Cliff Driving

Italians are skilled at building roads on the sides of steep cliffs, having developed infallible methods over the centuries. (Did you know that a bunch of Italians were brought over here to Oregon to build the Old Columbia River Highway?)

The mountains of Italy are snaked with these roads, barely wide enough for two cars to pass. On one side you have a cliff going up, and to the other you have the cliff going down. If you depart from the road, those are your options -- into, or off of. You might think that with that kind of margin for error, the Italian would become, at least temporarily, a different kind of driver, but you would be wrong.

It's too late at night for me to go on, but at least there's your introducion. To be continued....