Deadlier than Covid 19

[£eagle]

The Cypriot driver is back on the roads.

[snd1966]

How true, 3 accidents between Lapta and Cratos today within a 3 hour period

[Hair Cut]

4 car pile just before SAH going east.

All into the back of one another, no doubt checking their phone whilst driving.

[wizardofmann]

4 car pile just before SAH going east. All into the back of one another, no doubt checking their phone whilst driving.

Tell me about it as I saw it happen and yes, it was a dickhead with a black thing glued to his ear.

[waddo]

Give them a chance, they slept last night so now they need to learn again!

[happyinthesun]

Tut,tut,tut.........calm down boys and girls,it is their country so they can drive as they wish.

[Chriswright03]

Maybe their mask steamed up their glasses.

[Mollie the cat]

Tut,tut,tut.........calm down boys and girls,it is their country so they can drive as they wish.

Oh well, that makes it OK then!

[karmels]

Mollie you can have your rant but as mentioned it is Thier country, and you will not make any difference as the police who attend are most likely related.

[happyinthesun]

Mollie,go to lots of countries around the world,India,Thailand,Italy etc.etc. and you will see some very erratic driving,l presume you only know N Cyprus and the UK from your comment.Some Brits on here expect everyone around the world to drive as in the UK but that doesn't and never will be the case so as the saying goes....."if you don't like it".....

[Groucho]

You won't be saying that when one of them piles into the back of you though .. will you?

The original post is right... The driving is demonstrably more deadly than Covid-19, given that in three months only 4 people have died from the dreaded virus.. each month will see more deaths by reckless driving, and driving is easier to fix and police. You can see it, teach it and be aware of it... Unlike a virus. There is no excuse for the dreadful death toll on the roads here... They have one of the worst RTA death rates in the world... No excuse, none.

[frontalman]

It is a strange thing that Covid-19 has actually saved lives in North Cyprus while the lockdown was in place. You could argue, however, that those who were spared at the time will make up for it in time.

[happyinthesun]

Groucho by name and obviously nature,get off the locals backs,as previous it is their country.

[Keithcaley]

Groucho by name and obviously nature,get off the locals backs,as previous it is their country.

I suppose that there is no reason why you shouldn't remain 'happy in the sun' - unless you or one of your loved ones is killed or maimed in one of the incessant RTAs...

However, do remember that members are free to discuss any subject that they wish, you don't have to read it

[erol]

Groucho by name and obviously nature,get off the locals backs,as previous it is their country.

As a kimlik card holder am I allowed to concur with Groucho that "There is no [good] excuse for the dreadful death [and injury] toll on the roads here..." ?

[Kanonier]

Tut,tut,tut.........calm down boys and girls,it is their country so they can drive as they wish.

So by that analogy, it is OK for drivers in the UK ,or any other country for that matter, to drive as they wish. Have you ever lost anyone to a RTC?

[Groucho]

Groucho by name and obviously nature,get off the locals backs,as previous it is their country.

I work with locals as you call them and have done for 15 years and not one of them supports your acceptance of the death by driving as something they want left unaddressed or that we as guests in this country should learn to live with.. They know it's a real killer. To a man they bemoan the uninsured, unlicensed, underage, untrained and some who are actually technically blind who drive with impunity...

I'm hardly getting on their backs by pointing out that the one thing they could put the effort into is compliance with the road laws and save more lives.

[sausage and pash]

Do they have the equivalent of the highway code?

[sophie]

Is strange isn't it, but any time the subject of bad driving in the TRNC has come up when talking to Cypriot friends, they always agree that is terrible but it's never members of their own family, its always someone elses. I suppose we never like to admit that we are not perfect on the road.!! Have just seen Sos and Pash message, yes they do (or they certainly did) and if you were to go to one of the Driving Schools, you could ask for a copy. They used to have a sign in it, showing a bridge lifting and lowering.

[Groucho]

Who is it that teaches TRNC drivers to drive the last 100 metres on the RHS when turning right as a courtesy to close-following cars?

It's surely not the driving school instructors.. You see this a lot.. I have been loudly honked and then chased into a car park and berated for not doing so here... apparently they regard that as a proper manoeuvre and good practice....

Luckily another local was able to explain to him that his driving was totally pants... he would not take it from me.

[waddo]

In 2018, there were 24 deaths in the north caused by 22 traffic accidents, while in 2019 until December 23 the number rose to 29 deaths as a result of 23 traffic accidents. For the same period in the south, the fatal traffic accidents last year rose to 49 while 2019 saw 51 road traffic deaths until December 27!
In 2019, there were 1,870 deaths in the north as a result of traffic accidents, additionally there were 27,820 serious injuries and 129,820 slight injuries.

Taking total population of the North at around 850,000 and the UK at around 66,000,000, the UK has a road traffic death rate of 0.002% and the north has a road traffic death rate of 0.003%. Statistically, you are more liable to die on the roads in the north than in UK!

However, you may wish to temper this alarming death rate of road traffic accidents by remembering that in 2019 in LONDON alone, there were 100 deaths, due to stabbing, that is almost 60 percent of the deaths in the capital. Eleven people were shot dead in London in 2019. Four were run over, three were burned alive, five were strangled and 25 died of head injuries either in a fight or having been attacked. The killers followed no conclusive pattern.

I suppose we should discount those four who were run over as they may fall into the RTA statistics as well!

Drive safe in the knowledge that you "probably" won't get stabbed whilst you are avoiding the idiot in front, from the side or attacking you from behind!

[Brazen]

“Taking total population of the North at around 850,000 and the UK at around 66,000,000, the UK has a road traffic death rate of 0.002% and the north has a road traffic death rate of 0.003%. Statistically, you are more liable to die on the roads in the north than in UK!”

Population of the North 850,000? I thought it was about half that number?

[EnjoyingTheSun]

Population of the North 850,000? I thought it was about half that number?

I think if you knock half a million off you'll be nearer the number.

I was in South London before I came out here where the roads were a bit wacky races and used to drive into central London 5 times a week and if anything going around Hyde Park Corner in rush hour was relaxing compared with Streatham High Road but that said the driving out here is much worse.

Other factors to take into account when comparing figures is car ownership, if the proportion of car owners is less in the TRNC then those road death figures are even worse. Also average miles traveled, if most people out here drive an average of 2000 miles a year as opposed to say 10,000 in the UK that again would make the figures far worse.
Given the amount of cars without car tax I guess you can assume that they won't have insurance either so how many accidents between 2 uninsured and untaxed cars are not included in the figures?

The main problems as I see it are;

1) I don't think the driving instructors are trained so how many good habits are being passed on?
2) Driving lessons are I believe very expensive, even pricier than the UK, so how many can afford to get a sufficient number of lessons?
3) The test isn't very vigorous from what I understand, if you can do a 3 point turn you've passed. Probably if you can't even manage that you can come to some arrangement.
4) The cars that they are buying don't reflect their skill level. Whilst in the UK the insurance for kids when they first get their licence is prohibitive at least it probably keeps them from buying a car that is too powerful for their experience.
4) MOTs every 3 years. On the roads here how many tyres are going to remain roadworthy for even half that time? Brake lights? Steering? And the MOT test isn't too vigorous either.
5) Uninsured untaxed vehicles. If you have a crash and as well as getting a repair you find your premiums have gone up, it will calm you down.

So whilst ignorance is no defense I don't blame the locals as much as I blame the lack of common sense regulations, Pro-rata they probably don't have any more boy racers than the UK and it wouldn't take a huge effort to get them off the roads but the underlying problem is the complete lack of road awareness in general. Tailgating, making no allowance for an alteration in road conditions etc etc.

[munchy]

The population of TRNC was about 350,000 in the 2017 census. Would hazard a guess at about 400,000 now.

[sophie]

The last census was in 2011 (I can remember it well, police cars on the roads trying to keep people at home and other people nipping over the border for the night as they didn't want to appear on the census) According to Google, population was supposed to be 326,000 and presumably that was after the 2011 census. Any other figure since is sure to be guess work isn't it?

[waddo]

Population census will only give the figure of "Citizens" not the overall figure of "People" which is considerably higher when you take into account Mainland Turkish, expats and students, most of which drive and are used to driving on different sides of the road as well! I did not add any figures for the "Off Grid" unknown people who live here. But then there are lies, damn lies and statistics so you have to make your own choice! - lol.

As for the driving standard overall, it is a combination of modern vehicles doing so many things for the driver that what little skill they have achieved, during the mandatory 10 lessons prior to taking the test, rapidly evaporates due to lack of use/practice. The test itself can be passed in a variety of ways and I feel sure that the relative or brown envelope play a large part in the pass rate.

The MOT is a nonsense in any country and should not be considered as an excuse - it only proves that the vehicle is road worthy at the time of the test - once Memet/John has swapped back his worn out tires with the new ones he borrowed of Ali/Brian it is all back to normal! But of course nobody in the UK would EVER do that would they?

Lets be honest about insurance as well please, it is primarily there to make money for the insurance company! In the UK they will charge you as much as they can get away with, here the prices are regulated (mostly) by the Government - the trick is to get people to actually buy it in the first place! Agree that the road tax for the roads here is just another way to make the Government more money to not spend on roads but then, is that not also true of the UK, there the roads are in a terrible state and if you bend a wheel in a pothole and complain to your local council, they tell you to contact your insurer. By the time you go back 2 hours later to take the photo of the pot hole as proof - as if by magic it has been filled with a bucket of tarmac!

Want to make a difference then change the penalties and make them stick - hit the offenders where it hurts, right in the pocket. I would love to press the switch on the first top of the range motor, that was sent to the car crusher because it had no road tax or insured driver!!!!! Speeding fines - get three and pay them, get four and into the crusher it goes! Parking fines - nope, tow it away to the field and double the fine every 5 days then at the 25 day point - you got it, into the crusher with it.

If you do not make it hurt it will never get better and although it is draconian, it is fair because we all use the roads, some pay, some don't but all should!!! The Police "Should" be the ones who could make the most changes but they only seem to be interested in speeding on the last Friday of the month and for the rest of the time it is odd checks on well known routes that achieve very little. Give them more powers and make them use them regardless of who the driver is!

[EnjoyingTheSun]

As for the driving standard overall, it is a combination of modern vehicles doing so many things for the driver that what little skill they have achieved, during the mandatory 10 lessons prior to taking the test, rapidly evaporates due to lack of use/practice.

TBH I doubt many of us could pass the UK test a year after passing as you develop bad habits but hopefully you have a few good habits drilled into you and road awareness experience should hopefully fill some of the gaps. If you don’t have many skills to begin with then you have no hope.

The MOT is a nonsense in any country and should not be considered as an excuse - it only proves that the vehicle is road worthy at the time of the test - once Memet/John has swapped back his worn out tires with the new ones he borrowed of Ali/Brian it is all back to normal! But of course nobody in the UK would EVER do that would they?

I’m sure it happens but brake pads and brake lights are a bit more of a fiddle to replace than tyres. Sure a car that has passed It’s test in the UK might not pass it’s test a few weeks later but again it will be more roadworthy a car that passed it’s MOT 2 years before.

Lets be honest about insurance as well please, it is primarily there to make money for the insurance company

Undoubtedly but together with needing a valid MOT and tax certificate it is another step in making people responsible. For me the problem with bad drivers and generally most anti-social behavior is a lack of personal responsibility. You see drivers all the time in the UK who have the attitude that I'll pull out of a side road and if the other driver sees me instantly, has the reactions of Lewis Hamilton and A1 tyres and brakes he should just miss me by about 4 inches, fingers crossed.

Want to make a difference then change the penalties and make them stick - hit the offenders where it hurts, right in the pocket. I would love to press the switch on the first top of the range motor, that was sent to the car crusher because it had no road tax or insured driver!!!!! Speeding fines - get three and pay them, get four and into the crusher it goes! Parking fines - nope, tow it away to the field and double the fine every 5 days then at the 25 day point - you got it, into the crusher with it.

I’m always in favour for harsh draconian penalties but by and large that’s is one thing that TRNC has right. Crime is low here, not because of the efficiency of the police force or that people are less in need over her or even that they are more honest than people in the UK. Crime is low because the penalties are stiff. Risk v reward. No statistic will ever convince me that long sentences don’t reduce crime. I’d be more in favour a confiscation of vehicles until the fine is paid. The most effective punishment for people that can’t be bothered is to make it far more aggravating and inconvenient to not comply.

If you do not make it hurt it will never get better and although it is draconian, it is fair because we all use the roads, some pay, some don't but all should!!! The Police "Should" be the ones who could make the most changes but they only seem to be interested in speeding on the last Friday of the month and for the rest of the time it is odd checks on well known routes that achieve very little. Give them more powers and make them use them regardless of who the driver is!

Again easily solved. Incentivise the police, either give them a cut of the fines or a bonus for offences that they catch. Road tax should be the easiest thing to ensure is paid with random checks but a massive percentage still don’t pay. They may still let their cousin off but might be less inclined to let someone else’s cousin off.

[waddo]

Agree with majority, however, when you have a vehicle that keeps you in your lane, switch’s on your lights/wipers when needed, shows you how to park and in some cases will do it for you, tells you how close to the one in front you are, warns you if your tires need air, keeps you at a set speed till YOU slow it down, let’s you talk to people without using your phone and has the brake efficiency of a race car then you can’t gain “experience” until a part of it fails. So having bought such a vehicle and then having to drop back to an older model that has nothing you are simply driving towards the scene of your accident! But people are people and they need a “Flash” car to hurtle to the shops 5km away and park where everyone can see it. Maybe the “Covid Effect” and lack of money and tourism will effect motorists in the long term, I can only hope so!

Having just finished watering the garden and thinking, let us also not forget what time of year it is and that the lorry driver hurtling towards you at 70 km whilst fast asleep also got up at 4 in the morning to eat before 5 in the morning and as it is now 6 in the evening and he has eaten nothing all day - he will be tired and not as responsive as he should be!!!! Make allowances for him and save yourself a blue light taxi trip!

[Groucho]

The automation of cars is not the problem, it is often basic issues like:-

Driving whilst texting or talking on a mobile
Too close to the car in front
No seat belts
Smoking or other in car distractions like unrestrained children using the seats as a trampoline
Children allowed to drive
Speed - like a race track given that in a race, cars are all going in one direction relative speeds are low but in two-way conditions they are doubled
Over-confidence and under-skilled, never taught defensive driving
Refusing to back out of an unsafe manoeuvre
Being deliberately taught bad habits
Unroadworthy car
DUI drink or drugs

Or a combination of one or more of the above

[EnjoyingTheSun]

You can never totally eliminate the idiot factor, the only way of dealing with them is to get them off the road.
It's similar to violent crime in a way in that you can't legislate for psychopaths. No matter what the punishment is they are going to do what they are going to do because they aren't wired up right.

What you can do is eliminate those who choose to drive badly or be violent because it is easy.
I think a lot of the bad driving out here is due to bad training and bad habits. Any steps to eliminate those will be a big step in the right direction. Many of the laws are already there but aren't being enforced. Likewise the infrastructure such as driving lessons, licensing, MOTS is also there but needs tweaking.

It amazes me that every year they will add another step to an already unwieldy residency system but won't enforce or tweak something that will save lives. Whilst the deaths on the road are high I'm amazed that they are not higher tbh.
It seems to me that out here they seem to get 90% right but the 10% they leave is often the easiest to sort.