Mopeds on the go

Taking a taxi to the airport I could not help but notice the constant orchestrated movements of the mopeds as they zoomed by me. The sound of engines echoed off the stucco buildings along the road as streams of smoke were left in their dust. These small motorized bikes can fit in even the smallest niches of the Roman streets, making them sometimes surprising to travelers by foot as they swiftly brisk by them on the sidewalks. Peering out the window I noticed something extremely alarming to me that came as a culture shock. I noticed young children, maybe about four years old, riding on the back of these mopeds behind their fathers with no form of security except their hands grasping the back in front of them as they traveled at high speeds on extremely dangerous vehicles. This is something we do not see in America, as children under twelve can not even occupy the front seat of a car. Somewhat humerous was the number of dogs I saw perched between the drivers legs, contently sitting on the moped floor board as they drove wildly through the streets. The ability to have trained these dogs in such a manner caught me off guard. I do not think I will ever get used to mopeds flying at us in every which way as we walk the streets of Rome; however, they will always amaze me.