Backing our of a tiny, narrow street can be a real chore. A "T" with a red bar along the top means there is no exit-dead end. In fact, another sign you need to know is the "T". the streets are little more than narrow alleys, many with no way to turn around. In fact, there is good reason in the smaller villages for the ZTLs. Stay out unless your a local resident, police, emergency vehicle, a worker with a permit, etc.Īfter a few drives it got easy to spot the ZTL signs and stay clear. Simple ZTL signs without anything other than "ecetto autorizzati" (except authorized) are easy to understand.
Even local Italians are being caught in these traps and want them changed. When it says "Non-Attivo" it means the cameras are NOT ACTIVATED (NOT TURNED ON) and you CAN pass through the ZTL. So, when you read "Varco Attivo" it means the cameras ARE ACTIVATED and you CANNOT pass through the ZTL. The word "varco" (literally "gap") actually refers to the cameras themselves.
#NO PASSING ZONE SIGN SIGNIFICADO DRIVERS#
Even the Italian drivers get confused because "Attivo" (Active) sounds like you CAN go through and NON-ATTIVO" (Non-Active) sounds line you CANNOT pass through. These signs were designed as speed traps. A simple translation would be "ZTL Gap (or Gate) active" or "Non-Active". However, the newer digital worded signs (without a red/green light) say either "Varco ZTL Attivo" or "Varco ZTL Non Attivo". There might even be special ZTL traffic lights (like the one pictured on the left) that show when you can and cannot pass through the ZTL, showing a green light (go) or a red one (stop). Some might show a wheelchair logo meaning they allow handicapped permitted vehicles. They might allow only trucks, or restrict deliveries between certain hours. There are restricted vehicle types and unrestricted types listed. In some cities, like Florence or Rome, it gets very confusing. Some are closed to traffic only on certain days, for instance, market days. For instance, many ZTLs are 24 hours, some are only during business hours, and still others might be only at night. A typical sign might list the hours the ZTL is in effect. That permission is usually spelled out in often confusing details on a sign or signs below or alongside the basic ZTL sign. What was it like in Italy?īasically, a ZTL sign marks the boundaries of a zone usually in the center of a town or special areas of a city that you cannot drive through, without expressed permission. How much tolerance is there in Italy? I know when I drive Interstate 78 I can set my cruise control at 76 and the police won't give a second look. Would the ZTLs prevent me from getting close enough? I was also worried about speeding tickets. I was worried about getting tickets for sure, but I was also worried about parking and getting close enough to see what I wanted to see in the towns we would be visiting.
Before leaving for Italy I was worried about the Zona Traffico Limitato-the no drive zones-in Italian towns.
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