Drive with care in Northern Cyprus and save lives

Following the publication of this article in English, we were asked by many Turkish Cypriots for it to be translated and published in Turkish which we show below and would like to thank our Turkish Cypriot friends  for helping us with this translation.

By Chris Elliott……..

Kuzey Kıbrıs’ta yaşayan çoğu yabancı gibi ben de yerli sürücülerin dikkatsiz sürüşleri karşısında şaşkına dönüyor ve dahası sürüş esnasında cep telefonlarını kullanmaları karşısında hayrete düşüyorum.

Olayı çok mu büyütüyorum, sanıyorum sürücülerin böyle aptalca ve tehlikeli şekilde araç kullandığı zaman neler olabileceğini gösteren bu korkunç videoyu izlediğiniz zaman abartmadığım konusunda hemfikir olacaksınız.

Bu sadece benim düşüncem değil ve eminim ki burada yaşayan tüm insanlar bir trafik kazası olduğu zaman aynı şekilde düşünüyorlar fakat sonrasında kendilerinin nasıl araba kullandıklarını gözden geçirip kendi sürüş kalitelerini geliştirmeye çalışıyorlar mı?

John Snowby uzun yıllar İngiltere’de trafik kazaları ile ilgili çalışmalarda hizmet vermiş, hayatını KKTC’de devam ettiren emekli bir İngiliz polisi ve bu konuda söyledikleri şu şekilde;

“İngiltere polis departmanında 30 yıl hizmet verdim. Bu süre zarfında suç araştırmaları bölümü, genel polis hizmetleri ve son olarak da trafik şube olmak üzere birçok farklı bölümde çalıştım. Trafik şubede üst düzey soruşturma memuru olarak atanan üç memurdan biriydim. Ölümcül ve ciddi yaralanma ile sonuçlanan kazalar dâhil tüm önemli kazaları denetleme konusunda görevlendirilmiştim ve söylemeye gerek yok bu görevdeyken birçok yeni yıl kutlaması kaçırdım.

Ateşli silahlar, köpek birimi, motosiklet bölümü ve trafik şube de dâhil İngiltere’nin kuzey bölgesindeki kara devriyesinden sorumluydum.

Uğraştığım olayların çok ciddi toplumsal etkileri vardı ve pek çok durumda dini konular kanunla, politika ve süreçle çatışır duruma geliyordu. Belirtmeliyim ki ne zaman böyle bir durum ortaya çıksa bu konuda harika bir destek ve anlayışla karşılaşıyorduk.

Her kaza derinlemesine incelenir, kazanın nasıl olduğu ile ilgili aksi ispat edilene kadar olay yeri bir suç mahallî olarak kabul edilir. Yollar trafiğe kapatılır ve alternatif yollar devreye girer. Tüm sürücüler, nefes ve/veya kanda uyuşturucu ve / veya alkol, testine tabi tutulur, sürücü nitelikleri, araç ruhsatı gibi benzeri şeyler dikkatle incelenir.

Aracın durumu önemlidir… Frenler test edilmelidir… Direksiyon ayarları ve tekerlekler ise diğer önemli unsurlardandır… Örneğin bir olayda, sorun yaratan aracın arka tekerlek mekanizmasının ayrılıp yolun diğer tarafındaki bir araçla çarpışmasına neden oldu. Tekerlek üzerindeki tüm mekanizması ile birlikte incelenmek üzere üretici firmaya gönderildi… Bazı durumlarda araçlar parçalara ayrılıp bileşenleri incelenir… Işıklarla ilgili herhangi bir şüphede, ışık analiz için bir uzmana gönderilir. Yol durumu, hava koşulları, o sıradaki araç trafiği ve düşünebildiğimiz diğer faktörler rol oynar… Örneğin ilk etapta cep telefonlarının alınması gibi… İlk olarak sürücülerin ve akabinde de olaya tanıklık edenlerin ifadesi alınır…

KKTC’de dağ yolunda meydana gelen ölümcül kazanın farkındayım ve tüm gerçekler bilinene kadar kararımı gizliyorum. Elbette birçok aile ve toplum için çok üzücü bir gün oldu. Kazanın nasıl ele alındığına dair geçerli bir görüş sunamam, daima savunduğum gibi, orada mısın, gördün mü? Birçoğunun öfkesini ve yapılan yorumları anlıyorum. Eminim dosyalar bir araya getirildiğinde ve bir analiz yapıldığında deneyimli yetkililer tarafından adil bir karara varılacak ve gerçekten dehşet verici bu olay kapatılacaktır.…

Bir tavsiyede bulunmam gerekirse, fark yaratabilen ve ilgili otoriteyi sorumlu tutabilen bireylerden oluşan bir stratejik grup oluşturulmalıdır. Grup, detaylı bir rapor hazırlayacak olan polis tarafından yönlendirilmelidir.  Her üç ayda bir ciddi ve ölümcül kazalar grup tarafından incelenmelidir. İlgili kurumlar üzerlerine düşen herhangi bir konuyu ilgili bir eylem planına tabii olarak, üzerinde anlaşmaya varılan sonuçlara karşı izlemeli ve değerlendirmelidir. Bu önlemler halka duyurulmalı ve medya vasıtasıyla toplum geribildirimi yapılmalıdır.

KKTC’de Araç Kullanımı

Burada yaşamaya başlayalı yaklaşık 3 yıl oldu ve birçok kötü araç kullanımına, kötü yol koşullarına ve daha çok kültürel kendini beğenmişliğe şahit oldum. Kazaların suçlusu kimlerdir?

Benim tecrübeme göre, kazaların çoğu sürücü hatasıdır. Sürat ve cep telefonu kullanımıdır. Bir kaza yerine gittim. Sürücünün biri, otoyol kenarlarındaki acil durak yerinde park edilmiş kamyonu görmeyip çarptı ve arkadaşı çarpmadan dolayı hayatını kaybetti. Alkollü araç kullanımı için yargılama çok hafiftir. ( Sürücünün biri, alkolün etkisi ile otobüs durağına yakın bir yerde kontrolünü kaybetti, çit direği ön camı delip geçti ve ağzına girdi.)

Kültürel kelimesine değinmek istiyorum. Herkes bazen çok süratli sürmüştür ve hız sınırını aşmıştır. Hepimiz sollama teşebbüsünde bulunuyoruz.

Cep telefonu kullanımı! Size garanti ederim ki, birçok kişiyi araba kullanırken cep telefonunda konuşurken görebilirsiniz.

Çocuklar arabanın ön koltuğunda ayakta duruyor, dedelerinin kullandığı motosikletin önünde ayakta duruyorlar. Bu gibi kazalar çok sıktır ve alışılmıştır.

Aşırı sürat yapmak milli bir spor mu? Ego mu? Kıbrıs adası oldukça küçük bir adadır.

Yol koşulları. Yol koşulları iyileştirilebilir. Hız limitini aşmamalıyız. Örneğin hava çok yağmurlu olduğu zaman yavaş sürmeliyiz.

Bazı yönlerden hepimiz suçluyuz. Sürüş kültürüne alışıyoruz. Ben aileme burada yaşayan kişiler gibi araç kullanmasını söylüyorum. Bu doğru bir şey mi? Siz karar verin.

Drive with care in Northern Cyprus and save lives – English Translation

Like most expats living in North Cyprus I am sometimes dumbfounded at the lack of spatial awareness and anticipation exercised by local drivers on the roads and more so when they are going into the dream state whilst using their mobile phones when driving.

Am I overstating the case, I think you will agree I am not when you have watched the horrendous UK video below showing what can happen when drivers act in such a stupid and dangerous manner.

This is not just my opinion and I am sure that all people living here think the same when they see a road accident but do they then think about how they drive and try to improve their quality of driving.

John Snowby a retired UK policeman living in the TRNC who after many years of  service of dealing with major road traffic accidents in the UK has the following to say.

“I was a serving officer in the UK police for 30 years and as you would expect have at one stage or another worked in the CİD, General police duties and latterly Traffic. I was one of three senior officers designated as an SIO…Senior Investigating Officer who were tasked with an overseeing role for all serious accidents including fatal and serious injury accidents. Needless to say I missed many Christmas and New year celebrations.

I was responsible and accountable  for the road policing of the north division in the UK which included firearms, dog section, motorcycle section and of course a fleet of traffic cars … or jam sandwiches as they were affectionately called by the public. I’m not sure affection is the right word!!…But you get my drift.

The incidents I dealt with had a significant community impact, on a number of occasions there were issues of religion which could come into conflict with the law, policy and process. I have to add we always received excellent support and patience whenever such issues arose.

Each accident was analysed in-depth, the scene was as far as we were concerned a crime scene until otherwise proven.  Roads were closed and diversions put in place. All drivers were subject to breath and/or blood tests for drugs and/or  alcohol, driver qualifications vehicle licences etc. were all scrutinised. Vehicle condition was important…brakes would be tested..steering checked tyres and pressures…one incident the rear wheel assembly of the offending vehicle became detached and collided with a vehicle on the other side of the road…the wheel assembly was sent to the manufacturer for examination…  in some cases vehicles were stripped down and components examined…any concerns  in connection with the lights the bulb would be sent to specialists for analysis….the  road surface, weather conditions, vehicle traffic at the time, and any other factors we considered had a part to play…eg Mobile phones were seized…a first account was taken from the drivers where practicable…it’s usually the best…. An appeal for witnesses  followed.

I am aware of the recent fatal accident on the mountain road in the TRNC and I will reserve my judgement until all the facts are known. Of course it was a very sad day for many families and the nation.

I cannot provide a valid opinion on how the accident was dealt with as I would always ask, were you there, did you see it? Whist I understand the outrage and comments made by many, hearsay is fraught with danger. I’m sure when the file is drawn together and an analysis is made there will be a fair judgement by experienced officers and it may offer some closure on a truly horrific incident.

One recommendation I would make is that a strategic group is formed consisting of individuals who can make a difference and is able to hold the respective authority to account. The group should be led by the police who will produce a report detailing the findings against terms of reference drawn together by the group. Every three months  all serious and fatal accidents should be examined by the group. Any issues that fall to the respective bodies must be subject of an action plan which is monitored and evaluated against the agreed output/outcomes. Such measures should be publicised and community feedback via the media given.

Driving in the TRNC.

I have lived here for almost three years now and have witnessed many examples of poor driving, road conditions and a degree of complacency which could be considered as almost cultural. Whose fault are the accidents?

From my experience, in the majority of the cases it is driver error.  Whether this is speeding, use of the mobile telephone, undertaking, (I attended the scene of an accident where the driver undertook on a motorway using the hard shoulder, what he didn’t see was a parked lorry, his friend died on impact).  Poor judgement in overtaking and drink/drug driving. (A driver under the influence of alcohol lost control near a bus stop, a fence post pierced the windscreen and continued into his mouth. )

I make mention of the word cultural…everyone has at some time driven too fast for the conditions and the speed limit. We have all attempted to make an overtake and thought better of it.

Mobile phone use!  I guarantee you will see many people using their phones oblivious to the road conditions and other vehicles.

Children standing up in the front seat of the car…a child standing on the front of a scooter whilst his/her dad steers. Such incidents are common and it becomes acceptable.

Overtaking is a national sport! is it ego? It can’t be to save time..the island is too small.

Road conditions. Yes they can be improved, that said we should drive within the limits set by those conditions…eg heavy rain..you slow down…..

We are all guilty in some respects and you become subsumed into the culture of driving…I tell my family drive like the residents… Is this right…you decide.

By Chris Elliott……..

John Snowby a retired UK policeman living in the TRNC who was a Senior Investigating Officer tasked with an overseeing role for all serious accidents including fatal and serious injury accidents in the northern region of the UK and I recently wrote an article calling for better driving standards in the TRNC. Click here to read this article.

This article which received many hundreds of readings was published in cyprusscene.com and northcyprusforum.net and also shared in many social, media pages where it received many complimentory comments and also calls for it to be published in Turkish which we hope to do very soon.

Today we hear reports of yet another major accident in the mountains and one of our readers sent us the following dash/cam video he made with the following comment which was shared in Facebook and when you watch the video it is clear that there were many moments when accidents could have occurred.

“The Degirmenlik mountain road last Monday 12th December heading towards Girne and the risks people take.

All overtaking on bends with cars coming round at the same time.

Very dangerous. I had one car behind me flashing at me trying to force me to overtake when I know there are solid white lines and a triple bend coming. I backed him off with my hazard lights and wasn’t very nice with my hand signals!

In this video nobody pays attention to the white lines and the lorry in the first clip, well,  just look at his manoeuvre just after he overtakes. Unbelievable!”

One thing is for sure that the story of Lemmings committing suicide may be a myth but people when they drive act just like Lemmings and dash on without consideration of what danger may be ahead.

Despite some technical difficulties which causes this video to freeze a couple of times, do please watch it to the end to see the risks people take just to rush on like the Lemmings in the video below.

By Chris Elliott……..

Like most expats living in North Cyprus I am sometimes dumbfounded at the lack of spatial awareness and anticipation exercised by local drivers on the roads and more so when they are going into the dream state whilst using their mobile phones when driving.

Am I overstating the case, I think you will agree I am not when you have watched the horrendous UK video below showing what can happen when drivers act in such a stupid and dangerous manner.

This is not just my opinion and I am sure that all people living here think the same when they see a road accident but do they then think about how they drive and try to improve their quality of driving.

John Snowby a retired UK policeman living in the TRNC who after many years of  service of dealing with major road traffic accidents in the UK has the following to say.

“I was a serving officer in the UK police for 30 years and as you would expect have at one stage or another worked in the CİD, General police duties and latterly Traffic. I was one of three senior officers designated as an SIO…Senior Investigating Officer who were tasked with an overseeing role for all serious accidents including fatal and serious injury accidents. Needless to say I missed many Christmas and New year celebrations.

I was responsible and accountable  for the road policing of the north division in the UK which included firearms, dog section, motorcycle section and of course a fleet of traffic cars … or jam sandwiches as they were affectionately called by the public. I’m not sure affection is the right word!!…But you get my drift.

The incidents I dealt with had a significant community impact, on a number of occasions there were issues of religion which could come into conflict with the law, policy and process. I have to add we always received excellent support and patience whenever such issues arose.

Each accident was analysed in-depth, the scene was as far as we were concerned a crime scene until otherwise proven.  Roads were closed and diversions put in place. All drivers were subject to breath and/or blood tests for drugs and/or  alcohol, driver qualifications vehicle licences etc. were all scrutinised. Vehicle condition was important…brakes would be tested..steering checked tyres and pressures…one incident the rear wheel assembly of the offending vehicle became detached and collided with a vehicle on the other side of the road…the wheel assembly was sent to the manufacturer for examination…  in some cases vehicles were stripped down and components examined…any concerns  in connection with the lights the bulb would be sent to specialists for analysis….the  road surface, weather conditions, vehicle traffic at the time, and any other factors we considered had a part to play…eg Mobile phones were seized…a first account was taken from the drivers where practicable…it’s usually the best…. An appeal for witnesses  followed.

I am aware of the recent fatal accident on the mountain road in the TRNC and I will reserve my judgement until all the facts are known. Of course it was a very sad day for many families and the nation.

I cannot provide a valid opinion on how the accident was dealt with as I would always ask, were you there, did you see it? Whist I understand the outrage and comments made by many, hearsay is fraught with danger. I’m sure when the file is drawn together and an analysis is made there will be a fair judgement by experienced officers and it may offer some closure on a truly horrific incident.

One recommendation I would make is that a strategic group is formed consisting of individuals who can make a difference and is able to hold the respective authority to account. The group should be led by the police who will produce a report detailing the findings against terms of reference drawn together by the group. Every three months  all serious and fatal accidents should be examined by the group. Any issues that fall to the respective bodies must be subject of an action plan which is monitored and evaluated against the agreed output/outcomes. Such measures should be publicised and community feedback via the media given.

Driving in the TRNC.

I have lived here for almost three years now and have witnessed many examples of poor driving, road conditions and a degree of complacency which could be considered as almost cultural. Whose fault are the accidents?

From my experience, in the majority of the cases it is driver error.  Whether this is speeding, use of the mobile telephone, undertaking, (I attended the scene of an accident where the driver undertook on a motorway using the hard shoulder, what he didn’t see was a parked lorry, his friend died on impact).  Poor judgement in overtaking and drink/drug driving. (A driver under the influence of alcohol lost control near a bus stop, a fence post pierced the windscreen and continued into his mouth. )

I make mention of the word cultural…everyone has at some time driven too fast for the conditions and the speed limit. We have all attempted to make an overtake and thought better of it.

Mobile phone use!  I guarantee you will see many people using their phones oblivious to the road conditions and other vehicles.

Children standing up in the front seat of the car…a child standing on the front of a scooter whilst his/her dad steers. Such incidents are common and it becomes acceptable.

Overtaking is a national sport! is it ego? It can’t be to save time..the island is too small.

Road conditions. Yes they can be improved, that said we should drive within the limits set by those conditions…eg heavy rain..you slow down…..

We are all guilty in some respects and you become subsumed into the culture of driving…I tell my family drive like the residents… Is this right…you decide.