Help requested with translation

[Delbruns]

Can anyone out there please translate this into English for me? It's the response I received from a small commune in Sicily (Giuliana) in response to my question regarding whether or not I will be permitted to drive a car around their roads.

"molte strade permettono di essere percorse in macchina, altre no in quanto sono gradinate. utilizzate comunque una piccola vettura per permettervi di accedere in diversi posti.
cavallino - comune di giuliana"

molto grazie, Julia

[eyetalgal]

A lot of roads allow to be routes in car, other no as are stairs. used however a small car for permettervi of to enter in different places. commune of giuliana

[Delbruns]

Thanks eyetalgal: but what about that word 'cavallino'????
sounds like a horse to me. what do you think? Julia

[ricbru]

Santo Cavallino is the l operator that answered you!!!
bye Riccardo

see on the bottom of the web site

"realizzato da santo cavallino"

http://www.comunedigiuliana.it/

[Delbruns]

thank you thank you thank you riccardo

NOW I understand

and I can hear everyone laughing, all the way to here!!!!!

[elba]

"molte strade permettono di essere percorse in macchina, altre no in quanto sono gradinate. utilizzate comunque una piccola vettura per permettervi di accedere in diversi posti.
cavallino - comune di giuliana

Many streets will allow passage in a car, others won't, in as much as they are flights of steps. However use of a little car will give you access to a number of places.
Cavallino - Comume of Giuliana.

elba

[DeliBoy]

"Small car" is the literal translation of "piccola vettura". However, when an Italian says small car, they mean SMALL car, that is smaller than the smallest that most rental companies hire out.

Also, to make matters worse for most American visitors, rental companies generally only supply their small cars with manual transmission. To get automatic transmission, you have to go up a size.

As an example, europecar seem to go smaller than most rental companies, and will rent you a VW Luop or a FIAT Seicento. However, their smallest automatic would appear to be a Ford Focus, 2 sizes bigger.

Don't forget to make your requirements absolutely clear to the rental company. Most rental companies will give you a free upgrade if they have overbooked their small cars. That always puts a smile on my face, and waiting at politely at the back of the queue often pays off, but it may be counter productive to you.

[elba]

They are most likely indicating a car similar to the Mercedes Smart Car, or a Ford Ka...and 'maybe' a Fiat Panda!
You will however have great difficulty in getting and automatic as they aren't popular in Italy at all. Here the 'stick shift' is the norm.....
elba

[ricbru]

Elba is right, there are few automatic cars in Italy.
The "stick shift" car drinks less (30%) than an automatic car.
In Italy the gas costs about $5.2 a gallon ( € 1.3 a liter).
Also driving a stick shift car is more powerful and funny.
Once there were smaller car in Italy

Fiat 500
http://vea.qc.ca/vea/v/fiat500.jpg

Fiat 126
http://carpictures.duble.com/Fiat/126%2 ... Pol)/1.jpg

good to park anywere, they used to drink few gas...


bye Riccardo