La Chiesa di San Giovanni where we watched La Traviata on our first Saturday in Lucca and La Boheme last night.
One of the things we've found most foreign to us here is a very different (i.e. complete absence of) concept of sharing space whilst walking.
We've noticed it a lot of the places we've visited in Tuscany but it seems most prevalent in Lucca, which has a semi-pedestrianised centre (only cars with the right local permits are allowed in) and a somewhat over-confident air born of a more peaceful and monied history than the rest of the region.
I can see it makes sense in a very pragmatic way: 'I look out only for myself, you do the same, and everyone gets on with things, with no effort wasted trying to anticipate how to help someone else'. But it leaves no room for alternative approaches and begets the same attitude in everyone else; anyone who tries, say, moving to one side slightly so two people can pass through the same space finds their frustation boiling so often that in the end they give up trying and go native in their walking style.
Maybe there's a silent majority of Lucchesi suffering under a tyranny of the minority, walking around bubbling with the rage of unwanted obligation as they feel compelled to march head on towards someone else who, unbeknownst to them, wants only to pause and say “After you” too. But if they acted on it then they'd suddenly find themselves as transported to England, gridlocked with politeness, and I don't suppose any of them want that.
So here are some guidelines for passing as a local when out and about in Lucca, and passing as Lucchesi when around the rest of Italy.
1. Never show any intent to move aside when walking directly towards someone else. If you are heading towards a fellow Lucchesi, the discreetest of last-second avoidance may be required. Either way give the appearance of remaining oblivious to their existence.
2. Creating a little space so two people can both fit is plain weird; the domain of tourists and weaklings. Never acknowledge or cede to anyone who tries, you'll be doing them no favours in the long run.
3. The pavement is yours. Fan out.
4. People expect you to step directly into their path.
5. Walk at your own pace, even if that pace is so slow you're travelling backwards through time. Feel free to combine with guidelines 3 and 4.
6. When leaving a building (and the same principle goes for backing out of a parking spot when driving) just launch yourself through the doorway into the street. People already standing in the street or about to walk past the doorway will miraculously avoid you.
7. Do not move out of the way for cars. They can travel behind you at your pace until your routes diverge or, if they are heading towards you, stop until you have passed them, no matter how long that takes.
8. Regarding cyclists, see guidelines 4 and 7 in particular.
9. Road = pavement. See guidelines 3 and 7. Below is a photo we took recently at Lucca's bus station.
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