On Sunday mornings, thousands of cyclists turn out for club rides. Motorists wait patiently on the shoulder while rallies, with over a thousand touring cyclists, take possession of the road. With 20 million bicycles on the roads, drivers are accustomed to dealing with cyclists. People in passing cars shout encouragement when they see a cyclist working hard on a difficult climb. Glass bottles are recycled, so broken glass on the road is rare.
Dogs are either friendly or confined.
Cyclists are admired and respected in Italy. Amateur races are plentiful, and entire towns turn out to watch local events, which are often combined with town festivals. Daily newspapers cover racing and cycling events, and national and local television devote part of their daily news programs to cycling. This is a country of cyclists where you can enter a store, restaurant, museum, or church in your lycra shorts and cleated shoes and not feel out of place. Italy is especially hospitable to female cyclists.