Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[V.C. Brunswick]

Rome is a crazy, crazy town! The traffic is absolutely insane! I mean I know every big city has its issues, but over there, you could set your watch to the number of ambulance-sirens you could hear every day. Not one or two, four or five...I was counting dozens every single day! And I was there less than a week!

You mean like this?

[video=youtube;rfn4s-3kJWE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfn4s-3kJWE[/video]

[video=youtube;t0jHGRSt2KM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0jHGRSt2KM[/video]

 

[Touchofevil]

Riiiiggghhht. And after a six week stay in the hospital.....

It wasn't necessarily for cars but for room. Big cities are always constructed on top of each other but the suburbs was and is a place for stretching out and not having your neighbor's nose in your business every second. 1/4 of an acre is the minimum for me. I like room and privacy. That kind of room requires wide streets and cars to get you from there to work and shopping.

My rental sits on a third of an acre and that is not nearly large enough with just one incredibly stupid and rude neighbor. My place sits on just under a quarter of an acre and even though I have (for the most part) good neighbors, I still want a moat and a twelve foot wall surrounding my property.

 

[Flicka]

Riiiiggghhht. And after a six week stay in the hospital.....

It wasn't necessarily for cars but for room. Big cities are always constructed on top of each other but the suburbs was and is a place for stretching out and not having your neighbor's nose in your business every second. 1/4 of an acre is the minimum for me. I like room and privacy. That kind of room requires wide streets and cars to get you from there to work and shopping.

I don't hold with all that living on the ground. That's for country folks. Nah, give me an abode safely perched at least three stories above the ground where I can hear my neighbours flush. That's the beauty of city living to me. If I wanted space, I could move to Pajala.

 

[jamespowers]

My rental sits on a third of an acre and that is not nearly large enough with just one incredibly stupid and rude neighbor. My place sits on just under a quarter of an acre and even though I have (for the most part) good neighbors, I still want a moat and a twelve foot wall surrounding my property.

With an electric fence across the top of that.

 

[jamespowers]

I don't hold with all that living on the ground. That's for country folks. Nah, give me an abode safely perched at least three stories above the ground where I can hear my neighbours flush. That's the beauty of city living to me. If I wanted space, I could move to Pajala.

That is why they have cities and suburbs. People want different things.

 

[Shangas]

You mean like this?

[video=youtube;rfn4s-3kJWE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfn4s-3kJWE[/video]

[video=youtube;t0jHGRSt2KM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0jHGRSt2KM[/video]

Much like the first video, yes. When I was in Rome (2003, December), the traffic was absolutely CRAZY! You didn't know WHERE to walk and where not to. You could enter market squares which you think are automobile-free zones (5,000 locals can't all be wrong, eh?) and then suddenly some nutcase comes speeding right down the center without so much as a car-horn. I've seen cars cut across train-station platforms, red lights...it was really quite something!

 

[Flicka]

Much like the first video, yes. When I was in Rome (2003, December), the traffic was absolutely CRAZY! You didn't know WHERE to walk and where not to. You could enter market squares which you think are automobile-free zones (5,000 locals can't all be wrong, eh?) and then suddenly some nutcase comes speeding right down the center without so much as a car-horn. I've seen cars cut across train-station platforms, red lights...it was really quite something!

That's rather interesting because I really never thought Roman traffic that bad. Of course, I never drove in it, but otherwise...[huh]

You should try the biking lane here. Or the walking lane for that matter. There's a gazillion sweaty, middle-aged men in lycra desperately trying to make up for a receding hairline and lost prospects by buns of steel here nowadays who terrorise pedestrians and other cyclists. They literally break for nobody and nothing. I loved it a while back when the police actually posted themselves in a spot outside a playschool and fined people biking in the walking lane (where, of course, you'll find plenty of small children going to and from school). They're a danger to cars too, but at least in a collision with a car, they'll be the ones paying the price. In a collision with a 4-year-old...:eeek:

 

[St.Ignatz]

The key to Rome is RUN LIKE HELL! Trust me!

The traffic in that town is freakin' CRAZY!!

Did I say anything about casual? The only thing worse than walking in Rome is driving. In Florence you pull in your mirrors in Rome you take the Metro.

 

[Stanley Doble]

That's rather interesting because I really never thought Roman traffic that bad. Of course, I never drove in it, but otherwise...[huh]

You should try the biking lane here. Or the walking lane for that matter. There's a gazillion sweaty, middle-aged men in lycra desperately trying to make up for a receding hairline and lost prospects by buns of steel here nowadays who terrorise pedestrians and other cyclists. They literally break for nobody and nothing. I loved it a while back when the police actually posted themselves in a spot outside a playschool and fined people biking in the walking lane (where, of course, you'll find plenty of small children going to and from school). They're a danger to cars too, but at least in a collision with a car, they'll be the ones paying the price. In a collision with a 4-year-old...:eeek:

Carry a cane or brolly and stick it between the spokes. You will be surprised how quickly they slow down.

 

[jamespowers]

Much like the first video, yes. When I was in Rome (2003, December), the traffic was absolutely CRAZY! You didn't know WHERE to walk and where not to. You could enter market squares which you think are automobile-free zones (5,000 locals can't all be wrong, eh?) and then suddenly some nutcase comes speeding right down the center without so much as a car-horn. I've seen cars cut across train-station platforms, red lights...it was really quite something!

They will get you no matter where you are.

 

[shazzabanazza]

Much like the first video, yes. When I was in Rome (2003, December), the traffic was absolutely CRAZY! You didn't know WHERE to walk and where not to. You could enter market squares which you think are automobile-free zones (5,000 locals can't all be wrong, eh?) and then suddenly some nutcase comes speeding right down the center without so much as a car-horn. I've seen cars cut across train-station platforms, red lights...it was really quite something!

Good Lord! That's total madness!

 

[scottyrocks]

Maybe I was in a different part of Rome, also around year 2000. I saw nothing like this. In fact, traffic moved in an orderly fashion. No hostility, as I am so accustomed to here in the NYC area. Lots of scooters. They were everywhere, mixed in with the cars. I saw women riding them in heavy traffic in dresses and heels. I was actually quite impressed with the civility of it all.

 

[jamespowers]

Maybe I was in a different part of Rome, also around year 2000. I saw nothing like this. In fact, traffic moved in an orderly fashion. No hostility, as I am so accustomed to here in the NYC area. Lots of scooters. They were everywhere, mixed in with the cars. I saw women riding them in heavy traffic in dresses and heels. I was actually quite impressed with the civility of it all.

How close to the Colosseum were you? It is the worst near there. Except on the Sundays when they close off the area so vendors and such can sell their wares and food for an ultimate street party.

 

[scottyrocks]

We had gone to the Coliseum and circumnavigated it. I pay attention to traffic (because I love vehicles) and didn't notice anything more abnormal than anywhere else.

 

[jamespowers]

We had gone to the Coliseum and circumnavigated it. I pay attention to traffic (because I love vehicles) and didn't notice anything more abnormal than anywhere else.

Boy, traffic must stink where you are if you are used to it. lol lol lol

 

[kiwilrdg]

Jumping back to things that are not seen anymore. This weekend when I was set up at an event that was mostly tanks something struck me as odd. I was surrounded by tanks, jeeps, trucks, and artillery. Kids were more amazed by my typewriter and hand-crank record player.

 

[scottyrocks]

Boy, traffic must stink where you are if you are used to it. lol lol lol

Ever been to the metro NYC/LI area? Yeah, bad traffic and/or rude drivers are the norm.

 

[jamespowers]

Ever been to the metro NYC/LI area? Yeah, bad traffic and/or rude drivers are the norm.

Aha! Now it makes sense. lol lol

 

[jamespowers]

Traffic in Rome:

 

[bburtner@moran]

Drs making house calls.