Motorinos

Here I am again. Its been very hard to come home from vacation and go back to work. And on top of that, I’m supposed to walk home…that’s not easy! But, I’m trying. And, every time I walk home, I have to update my blog.

Yesterday, as I was walking home with my camera ready, I realized how easy it was to find my next subject: motorinos. Motorinos are scooters and they are everywhere. It really is a smart mode of transportation in Rome where the streets are narrow and there is a bunch of traffic. The motorinos are able to weave in and out of traffic and arrive a lot faster than someone in a car. They have all shapes and sizes and colors of motorinos here. When I first arrived, I considered buying one for myself since I don’t have my car here, but it turns out they aren’t as cheap as I think they should be. Besides, I’m not sure I would be a very safe driver…so its probably better that I did not get one! Even though I still sort of wish that I had a brand new, bright red Vespa!

Motorinos are literally all over the city. They are parked in large groups on the street and on the sidewalks in front of buildings. They are always zipping in and out of traffic, weaving around cars and making their way to the front at every red light. If you’re in a car, the motorinos almost seem like gnats swarming around you. When I wait for the bus in the morning, I watched the various shapes and sizes pass by. I’ve even seen a motorino with a roof (it looks very funny).

When it rains, there aren’t as many motorinos out, but they aren’t entirely gone either. People drive in the rain with little covers on their lap to protect them from the wind and the rain. They also have full riding suits that they wear when the weather is bad enough. The rain does slow some motorinos down in an attempt to drive more safely, but it doesn’t always work. I saw a lady wipe out right in front of me when it was raining and she tried to accelerate too quickly from a red light. Luckily, the traffic behind her hadn’t moved yet so she was ok. She got up and pushed her motorino to the sidewalk, her ego bruised more than she was. (Because of my fear of slipping, this incident was yet another reason I did not want to buy a motorino.)

Even though motorinos can be annoying at times, I think I will miss them when I’m gone. I will miss seeing them all lined up on the sidewalk. I will miss seeing them inching their way between cars so they can get a few feet closer to the red light. I will miss seeing people carrying large bags, boxes, or even dogs between their legs on their motorinos. They are a part of Italy that I will miss.