Traffic Drives Some to Extremes

trafik (links to original article)

(Sabah Newspaper, 6 February 2011)

The proportion of arrests of people who use police-style hood lamps
and sirens to give themselves a leg up in Istanbul's traffic has risen by
84 percent in a year. In 2009, some 3,187 drivers were fined for using
such warning devices improperly and the number of fined drivers rose
to 5,876 in 2010.  According to figures released by the Istanbul Security
Directorate, the total amount of the fines was 210,342 Turkish Liras in
2009 and 581,724 Turkish Liras in 2010.

Among those who used the hood lamps and sirens illegally were
politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats. The cost of mounting such
a device is about 100 Turkish Liras but the fine is only 66 Turkish
Liras. Four years ago, eight people in three vehicles riding in a convoy
with hood lamps blazing on the Bosphorus Bride were taken into
custody. Based on this incident, police were lead to the 'Aslanlı Gang',
which provided the devices.