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[Chris]

So in Italy the Gen X'ers are literally the baby boomers. But they retire so much earlier than people in the US do.

The Italian retirement age is 67 years. There used to be a lot of early retirement schemes, but these have mostly been scrapped because they became unsustainable. There are only a few circumstances where you can retire early, for example if you paid contributions for 42 years you can retire at any age.

A compouding problem are the relatively low wages and poor job opportunities for younger people, so there is significant outmigration of young, educated Italians, which of course affects the future earning potential of the Italian economy even more.

Additionaly, Italy was a notorious gerontocracy, where the average age of members of parliament was over 60. This has improved somewhat, but the elderly political class isn't likely to represent the issues of younger voters.

[J N Winkler]

Aren't the 'Ndrangheta (Calabrese organized crime) still a huge obstacle to the bridge?

[Sub-Urbanite]

I'm headed to Italy for the first time soon. Are the Autogrills as good as promised? Thoughts on how to buy gas? How crazy are the drivers in Sicily?

[Chris]

Thoughts on how to buy gas?

Many Italian gas stations have a 'Servito' lane, where you pay a hefty premium for an attendant to fill up for you. It seems like a tourist trap, as they are often the most convenient way into the fuel aisles. No other country in Europe has this.



In general in Europe: try to plan fuel stops on surface roads or in cities, not the autostrada / motorways, as these are substantially more expensive.

Also: become acquainted with the Italian names for gasoline, as 'gasoilio' means diesel fuel. Gasoline is called 'super' or 'benzina' or 'senza PB' (unleaded). There is a new EU-mandated system of fuel naming, gasoline-powered cars use E5 or E10 fuel. (5% or 10% ethanol). Do not fill up with E85, which is 85% ethanol, very few cars can drive on that. Petrol / gasoline is usually a green nozzle, while diesel is usually black.

This is E5 fuel, suitable for basically any petrol/gasoline car. Pretty much all cars can also drive on E10 without problems.

[Sub-Urbanite]

Thoughts on how to buy gas?

Many Italian gas stations have a 'Servito' lane, where you pay a hefty premium for an attendant to fill up for you. It seems like a tourist trap, as they are often the most convenient way into the fuel aisles. No other country in Europe has this.



In general in Europe: try to plan fuel stops on surface roads or in cities, not the autostrada / motorways, as these are substantially more expensive.

Also: become acquainted with the Italian names for gasoline, as 'gasoilio' means diesel fuel. Gasoline is called 'super' or 'benzina' or 'senza PB' (unleaded). There is a new EU-mandated system of fuel naming, gasoline-powered cars use E5 or E10 fuel. (5% or 10% ethanol). Do not fill up with E85, which is 85% ethanol, very few cars can drive on that. Petrol / gasoline is usually a green nozzle, while diesel is usually black.

This is E5 fuel, suitable for basically any petrol/gasoline car. Pretty much all cars can also drive on E10 without problems.

I'm from Oregon! I don't know how to pump my own gas!

OK, I'm joking. But my wife, who was born here, sure as hell doesn't…

In all seriousness:

Do I swipe my card, pick my grade and pump like I do in the states (the states that aren't Oregon anyway)? Or do I pump first?

[Chris]

It varies. Payment terminals at the pump have been getting more popular across Europe over the past 10-15 years, but it's not yet universal. It's also still pretty common to pump first, then remember the pump number and pay in the shop.

American Express credit cards are not widely accepted in Europe due to their high fees and small userbase. Visa and Mastercard should be no problem. However you need one with a chip, the magnetic strip swiping has been widely discontinued.

It's a good idea to keep a decent amount of cash on hand in case the payment terminal doesn't accept your card. A fill up can cost upwards of 70-80 euros.