Google News suggested this item to me, owing to its observation that I seem to be interested in Turkey:
Turkey is certainly not a first world country but it has a good public transport system and, while the Turks are fast and passionate drivers, they seldom cause accidents.
For a contrary perspective, here's the US State Department's briefing on driving in Turkey, which I commend as both accurate and written by someone who has a keener instinct for survival:
Pay particular attention to all of the following which are common in Ankara, Istanbul and others parts of the country:
-- Passing on the right and cutting in front of other vehicles from the right side.
-- Unexpected stops or turns without signaling, for no apparent reason.
-- Stopping in unexpected locations to pick up or let off passengers by cars, buses and trucks, including main highway entrance ramps, intersections, and along major highways.
-- Pedestrians seemingly completely oblivious to oncoming traffic who continue to walk or run in front of vehicles to cross streets and main highways.
-- Trucks parked at night without lights on the highway rather than on the side of the road.
-- Disabled vehicles parked without warning signs.
-- Completely inattentive drivers.
-- Unskilled drivers.
-- Taxis and other vehicles with bad brakes.
-- Unexpected lane changes and stops by taxis, mini-buses (dolmus) and city buses.
-- Tractors, horsecarts and farm vehicles traveling without lights at slow speed on highways.
-- In the countryside, the use of stones rather than warning signs to mark accidents, breakdowns, and road work.
-- During rainstorms, accidents increase dramatically because of oil on the road surface.
-- Road surfaces that are much smoother and provide less traction than normal.
-- Vehicles backing up (in reverse) on exit ramps and on main highways.
-- Animals on highways.
-- In the countryside, watch for herds of sheep, goats and other animals on roads.
-- Drivers that drive in the middle of the road and yield to no one.
-- Drivers that overtake on blind curves.
-- At night, cars without lights or lights missing.
-- Oncoming drivers who play inscrutable light games, flashing and flashing whether you have your "brights" on or not.
-- Tire-shredding potholes.
-- Tailgating drivers.
-- Drivers that attempt to pass while you are passing another vehicle.
-- Unmarked intersections (i.e., no stop signs), primary road has right of way, but proceed with caution.
Key Motoring Terms
Benzin........................Gas/petrol
Kursunsuz.....................Lead free gas
Mazot/motorin.................Diesel
Tehlikeli Madde...............Dangerous materials (propane, gas, etc.)
Lastikci......................Tire repair
Sanayi bolgesi................Repair shop zone
Otogar........................Bus station
Kar...........................Snow
Buz...........................Ice
Kaza raporu...................Accident Report
Kismet........................Fate
Allah korusun.................May God protect me
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Comments :
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Claire, that sounds eerily like a sizeable chunk of the Mideast, as well as portions of South Korea. When we deployed to these areas years ago, our local customs briefings inevitably described the people euphemistically as "first generation drivers." Then again, if I had known you were in Laredo, we could have enjoyed some coffee.
May '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
No warnings about crazy cat ladies with overloaded jalopies?
Dec '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Once when I was working for GM Truck we had a meeting of all Truck engineers. A director gave a talk and he mentioned that whenever we enter a new market we run into things we had not considered. For example we had no idea how important horn button durability was in the Mid-East
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Hahahahaha... I remember taking a cab into Istantbul from the airport. My wife and I sat in the back of this heap and the cabbie took off at approximately a gazillion miles an hour. No seat belts. I tried to reassure myself: "Well, if this is how they drive here, the guy must know what he's doing." Just then, I looked out the window and saw another cab... turned completely over... in flames! It was the first of several dramatic wrecks we saw on the way to our hotel. Hilarious... in retrospect. At the time, terrifying. Allah korusun indeed!
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
That's everyone's first experience of Turkey, Andrew.
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Clearly nothing has changed since I lived in Turkey in the 1980s.
Jan '11
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
This is so true. I remember reading the State Department's web site before trips to Turkey in the early part of the 2000s and thinking - no way. But then having been there a few times, many times removed from tourist locations, I can't agree with it more! I still a picture a friend sent from his apartment with traffic in the "street" below with at least 5 different directions of traffic, mostly from cab traffic.
While I'm not an adrenaline junkie, I think being a turkish taxi cab driver would be quite a rush!
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
When Atatürk brought in the Swiss civil code, he accidentally brought in Italian driving-school manuals.
Aug '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
But that category's included in
no?
Aug '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Saudis in Audis?
Jun '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
My two biggest beefs about driving in Russia and Ukraine:
-- Stopping in unexpected locations to pick up or let off passengers by cars, buses and trucks, including main highway entrance ramps, intersections, and along major highways.
-- Pedestrians seemingly completely oblivious to oncoming traffic who continue to walk or run in front of vehicles to cross streets and main highways. (including mothers with small children; emphasis mine)
I don't know what I was more afraid of, hitting a car or hitting a pedestrian. Russia/Ukraine was my limit. I could never drive in Turkey.
I've also been fascinated with the difference between my driving experiences in Russia compared to "the West." Once you cross the borders into Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Romania, driving is much more sane. Not completely sane, mind you, but much more. I don't know what happens when you go across some of these mystical borders. It's very strange.
Jun '10
Re: Do Not Believe Everything You Read in the News About Foreign Countries, Example #243,031,333,569
Yes, first generation drivers certainly describes a lot of it. I don't know how many times I saw people use the most unbelievably bizarre "problem solving techniques" on the road in Russia. If I had a dime for every time I said, "What... what in god's name are you doing? You can't do that!"
I do have a reservation about this concept, though, and that is the driving styles of Italians and even Parisians. They are not first generation drivers. There is definitely something cultural going on. I especially love this video. (It's more than just driving)