Anyone who has ever driven a car knows the sense of peace and freedom a simple cruise with the windows down can bring someone. They also know the headache and rage incited by traffic and crazy drivers.
Now, imagine driving down a single lane coastal road with a drop to the water on one side and cliff face on the other. You’re maneuvering these winding roads with blind corners, and hairpin turns all while driving a huge bus. As you round a particularly nasty corner, you approach a tunnel only to see another bus approaching from the opposite direction. You have to then back your bus up around the turn you just made, and roll backward until you reach a spot wide enough for the other bus to pass you. Or you manage to squeeze both vehicles past one another with only inches to spare. Such is the life of a bus driver on the Amalfi Coast Road.
The stretch of highway, known as the Amalfi Coast Road, runs the length of the 34-mile coastline, delivering travelers to all the beautiful towns along the way. Driving a bus along this highway is not for the faint of heart or those who are quick to anger. These bus drivers have learned to communicate by honking horns, using hand signals, and when all else fails, face to face roadside negotiations.
I’m sure when road construction first started in the 1830s, no one envisioned gigantic motorized vehicles passing each other every few miles. However, as humans have progressed, so has transportation, and this section of road has only grown more chaotic as more tourists flock to the shores.
Despite the hair-raising journey, the bus drivers seem to enjoy the chaos. Passengers have reported drivers making jokes throughout the ride or excitedly encouraging them to watch as they navigate past another vehicle. Driving a bus along the Amalfi Coast is a lifestyle for these individuals. The route may be the same every day, but there is always something unexpected waiting around the corner.
If you aren’t in a hurry to get to your next destination and aren’t prone to motion sickness, grab a ride on a bus and see the Amalfi Coast in a whole new way.
Sources:
- Getting Around Amalfi [US News]
- Wildest Ride in Italy [Ciao Amalfi]
- Feature Picture: Screenshot
I have driven that coast road many times a real blast from the past. The SITA and local coach drivers are amazing and those coming in from outside the area with coaches must wonder what on earth has happened to the sanity of their fellow road users. You need skill and nerves of steel!