European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 22, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 an italian policeman directs traffic in an attempt to bring some order to Naples daily motorized Cut roaming Gary Miller sunday stroll in the states usually Means a quiet walk with the family in the Park. That a not the Case in pin Tamare a Italy. There Are very few sidewalks in pin Tamare a dilapidated resort town that doubles As a site for family housing for . in the Naples area. Although it mystifies american residents neapolitan flock to pin Tamare on sundays in the Spring and summer. The streets overflow with cars mopeds and motorcycles. They re everywhere ,. And they re All driven by crazies who look neither to the left nor the right because All by Lieve they have the absolute right of Way in All situations. Usually even the moped Drivers have at least one passenger inboard to cheer them on in their crusades for Speed carelessness and the neapolitan Way. Its usually Early in the afternoon when the traffic is really getting Nasty that my wife gets these uncontrollable urges to take our kids for a walk in a crazy enough to agree. We be just returned from a Quot stroll in which one of the kids nearly ended up As a Hood ornament. This time the culprit was an american a a neapolitan Zed american mind you. She passed an italian who was already going too fast for the stretch of pavement which is two lanes wide Only by local definition and leads to a Blind turn. My wife used some realty great neapolitan terms she Learned just for such occasions. Since the Driver did no to try to Back Over us i guess she Only Learned to drive like a local not speak like one. We be Learned that sidewalks where they exist Arentt pedestrians safely zones. The word for sidewalk in Southern Italy must also mean parking lot and dump because that s How they Are used. A couple of minutes after being nearly Side swiped by a fellow american we reached a walk that was free of parked cars and garbage. We accomplished this by closing our eyes and charging through a congested roundabout no one Parks on this particular stretch of walk because it has a roof and the roofs supports Are too dose together for even the smallest Fiat to fit through. But motorcycles fit with no problem. A halt dozen Young men proved that to us w Hen they nearly knocked us Over As they push started a dirt Bike. There Are a lot of dirt bikes in the pin Tamare area. 1 hey re usually travelling on the streets and sidewalks a Seldom on the dirt. They Are hazardous to pedestrians health. Hut they Are not the Only threats to Public safety. A Sefc a 4 Quot italian Road hazards the pin Tamare beaches Are All private so Sun worshippers must pay an average of Al a head to roast and soak. Some visitors on tight budgets simply Camp out on the vacant lots or. Among the few Pines that still stand parking As they please. They Cook their pasta play Ball or put newspapers in the windows of their cars and do what comes naturally. The people my wife and i find most interesting Are the wedding parties that visit pin Tamare for its photo opportunities. Apparently its the fashion in these parts for couples to be photographed in All their formal High fashion glory in front of a Speed boat or yacht in dry Dock. Drivers speeding by such scenes and trying to Check out a brides dress have on More than one occasion come within centimetres of making permanent impressions on me or the kids. What concerns me most though is the Impact psychological in this Case not physical All this traffic has on our children. In fact 1 have to go discipline them right now. The two of them Are driving through the apartment on their tricycles. They re Yelling things they be heard on the streets As they try to Knock each other Over. Of Gary my of ii j srd�?~1 surs and Slu Amadie Tanoan Bureau. Daring youngsters hitch a free ride. Is 5 sunday
