Driving in Turkey: You've Been Warned

türkçe links to original Turkish article by Rahmi Turan

(Sözcü Newspaper, 9 June 2019)


                   A Turkish driver on a good (!) hair day.

During the 3-day Ramazan holiday 61 people died and 429 were injured
in traffic accidents.  The country's roads have become a pool of blood.
Why? Because our roads are full of dumb, crazy, abtuse, uninformed
drivers.  They're not traffic monsters as much as they are traffic dopes.

Things have gotten so bad that the foreign ministries of America and
Europe have printed brochures to warn their citizens who travel to
Turkey for vacation:

"-- Don't expect other drivers to act properly;
  -- Consider Turkish drivers to be crazy and act accordingly;
  -- Keep in mind that there are many drivers who are inattentive
      and careless;
  -- While driving in the left lane drivers will still try to pass you
      on the left;
  -- Don't forget that most divers fail to signal;
  -- Many times a driver will suddenly cut you off from the right side;
  -- J-walkers: they may jump in front of you at any time;
  -- Don't chide drivers because you do so at your physical peril;
  -- At night, don't assume that the one headlight you see is a
      motorcycle;
  -- Don't bother getting mad at drivers who use their signal lights
      willy-nilly:
  -- Be fearful of vehicles that have "Allah korusun" (May God
      Protect) or "Kısmet" (fate) written on them;
  --  Expect the unexpected;
  --  Driving a car in Turkey requires great courage."


              Well, at least one of them has a helmet on...

It would be worthwhile for our drivers to heed these warnings given
to foreigners.  Unfortunately, most of us are terrible drivers. So when
one looks at the incredible accidents that happen here it's impossible
to criticize foreign governments for warning their citizens.


  
             Take the wheel.  Things couldn't get any worse.