Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

As we approached the Alsancak end of the bypass last night, right on the roundabout a huge illuminated screen has been erected, it was showing some kind of cartoon film !! I'm not sure but it looks as if a smaller one also is being wired up, just what drivers need.

Who in their right mind thought it was sensible to put a hugely distracting screen on the roundabout, surely drivers should be concentrating on the flow of traffic not watching Shrek, is there a department of lunacy that allows these things, is there any wonder there are so many accidents on these roads?

Perhaps they are anticipating large traffic jams and it is a wheeze to entertain drivers and stop "road rage"!

But seriously on the face of it, it is dreadful: for my part, as well as the oncoming headlights of large 4 x4s , driving becomes a nightmare after dark because of the number of illuminated adverts not only distracting but damaging night vision, to the extent I hardly ever go out and have become a "prisoner in my own home"

But it is difficult to judge without knowing the purpose of the screen - did you have the time to see this Elizabeth - was it deliberately placed to be seen from the road , or was it a Cinema or restaurant which had placed it without thinking about it being seen from the road and distracting?

Look on the brightside and assume the cartoon was just a technical test, and it is intended to flash traffic and bad weather warnings?

Whatever the purpose of the screen is, and I doubt very much if it to give out traffic warnings, it is in a very dangerous position. There seems to be a lot of these illuminated screens going up, the one as you approach the Lapta strip is especially distracting, just as you are about to drive through quite a busy stretch of road you come out of darkness and are blinded by it.
Considering the level of accidents here in TRNC I have to wonder at the wisdom of the departments giving permission for these signs.

It will join the ones at roundabout in Girne which you can watch the ads when returning from Lefkosa and waiting to turn left to Lapta or straight on for Girne town or right to Bellapais. The one which keeps giving my a heart a jolt is turning left out of Tempo Catalkoy in the evening especially when the car in front decides to turn right just after the sign and the screen is a golden glow and all of a sudden a bright background ad appears and it become a shiny white light and for a split second it takes the brain to register what the message the eyes are sending it.
I find with my reactor lenses bright signs are a nightmare but maybe I shouldn't be driving at night in them here!

Crazy and in today's Cyprus today the Mayor and the owner of the larger screen say they are no danger to drivers as they are at a roundabout where traffic is moving slowly!
You really couldn't make it up!

I would not worry to much as that road is used by imbeciles as a race track most nights,So it's only a matter of time before its smashed to pieces with smoke coming from the bonnet of one or two cars as they try to get in front of each other by driving over the roundabout.Obviously their excuse will be . "I wasn't going fast I just didn't see the sign"

Elizabeth, you have forgotten just what a money maker these signs are to the local Belediye. I suspect they pay squillions to get permission for them to be there. The larger of the screens (and why the hell there are two of them within 20 yards of each other beats me - but then I've answered my own question) was playing the same advert that appears on Turkish TV for the Merit Hotels. Not sure if its the same Ad. all the time though.

I dont normally use those routes at night, and as things are at the moment are unlikely to, but if it is as bad as it sounds, there is an organisation of Cypriots who campaign for road safety. Would it not be worth getting in touch with them (they are more likely to know who to contact) and expressing these concerns.

snd: I wear reactor lenses (if you mean the ones that darken in bright sunlight) for driving: I was told they helped a little with artificial bright lights - and I find they do but not enough. However I will be seeing the optician shortly for a new prescription for a spare pair and will double check with her. Do you want me to send a pm of what she says.

Couldn't agree more re signs. What I will say is I find it worse at night driving against left hand drive vehicles that have not had headlamps adjusted to drive on the left.Shine as if on high beam.

Elizabeth my friend,
I would suggest you take the matter to the police and log a complaint on grounds of "hazard, and danger to drivers".
Better, you contact the local media "TV & Newspapers", with a bit of luck, it will make a good piece of news.

Debating the matter on the forum is valuable, as it reflects people fears of actions caused by irresponsible behaviour. However, taking the matter further, and making the authority aware of the danger of dazzling bright advertisement is far more valuable.


stay safe
fatsam

fatsam wrote:Elizabeth my friend,
I would suggest you take the matter to the police and log a complaint on grounds of "hazard, and danger to drivers".
Better, you contact the local media "TV & Newspapers", with a bit of luck, it will make a good piece of news.

Debating the matter on the forum is valuable, as it reflects people fears of actions caused by irresponsible behaviour. However, taking the matter further, and making the authority aware of the danger of dazzling bright advertisement is far more valuable.


stay safe
fatsam

And you think they would take any notice of an ex pat complaint, the advice of Road Safety experts is ignored so what chance is there for the rest of us

You can read in todays C2D as to just how much notice is taken of the Road Safety Authority - diddly squat!

You are all missing the point, it gives the locals something else to watch whilst driving when they are not on their phones or texting.

Now whilst I do agree with you all , but I don't find them that distracting and I pass them every day and many evenings, I do also think you will get used to them in time.

What does concern me is us trying to lay the law down here, How did we feel in the UK about immigrants telling us what to do, (unfortunatley our weak politicians allowed it).

The island in question, the speed that many cars approach it at from the bypass is dangerous many drivers do not even slow down or stop to give way to traffic already on the island.

Ask your self, and follow the old saying:
When you are bothered and concerned about an issue, and would like it to be corrected. ask yourself " can I do something about it?
if the answer is yes, then move on and do it. If you cant then forget it, and leave it to the ones who can do, and capable of making the changes.

By the way, Do the huge screens located at London Piccadilly, time square in New York are distracting to the motorists??? are they illegal???
fatsam

There are very many things in this world that I can do nothing about, the situation in Syria for one or innocent people losing their lives, so I'll just forget about those too should I.
I expressed an opinion on something that I had seen which disturbed me, I'm not trying to change the law, that is for others far wiser than me.

To compare the lights in Piccadilly and Times Square with those now constructed at this roundabout it silly. The roundabout lights, particularly the smaller of the two, are very much lower as you approach from the bye pass and are definitely a danger. I thought at one time the roundabout was going to be an attractive entrance to Alsancak but has turned out to be an ugly mixture of hordes of assorted types of advertising boards. Probably the worst I have seen, most of which obscure the directional signs.

Yes Sophie, a total eye sore, but unfortunately most of the so called progress here and new buildings are , But they will not be the first country to spoil a place with tall ugly buildings and alike.

A shame but out of our control. Just look what the UK did in the 60s.

Having driven many times down the Strip in Vegas I can honestly say the human mind/eye is more than capable of filtering out this visual noise.



It's sudden unannounced change that people don't like but we'll soon get used to it.

It's a holiday Island/Town not a sleepy backwater.

Valid points Hedge Fund but one sad fact remains.
The death rate on the roads in the TRNC are the highest in Europe when you factor in size of island and population numbers.
Lessening visual pollution to aid road safety would be a start.
Applying laws strictly would also help I think.
We know phone use at the wheel is alarmingly high here, is against the law but still it occurs...........
Seat belt use is also mandatory but again................
Children in front and back seats unrestrained is also against the law but................
Speed limits are not adhered to............
Motor cycle helmet use............
Need I go on?
Surely common sense would suggest the sighting of these screens would be better away from major road junctions, I notice the one by the Hirondelle roundabout in Girne has been moved away from the actual roundabout.
It's not about ex pats trying to change the laws of the land or way of life it's about measures to decrease unnecessary loss of life.

I agree with all of that.

I am usually the first to agree that we should not "lay down the law" and tell the Turkish Cypriots how to run their country. However, road safety is a universal concern and dangerous roads are the same for all races, creeds, sexes, ages and levels of physical fitness, and I think many Cypriots agree with our worries.

And it is not a case of interfering with local customs and beliefs. Alsancak IS not exactly a large city in totally urban environment with mainly commercial buidings.

I agree with Sophie's earlier comment: it is the income from these adverts must be a great attraction, but(as someone who contributes to "council taxes") I would like to know what is is spent on. In the UK we would be pointing out the cost of road accidents to the National Health System. Here it should be balanced against tourist income - a lot of people still come here for unspoiled Mediterranean county and coastline. If it is a problem for residents, think of new tourists, already confused by the poor road signing and a foreign language, and some driving on the "wrong " side of he road faced with this additional hazard.

Unfortunately expats can't do much about it - but perhaps if someone know how to contact the road safety organisation we could offer them our support? Also boycott the advertisers' products and encourage visitors to do likewise - I probably cant afford most of them anyway. Another point is that these signs may well be taken as unfair competition by smaller local establishments who can't afford them, and thus actually damaging the indigenous population and their way of life.

Remember when they used to dig a hole in the road and put an empty bottle with a stick in it to mark the danger spot? Did you drive into the hole or take care and drive around it? The new signs are the same thing on a larger scale - now you all know they are there, drive careful when near them. Its not a difficult place to live in if you can just accept that change is going to happen and it will pass you by. Embrace it, go moan in the coffee shop, stick up posters, whatever makes you happy but for sure - DRIVE SAFE!!!

Ragged Robin yes of course you are correct, but I have lived here a fair time now and my view is that they will not listen to us or take our advice, even about the simplest of things, like asking them to put a dust sheet down when staining a door frame on brand new ceramic tiles.

Just look how the B.R.S have to bang their heads against brick walls over virtually every issue. We could help so much and enhance life here in general. But without meaning to sound rude, they are very stubborn and set in their own ways.

But I still prefer my life here much more than the everything perfect UK.

There are of course many many points IE litter, stray animals etc. etc. and of course road safety and the list is endless, but we may just have to sit back and accept it.

Good comments and points from everyone.

Waddo: however carefully one drives and however experienced a driver,one cant drive safely if dazzled by strong light in one's eyes. It is not only the distraction but the fact that these advertisements destroy what little is left of a driver's night vision is left by oncoming headlights that is the danger.

Don't Drive After 9:00PM at Night - If you have to - Get a Taxi

Ps Is the 'Welcome to Alsancak' sign still there, or did a large artic-lorry take it out?

Just back in from central Nicosia, total tonight, 3 crashes ... mostly at traffic lights. That's 6 total for this week. If the lights are green, go cautiously - RED .... everyone goes through.

JL: You just try bashing your head against a British Institution that is stubborn and set in its ways, even if it is misinterpreting a regulation it is claiming to uphold.

I have lived here a long time too, and my life was a lot better when it wasnt an ordeal to drive anywhere , and I could go out at night and use my front door when it was raining

Most of the drivers (there are always some who aren't everywhere) were considerate. Funny thing is , most of the road users in those days were Cypriots!

I hate the litter and am distressed by the stray dogs but they have been here longer than you or I. The illuminated road signs are comparatively recent, and (judged by newpapers reports) aping mistakes that have been made in Britain and America , not part of the normal life of this country, nor in keeping with its traditions, environment or road infrastructure.

Ragged Robin: One agrees, however one must ask why one would put oneself into the situation in the first place? If one is aware of the hazard why would one continually approach the danger without first taking some sort of safety measure? I have been wearing this sort of eye protection for the past 40 years - originally marketed as Nighthawk Night Driving Glasses - and whilst the do not eliminate glare and flash they do cut it down considerably. They even deliver to the TRNC for free - worth a try maybe? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polarized-Day ... 5d4c380937.

Of course there is always this to consider: http://smartdriving.co.uk/Publications/VTS/night.pdf

SELECT.
The red traffic light, means proceed with caution .

Another CRASH - Last night around 5:00PM (Kyrenia By-pass, just down from the main Nicosia round-about)- nice car too (or was) ....

What was the driver doing? - going through the lights on ..... (pick a colour) .... Even my 2 year old knows when to stop and when to go.

Ps no one injured....