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I walked past this sign at the traffic lights on Friday and thought it worthy of a quick snap. It translates as " It's easier to wait for the traffic light to turn green than to wait for the emergency services." It's a message that really shouldn't be necessary as surely we all know the dangers of jumping a red light, sadly this is a lesson that some drivers here haven't absorbed. The accuracy of this banner was demonstrated yesterday evening on our way to a birthday party. The traffic slowed and stopped and we waited and waited as the sirens got nearer and nearer. After the ambulance whizzed off, our line of traffic was directed past the mangled cars. Whoever called 112 would have had no difficulty describing the exact location of the crash - it was directly in front of the banner.
(* apologies for misquoting Tommy Steele)
And that just about says it all doesn't it? It's infuriating when this happens (the jumping lights), it messes up the traffic flow for everyone else and is obviously dangerous. What's also irritating is being tooted at from traffic behind you as soon as the light changes to green!
ReplyDeleteI preferred Bodrum when the nearest traffic light was in Milas.
DeleteWhat wonderful days those must have been!
DeletePerfect caption...Tommy Steele would approve ( I think he's still alive isn't he ?)...have been meaning to drop in with you, and was going to comment on Jake's wonderful view of Bodrum....I'll have to go back, read it again, and then comment. Jx
ReplyDeleteI had to have a quick browse through You Tube to listen to Tommy singing the song - I loved Half a Sixpence as a child.
DeleteB to B, Interestingly, the polis routinely jump the red light and I think they're allowed to do so! Also, one of the items in a recent bill introduced in the Parliament granting special privileges to MPs was the right to pass red lights when in traffic! So unfortunately, it's strictly 'do what I say, not what I do.'
ReplyDeleteand if one car jumps he lights everyone else coat -tails behind.
DeleteDear Annie, here in Missouri I've never seen anyone jump the red stop light, but almost all of us speed up when we see a yellow light and race through the intersection. I never used to do that, but I do it since moving here because the car behind me is always going so fast that if I put on the brakes to stop for the upcoming red light, I know that car will crash into mine. Peace.
ReplyDeleteSame here except that they keep going when it turns to red.
DeleteSadly i think too many drivers still have the urge to play chicken when the lights begin to change. Life's short enough without cutting it shorter just because someone can't bear to wait for a light to change. Grr!
ReplyDeleteQuite often you will see someone rushing through a red light then pulling into a petrol station. No reason for any rush at all.
DeleteVery frustrating, though not a problem we have here in our town. The pedestrian is king - there are countless crossings, where the pedestrian has right of way, so most drivers just crawl through the streets, no one toots their horn and I've never seen anyone try and beat the lights.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible irony to have an accident just here - hope it wasn't too, too bad.
Axxx
I like the sound of your town. Ped power.
DeleteInsane Turkish driving, a story that just runs and runs...
ReplyDeleteand then crashes.
DeleteBrilliant! Just about sums it all up :-)
ReplyDeleteSadly!
DeleteHere in the South of France, lights aren't red, they are "ripe orange". The French have calmed down a lot since they started losing points off their licences with a massive crack-down on dangerous driving, but in some towns it's still dangerous to step out on a pedestrian crossing (this is still considered by many to be mere tarmac decoration). In our village there are no traffic lights, and I hope it lasts.....
ReplyDeleteWe have a new points system here but it is very random in its application.
Delete. . come on guys - get some perspective for goodness sake! These male drivers (it's always men) never stopped before there were lights - why change the habits of a lifetime - Allah Korusun!!!
ReplyDeleteWe've had lights here for 20 years so at least those under 38 years old should be a bit more aware.
DeleteMost of the time I was in Izmir and I don't think that anyone paid any attention to any colour of light....they were running lights and people were popping right in front of traffic. First few days it was scary but then I got use to it...hope the accident wasn't bad.
ReplyDeleteRight now we are in Pennsylvania and must have passed dozens of signs reading 'extreme crash area'and watch out for traffic lights. Now I'm dreading to go home that route...never seen signs posted like that here.
It's amazing how quickly we get used to "bonkers" driving
DeleteSo sad and frustrating, right in front of the banner too.. My daughter gets really disturb when we try to cross the streets in Istanbul, so sad the zebra crossing is not what is meant to be either.. hope lessons learned.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy for pedestrians to get caught out - don't rely on the "green man"
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