:53you don't take a ticket at the entrance. You find a barrier halfway, and you pay a fixed amount.
491. 42:59So it's not always a ticket at the entrance and payment at the exit.
492. 43:03Almost always. But if you find a barrier and you didn't take a ticket, don't worry. You pay and go.
493. 43:10Good. The toll booth scared me, but it was easy.
494. 43:14The toll booth is easy, if you have a ticket and choose the right lane.
495. 43:18The problem is the yellow lanes and the lost ticket.
496. 43:21And the people searching for change in their bags for five minutes, with twenty cars behind them.
497. 43:27I was very fast.
498. 43:29Very fast and without mistakes. You're disappointing me: I have nothing to criticize today.
499. 43:35Wait, the day isn't over. And now where do I go?
500. 43:39To the roundabout, first exit. Then the provincial road, all curvy, all the way to the lake. Twenty minutes.
501. 43:46A provincial road all curvy. My favorite kind of road.
502. 43:51And my favorite kind of car sickness. Slow down, please.
503. 43:55Car sickness is when you feel sick in the car,
504. 43:59with a lump in your stomach. Don't worry, I'll slow down. And I'll open the window a little.
505. 44:05Thanks. And look ahead, don't look at me.
506. 44:08Here we are at the lake! How wonderful. The water is gray and blue,
507. 44:13the mountains are all around, and the town is all colorful, on the shore.
508. 44:18The yellow, pink, orange houses. The fishing boats.
509. 44:24And the fresh air. My car sickness has already passed.
510. 44:28But now there's the parking problem. I see a sign at the entrance to the town: pedestrian zone.
511. 44:35The pedestrian zone is different from the ZTL. A few cars enter the ZTL, those with a permit.
512. 44:43Almost no one enters the pedestrian zone: it's for pedestrians.
513. 44:49So we leave the car outside.
514. 44:51There's a large parking lot before the town, near the water. Blue lines.
515. 44:56And look at all these people. It's Saturday, and it's a beautiful day. Half the city had the same idea.
516. 45:04The parking lot is full. I go around and try again.
517. 45:07The famous loop around the block, lake version.
518. 45:11First loop: nothing. Second loop: nothing. Third loop:
519. 45:16look, a family is loading their bags into the car. I stop and put on my indicator.
520. 45:21Good job. The spot is ours. Unwritten rule respected.
521. 45:26Parking. And now the parking meter: three hours, four euros fifty cents.
522. 45:31License plate, paperwork, done. And a photo of the parking meter receipt, just in case.
523. 45:37You're getting more careful than me.
524. 45:39With your green envelope, it's not difficult.
525. 45:42Hit and sunk. Let's go to lunch. There's a trattoria on the lakefront where they do lake fish.
526. 45:48The lakefront is the road that runs along the lake shore,
527. 45:52like the seafront. You walk, you look at the boats, you get ice cream.
528. 45:58First lunch, then ice cream. This is the trattoria. There are tables outside, in the sun.
529. 46:05Let's take the one at the back, near the water. And there's an important rule here, and I always follow it.
530. 46:12I drive, so I don't drink.
531. 46:15He who drives, doesn't drink. It's a phrase you hear a lot in Italy.
532. 46:20Even in commercials and television campaigns.
533. 46:23And in my head, it's a simple rule: if I'm driving, no wine.
534. 46:28Today, I'm drinking sparkling water. You, co-pilot, can have a glass of white wine.
535. 46:34Just one. Out of solidarity.
536. 46:36What kind of solidarity would that be, excuse me?
537. 46:39The co-pilot's solidarity: I'll drink for you too.
538. 46:43How generous. Let's order. For me, a risotto with perch. For
539. 46:49me, grilled whitefish, with potatoes.
540. 46:52Whitefish is a lake fish, white and delicate.
541. 46:56And perch is a classic from northern lakes, often served with risotto or fried.
542. 47:02And with butter and sage. I'm getting hungry just saying it.
543. 47:06Me too. And while we wait, the moment has arrived.
544. 47:10Giovanni, the green envelope is in your backpack. I saw you put it in.
545. 47:15I knew it. There's no escape.
546. 47:18There's no escape. Those listening have been waiting for an hour. The sun is out, you have the wine. Tell us.
547. 47:25The wine hasn't arrived yet.
548. 47:27It's coming. It's starting anyway.
549. 47:29All right. So, make yourselves comfortable. It's a story of March,
550. 47:34of rain, and of a word I understood backwards.
551. 47:39March. A weekend in Florence with two friends. We drove by
552. 47:45rental car because on Saturday we wanted to see the countryside around the city.
553. 47:51So far, everything normal.
554. 47:54Everything normal. We arrive in Florence late on Friday evening. It's raining heavily.
555. 48:01Our hotel is downtown, on a small street near a beautiful square.
556. 48:06Downtown. I already sense the danger.
557. 48:09I'm driving, and one of my friends looks at the GPS. The GPS says, "In a hundred meters,
558. 48:18turn right." I turn right. And in front of me is a brightly lit sign with red lettering.
559. 48:26No.
560. 48:27Yes. "Active crossing." And I, tired, with the rain on the glass, think:
561. 48:34Active, good. It's open, it's working. I can get through.
562. 48:39The reasoning of a tourist!
563. 48:41The reasoning of a tired Italian at eleven at night.
564. 48:44And I got through. Calm, happy, singing a song on the radio.
565. 48:49And at the hotel?
566. 48:51At the hotel, the gentleman at reception is very kind. He asks me, "Did you come by car?
567. 48:57Where's the car?" I reply, "Outside." And he makes a face. A long face like this.
568. 49:05The face of someone who's already figured it all out.
569. 49:07That's exactly it. And he says, "You should have called us first. We'll provide the license plate to the City Council,
570. 49:13and you can come in to leave your bags. We'll try now, but I can't promise you anything."
571. 49:19And did it work?
572. 49:21He tried. But it didn't work. Maybe it was too late, maybe something went wrong.
573. 49:28I don't know. Anyway, the weekend was beautiful, and I forgot all about it.
574. 49:36Until this morning.
575. 49:37No, wait. There's another chapter first. In May, I receive an email from the rental company. "Dear customer,
576. 49:47we've received a request from the City of Florence.
577. 49:50We've provided your information. We'll charge you a handling fee: forty euros."
578. 49:56Forty euros just for giving your name?
579. 49:58Forty euros for giving my name and address. And then I understood: the fine is coming.
580. 50:06But the fine never arrived. June, July, August,
581. 50:12September. Nothing. And I thought: maybe they've forgotten.
582. 50:19The City never forgets.
583. 50:22Never. And this morning, here it is. The green envelope. More than ninety euros, including notification fees.
584. 50:31So, in total, more than one hundred and thirty euros to enter a street, in the rain, to get to the hotel.
585. 50:39More than one hundred and thirty euros for a song on the radio. The most expensive song of my life.
586. 50:46And what was the song?
587. 50:48I won't tell you. It's humiliating enough as it is.
588. 50:51Okay, I respect your pain. But it's a very useful story for those who listen to us.
589. 50:57Yes. Giovanni's lessons, in a row. One: an active gate means the camera is on, so you can't enter. Two:
590. 51:07the GPS doesn't always know the ZTL. Three:
591. 51:12if the hotel is downtown, call ahead and ask for the license plate.
592. 51:17And four?
593. 51:18Four: the fine arrives even after many months, and the rental company also makes you pay the management fees.
594. 51:24So don't think it's over just because nothing has arrived.
595. 51:28And five, mine: when you're tired, after a long journey, leave the car outside the center
596. 51:35and take a taxi.
597. 51:37Five is the wisest. I wish I'd known that in March.
598. 51:40And the wine has arrived. My risotto too. Shall we toast?
599. 51:45Let's toast. Me with wine, you with sparkling water. To health, and to all the inactive checkpoints in Italy.
600. 51:51To the inactive checkpoints! And to your secret song.
601. 51:55That remains a secret between me and the radio. Forever.
602. 51:59Lunch is over, the ice cream too, and the walk along the lakeside too.
603. 52:05It's four in the afternoon, and we're heading back to the city.
604. 52:10Back on the highway, back on the ticket, back on the toll booth.
605. 52:15And this time everything goes smoothly, without a single mistake.
606. 52:19Smooth as silk. And now we're almost at the station. Before returning the car, what do we have to do?
607. 52:26You know very well.
608. 52:28Fill up. Full-full. I know, I know.
609. 52:32There's a gas station on the right. A gas station.
610. 52:37Many also call it the gas station attendant, like the person who works there.
611. 52:42I go in. And there are two rows of pumps. On one it says "do it yourself," and on the other "full service."
612. 52:51Here's the classic choice. Do it yourself means you do everything yourself: pick up the nozzle,
613. 52:58fill up the gas, pay at the automatic cashier.
614. 53:02Full service means the gas station attendant comes, fills up the tank for you, and sometimes even cleans the window.
615. 53:09And full service costs more.
616. 53:11Yes, a few cents more per liter. On a full tank, it can be a few euros.
617. 53:18Many Italians do it yourself to save money.
618. 53:21Others prefer full service, for convenience, or because they don't want to get their hands dirty.
619. 53:27Today I'm full service, so we can make a scene. You're the gas station attendant.
620. 53:32Gladly. Good evening, ma'am! What can I do for you?
621. 53:35Good evening. Can you fill up the tank for me, please?
622. 53:38Right away. Gasoline or diesel?
623. 53:40Gasoline. It also says here, near the gas cap: "unleaded."
624. 53:45Perfect. Fill up with unleaded. Would you like me to check the oil?
625. 53:50No, thanks, the car is new. How much is it?
626. 53:53The tank was almost full: it's eighteen euros. Paying by card? Here's the receipt. Have a good trip!
627. 54:00Thanks, have a good evening! End of scene. And now you, go home.
628. 54:05It's the most useful phrase at the gas station. Repeat after us: Can you fill up the tank, please?
629. 54:16Great. And if you don't want a full tank, just state the amount:
630. 54:21"Twenty euros worth of gas, please." Or: "Thirty euros worth of diesel."
631. 54:26And now it's do-it-yourself,
632. 54:28because in the evenings, on Sundays, and during off-hours, that's often all there is. Self-service, as everyone says.
633. 54:36This is how it works. First, go to the automatic pay station, a column in the middle of the pumps.
634. 54:42Choose your pump number, and pay with card or cash.
635. 54:47Then go to the pump, grab the nozzle, and fill up.
636. 54:52And here's something you should know. If you pay twenty euros in cash,
637. 54:57and the tank fills up with fifteen, the change won't be given to you in coins.
638. 55:02Usually, the pay station will print out a receipt with the change,
639. 55:05which you can use later or get reimbursed by the attendant.
640. 55:09So, with cash, it's best not to overdo it. And then there's the most important thing of all: gasoline or diesel.
641. 55:16Always read the writing on the pump. Don't just look at the color of the nozzle,
642. 55:22because the colors vary from one pump to another.
643. 55:26And I say this from personal experience.
644. 55:29Two years ago, with another rental car, I was about to put the gas in the diesel.
645. 55:33No! Tell me.
646. 55:35I was used to my dad's car, which runs on diesel.
647. 55:39I took the wrong nozzle, and the gas station attendant on the other end shouted, "Lady, stop! That one runs on gasoline!"
648. 55:45A hero.
649. 55:47A true hero. He saved my day and a lot of money.
650. 55:51And he also told me something else: if you put the wrong fuel in, don't start the engine.
651. 55:57Call for assistance immediately.
652. 55:59Did you at least give him a gift?
653. 56:01I filled up at his place for the whole vacation. And I left him a tip.
654. 56:05Right. What about us now? Full tank, receipt in my pocket.
655. 56:10Full tank. The needle is all the way up. Let's go return the car.
656. 56:15Wait a minute. Look ahead. There's a police car parked on the side of the road.
657. 56:22I see it. A police car, and an officer in the middle of the road, holding a round object.
658. 56:30It's a paddle. A short stick with a red and white disc.
659. 56:35If the officer raises the flag toward you, you have to stop.
660. 56:40He's raising the flag right at me. I'll stop.
661. 56:44Don't worry. It's a checkpoint, a normal check. It happens often, especially on Saturdays.
662. 56:51Pull over to the right, where he tells you to. Turn off the music. Roll down the window. And stay in the car.
663. 57:00Done. The officer is coming.
664. 57:03I'll be the officer, for those listening. Good evening. License and registration, please.
665. 57:09Good evening. Here's my license. The car is rented:
666. 57:14the registration should be in the drawer. May I open it?
667. 57:18Please, ma'am.
668. 57:19This is the registration, and this is the rental agreement.
669. 57:23Thank you. Where are you from?
670. 57:25From the lake. We went to lunch, and now we're going back to the city.
671. 57:29Have you had any alcohol, ma'am?
672. 57:32No, just sparkling water. I'll drive.
673. 57:35Good. Let's do a quick check. Blow here, please. One long blow, without stopping.
674. 57:42The balloon! Blow. Done.
675. 57:46Zero. Perfect. Everything in order. You're all set, ma'am. Have a good evening and a good trip.
676. 57:52Thank you, have a good evening! End of scene. How exciting, my heart is still beating.
677. 57:58And everything went perfectly. Let's explain the words. License and registration:
678. 58:05the license is the driver's license, and the registration is the car's document.
679. 58:11The official name of the registration is the "carta di vigilanza" (registration document).
680. 58:14But no one says it. Everyone says "libretto" (registration document), even the police.
681. 58:19"License and registration document, please" is perhaps the most famous phrase on the Italian road.
682. 58:25If you take a road trip in Italy, you've probably heard it at least once.
683. 58:30And blowing into a balloon?
684. 58:33It means taking a breathalyzer test, with a device you blow into.
685. 58:38Once upon a time, there was actually a kind of balloon.
686. 58:41Today it's an electronic device, but everyone still says "balloon."
687. 58:47Like the registration document. Words remain, even when things change.
688. 58:52And who carries out the checks? In Italy, there are the Carabinieri,
689. 58:56the traffic police, which everyone calls the "stradale," and in the cities, the local police.
690. 59:02And how do you behave? I did what everyone does: good evening, formally, and very calmly.
691. 59:09And you stay in the car, unless the officer asks you to get out. You look for your documents calmly,
692. 59:16saying, "I'll take the registration document from the drawer." And you answer questions simply.
693. 59:22And what if someone doesn't speak Italian well?
694. 59:25You say, "Excuse me, I don't speak much Italian." With a smile. The officers are used to tourists, especially in the summer.
695. 59:36And they can even ask a foreigner for his passport.
696. 59:39And what does the co-pilot do during the check?
697. 59:42The co-pilot stays silent. And I stayed silent. Even though I really wanted to say something to the officer.
698. 59:50What?
699. 59:50I wanted to say, "You're much kinder than the City of Florence."
700. 59:55Thank goodness you stayed silent.
701. 59:57I know. I made a great effort. The biggest one of the day.
702. 1:00:02Bigger than the three minutes of silence this morning?
703. 1:00:06Much bigger. I didn't respect those.
704. 1:00:09I realized it. I'm off again. Turn signal, mirror. And now straight to the station.
705. 1:00:17Here we are again at the station. And this time, at the ZTL sign, I don't turn right.
706. 1:00:24Good job, you've learned. The rental car lot is behind the office. Pull in slowly.
707. 1:00:30Space number twelve, again. I turn off the engine. And before getting out, I check everything:
708. 1:00:37phone, sunglasses, phone charging cable.
709. 1:00:42The phone cable is the most forgotten item in rental cars. Along with the umbrella.
710. 1:00:49And the highway ticket?
711. 1:00:51That was left at the toll booth. But keep the gas receipt.
712. 1:00:56If they tell you the tank isn't full, you have proof.
713. 1:00:59The clerk arrives. He walks around the car. Looks at the bumper, the door, the mirror.
714. 1:01:07And looks at the piece of paper with the crosses from this morning.
715. 1:01:11The scratch on the back was already there. We had the dent in the door marked. The mirror too.
716. 1:01:18How lucky we had them marked this morning.
717. 1:01:21It's not luck, it's method. Without that signature, maybe we would have had to argue by now.
718. 1:01:27And now look at the tank. The needle is all the way up. Full.
719. 1:01:33And then the kilometers. We started with twelve thousand and one hundred kilometers,
720. 1:01:37and now we're at twelve thousand and two hundred and sixty.
721. 1:01:41One hundred and sixty kilometers in total. Everything in order, says the clerk.
722. 1:01:46I sign here, and he gives me the return receipt.
723. 1:01:49Always ask for it, the return receipt, with the date, time,
724. 1:01:54mileage, and gas. And what if you return the car when the office is closed?
725. 1:02:00There's a key box.
726. 1:02:02You leave the car in the parking lot, put the keys in the box, and the next day the clerk checks everything.
727. 1:02:08In that case, the photos are even more important. One photo for each side of the car,
728. 1:02:14a photo of the dashboard with the gas and mileage, and a photo of the car in the parking lot.
729. 1:02:20The photos are the moral of the whole day.
730. 1:02:23The photos, the signs, and the calm.
731. 1:02:27And the credit card deposit?
732. 1:02:29They'll release it in a few days. Sometimes it takes a week or two.
733. 1:02:34Don't worry if you don't see it right away.
734. 1:02:36Good. The keys are on the counter, the receipt is in my bag.
735. 1:02:41We're on foot again. I feel light without a car.
736. 1:02:45You're truly a city person.
737. 1:02:48Happily. But I had fun driving today. Really. The lake, the winding road, the yellow vineyards.
738. 1:02:56And I had fun being the annoying co-pilot.
739. 1:03:00You're the best at that. But I have to admit:
740. 1:03:03your advice was helpful. The limited traffic zone, the yellow lane, the speed camera sign.
741. 1:03:11Thank you. The annoying co-pilot is also a useful co-pilot.
742. 1:03:15Useful and annoying. Like a GPS.
743. 1:03:18You compared me to a GPS. I'll take that as a compliment.
744. 1:03:22Take it however you want. Now we're walking home, and tonight you pay the fine online.
745. 1:03:29Monday. Tonight I just want to forget about the green envelope and eat a pizza.
746. 1:03:34A pizza on foot, right outside my house. No parking, no toll booths, no checkpoints.
747. 1:03:40Paradise.
748. 1:03:41Before we say goodbye, let's play a game. The whole day in a minute.
749. 1:03:47I'll explain the situation, you say the right phrase. Quickly, without thinking.
750. 1:03:52Ready. Go.
751. 1:03:54You're at the rental shop, and you don't want to pay too much if you get a scratch.
752. 1:03:58"I'd like to reduce the deductible, please."
753. 1:04:00Before getting in, you find a scratch that isn't on the paper.
754. 1:04:04"Excuse me, can you mark this scratch?"
755. 1:04:06You see a red sign at the entrance to the historic center.
756. 1:04:09"Active gate: I'm not entering."
757. 1:04:12Your hotel is inside the ZTL.
758. 1:04:15"Good morning, can you provide my license plate to the city hall?"
759. 1:04:18Blue lines.
760. 1:04:19"You pay at the parking meter."
761. 1:04:21White lines, with a clock sign.
762. 1:04:24"You need a parking disc."
763. 1:04:26Yellow lines.
764. 1:04:27"They're not for me."
765. 1:04:29You enter the highway.
766. 1:04:30"I'll take the ticket, and I won't lose it."
767. 1:04:33You arrive at the toll booth, and in front of you is a yellow lane.
768. 1:04:37"No, the yellow one is for the electronic toll collection. I'll take the white or the blue one."
769. 1:04:43You see the "Electronic Speed ​​Control" sign.
770. 1:04:47"I'll look at the speedometer."
771. 1:04:49You're in the left lane, and someone's flashing lights behind you.
772. 1:04:53"I'm going back to the right."
773. 1:04:55At the gas station, at the service station.
774. 1:04:57"Could you fill up my tank, please?"
775. 1:04:59And the attendant asks you?
776. 1:05:01"Gasoline or diesel?"
777. 1:05:03The officer raises his hand.
778. 1:05:05"I'll stop, roll down the window, and say, 'Good evening.'"
779. 1:05:10And what does he say?
780. 1:05:11"License and registration, please."
781. 1:05:13And finally?
782. 1:05:15"You can go. Have a good trip."
783. 1:05:17A minute and a half. Almost a record.
784. 1:05:20And not a single mistake. I say this for the co-pilot, who was looking for mistakes all day today.
785. 1:05:26No mistakes, I admit. You're a pass.
786. 1:05:30Thank you. And now it's your turn. The next time you hear these phrases, in Italy or in a movie,
787. 1:05:37you'll recognize them immediately.
788. 1:05:39And when you see a sign that says "Varco attivo," you'll think of me.
789. 1:05:43We'll think of you and your song on the radio.
790. 1:05:46The dearest song of my life.
791. 1:05:48And a phrase for those who are afraid of driving in Italy. It's true, the traffic is a bit hectic,
792. 1:05:54scooters are everywhere, and the horn goes off half a second after the light turns green.
793. 1:06:00But the rules are clear, the signs are there,
794. 1:06:03and people, when you need them, help you. The gas station attendant, the rental car employee, the man at the hotel.
795. 1:06:10And even the agent with the shovel. Very kind.
796. 1:06:13Kinder than the City of Florence.
797. 1:06:16Enough with the City of Florence!
798. 1:06:18It's six in the evening. The car is returned,
799. 1:06:22the keys are on the rental counter, and we are both tired but happy.
800. 1:06:28We retrace the day. This morning I looked like someone who'd seen a ghost,
801. 1:06:33with a green registered letter just out of the mailbox.
802. 1:06:36Then the rental: the credit card for the deposit,
803. 1:06:40the deductible and the deductible reduction, the full-full formula and the manual transmission.
804. 1:06:47The tour of the car, with the scratches and dents to be noted on the sheet,
805. 1:06:52and the photos. The warning triangle and the jacket in the trunk. And the lights on even during the day, outside the city.
806. 1:06:59Then the ZTL, the limited traffic zone. The gate with the camera, and the tongue trap:
807. 1:07:07gate active means you can't enter. Gate inactive means you can enter.
808. 1:07:13And if the hotel is downtown, they ask you to provide your license plate. Then the city: the turn signal,
809. 1:07:20the roundabout with the yield sign, the right-hand traffic light, and the horn half a second after the green light.
810. 1:07:27Then the lines: white free, sometimes with a parking disc. Blue for a fee. Yellow reserved.
811. 1:07:36Pink for parents with small children. And the double park with the hazard lights, which is not allowed.
812. 1:07:43The parking meter with the license plate, the ticket on the dashboard,
813. 1:07:47and the slip of paper under the windshield wiper that no one wants to find.
814. 1:07:51Then the highway: the green signs, the ticket at the entrance, the speed limits,
815. 1:07:57and the right lane. The speed camera announced by the sign, and the average speed check.
816. 1:08:04The toll booth: no yellow lanes without a device, blue lanes for cards,
817. 1:08:10white lanes also for cash. And the ticket you can't lose.
818. 1:08:15In the middle, the directory: parking or parking, and the cast iron of Milan.
819. 1:08:21Then the lake, the pedestrian zone, and Alessia's rule: those who drive don't drink.
820. 1:08:27And my story of Florence, with the red sign, the song on the radio, and the fine that arrived after seven months.
821. 1:08:35On the way back, the gas station: self-service or serviced, "Could you fill up my tank, please?", and gasoline or diesel,
822. 1:08:44always reading the sign. Then the checkpoint:
823. 1:08:49the paddle, "License and registration, please," the balloon, and "You can go."
824. 1:08:55And finally, the return: the tank, the mileage, the receipt,
825. 1:08:59and the key box when the office is closed.
826. 1:09:02A busy day. And now the homework. If you live in Italy, or are coming here on vacation,
827. 1:09:10next time you get in the car, read three signs aloud.
828. 1:09:16A limited traffic zone, a line, a speed limit.
829. 1:09:21And if you're not in Italy, act out the scene at home. One plays the policeman, the other plays the driver.
830. 1:09:27"Good evening. License and registration, please." With the formal "Sir," and calmly.
831. 1:09:32And then let us know in the comments. In your country, how do you pay for parking?
832. 1:09:37And is there a word in your country that means the opposite of what it seems, like "gastroattiva" (active gate)?
833. 1:09:44And if you've ever gotten a ticket in Italy, or if you have a rental car story, tell me about it.
834. 1:09:49Please don't leave me alone with my green envelope.
835. 1:09:53We'll read them all, I promise.
836. 1:09:55Thanks for spending the day with us, among toll booths, crossing lines, and crossing gates.
837. 1:10:01And now, excuse me, but I have a pizza waiting for me downstairs. On foot.
838. 1:10:06And I have a fine to pay. Monday. Bye everyone!
839. 1:10:10Bye, and have a good trip!