Foerigners driving in TRNC

ajaney


Joined: 24/12/2008
Posts: 199

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 11:36

Based on a very bad experience I would like to warn visitors to the island who may not know how things work here to be extremely careful. All offences such as drink driving, speeding and cases of accident are taken very seriously here and you can be locked up for three days if the police officers want to. It is not the same as at home and if you are involved in an accident such as we were, we found ourselves very vulnerable as we did not know how things work here or speak the language. We were kept at a police station for over four hours and fined 250 turkish lira even though the police agreed that we were not at fault. This fine is apparently usual so make sure you have some cash on you (we were miles away from a cash point in the Karpaz area) but had enough cash with us, and be extra careful whilst driving here.

jock1



Joined: 06/01/2008
Posts: 3786

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 11:51

Why did you pay if it was not your fault?????

andrew4232



Joined: 04/07/2009
Posts: 1543

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 12:05

was this based on using your uk licence or local one ?

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 13:22

What actually happened ?

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 13:43

clap trap. We had an accident on our very first visit to NC. The police officer who came out was very friendly and supportive. We weren't fined, just asked to take the driving license down to the police station the next day. Was given coffee and even offered a tour of the police station. Since then every time the police officer sees us he smiles and waves.

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 13:52

msg. 1

There is something vital missing here. 250 TL fine for what? Did you get a receipt for it?

ismet

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 14:10

"Foerigners driving in TRNC"



Same rule applies to all,not just foreighners.



Eyes open,no talking on phone whilst driving,common courtesy ....and all will be fine,especialy for bikes.

Linnyloos


Joined: 30/11/2008
Posts: 483

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 14:21

I had an accident and the Police were really good. I only had to take my licence (UK) down to the police station the next day and make a statement. I didn't have to pay anything and was treated brilliantly

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 14:33

I find if you are cheerful, friendly and polite, people will often be the same in response.



Slightly off topic but I was in a supermarket the other day, an expat blocked the aisle while he had a look at something. I was stood there waiting patiently to be let past (he saw me but ignored me) so I said excuse me, he moved and retorted 'please sir'. He was reversing out of his parking space in the car park later and I was driving past, he scowled at me for not stopping to let him out.



What you do will bite you on the backside eventually.



To be honest I hate a lot of the expats, they don't even try to blend in and often drive worse than the locals because they can't understand the local way of driving. I admit my turkish is taking a lot longer to learn I would like but at least I am trying.

halffull


Joined: 26/01/2009
Posts: 571

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 14:46

I'm with you Laptamike. Agree entirely, had similar experience. Same problem with the language as well! wife says it's my age, I say it's cose they want to speak English to me!!!

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 15:08

Never encountered any rudeness/ abruptness from any Police anywhere in Cyprus...

mahdel


Joined: 28/05/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 15:55

I had an accident caused by someone else and had no issue with the police at all. Gave a statement and that was that. Check the receipt they gave you and post it on here to see why you were fined. It could be a following too closely fine or something similar. As for foreigners driving worse than the locals, I am not entirely sure that's possible on a community wide scale. Individually, maybe

Pippie


Joined: 02/12/2009
Posts: 1288

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 17:12

Eriving with mobile in hand. How frustrating is that to see? And, knowing how many accidents are caused through one-handed driving or lack of attention, why isn't this sort of danger publicised more here like it is in the UK.



Laptamike - don't you feel good when you go out and practice a little Turkish to see the other person smile back at you in appreciation. My problem is when they answer me - I know what I said, but often can't understand a bloody thing they say back to me. I really do want to learn more but when I say 'what!' then most revert to English and I never get to find out what I missed! How do you say 'can you repeat that please?"

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 17:25

Pippie, the girls in starling know I have a very limited turkish vocabulary so have a mess with me by talking to me in turkish and laughing when I look clueless ;-) Just a bit of fun between mates

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 17:52

Pippie;



"ANLAMADIM"

Swany



Joined: 01/12/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 18:19

re 15 that was "I don't understand" not can you repeat that please.

I am sure I will be coreccted but it sould be " tekrar söyleyemez mi?" with a please or thank you.

I am with you all we (most of us on 44) are guests and we should be polite and one of the best ways is to try to talk trukish.

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 18:26

msg 16;

Sounds like you want to jump before walking.

You can use my one instead and it is more simple,however,I'd suggest not to trust google too much as well.You never know where it may land you.

Blackpoolfan


Joined: 03/12/2008
Posts: 1568

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 18:38

My hire car got written off by a Turkish bloke 9am in the morning, he hit a parked car and then joined me on my side of the road and shunted me into the pavement or should that be gravel. He stunk of booze and couldn't hardly speak.

The police were great they took us all back to Lapta Nick i had a tour which took 5 seconds, as my shed is bigger we then all sat together drinking coffee for 3 hours while they wrote my statement. At the end of it all they said bye bye and we all left together including the p*ss head that had run into me

Is this normal?? or was i one of the lucky ones??

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 20:22

I got cut up by a lady driver who also happens to be english,I have been in a wheel chair for the last 2.5 weeks and god knows how much longer more.

At first tried to sort it between us with no luck,then the lady went to police to report it.Glad to say she has now eccepted to cover my hospital cost,which is not alot and to repair my bike,which would heve been a wright off in UK,thanks to the police officers on the day.

No hard feelings.



So,it is normal Blackpoolfan,here in TRNC,police always tries to find the happy medium before reporting the incident and refering involved parties to courts.As for drink driving and still walking away........

I dont see within myself to have the right to risk anybodies life other then myself.

ajaney


Joined: 24/12/2008
Posts: 199

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 20:46

Re message 5 from Lapta Mike. Please do not say this is claptrap, it was my experience not yours and I have no reason to make it up. We asked for a receipt and a copy of the statement. The police said that they did not give copies of the statement and the receipt book was in a police station in another village. We have asked our attorney since coming back to girne if ththat it was not our faulthe police her had told tis was correct and she said yes the fine was normal and also not giving a receipt was normal. When we questioned the fine a man who came into the police station who spoke very good English said this is is normal practice.

A little girl ran out from her house to cross the road, we braked as hard as we could but we made inpact. The father of the child had told the police that it was not our fault. The only thing you scathing guys have in common with our police station visits is that we got a cup of tea.

ajaney


Joined: 24/12/2008
Posts: 199

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 20:49

continuett .......I did not actually say that the police were rude. What is the point of putting a post on this forum which is meant to be helpful, if you guys shoot it down. That is what I call rude

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 20:52

Sal

I am glad you have got your problem sorted.

You know where I live and if you and your wife want to pop around any time just send me an e-mail.

AJ

ajaney


Joined: 24/12/2008
Posts: 199

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 20:58

Reply to message 7

Yorgozlu - I appreciate that the rules are the same for locals as for foreigners and following the laws regarding driving here. I assume that the locals know the consequences of driving pitfalls here but that perhaps foreigners do not

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 21:08

ajaney, I would suggest you re-read your own post before condeming others for understanding what you have written incorrectly. You might well have had good intentions to help people out if involved in a similar situation however it does read like you are dissapointed with the police and that you were fined 250TL and postponed for longer than you felt necessary for no reason.

Just the way it reads, if you wish it to look different you should probably write it differently, not easy I know, remember that when you write it, you all ready know the unwritten details, the rest of us don't have that benefit when reading and fill in the gaps with what seems logical.

I really am curious what you had to pay 250TL for if not at fault, that would be something helpful to know in my opinion and I am sure others would agree

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 21:40

ajaney;

Fair enough.



AJ.;

Thanks for the offer,will pop over to see you soon,however,feel free to pop over mine as I'm wheel chair bound at the moment.

Swany



Joined: 01/12/2009
Posts: 255

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 23:37

msg 17

Thank for the correction yep you are right mor walking and les jumping . Sorry to hear you are wheel chair bound nothing too serious I hope.

Please can you give me the correct way (or should I say spelling) of “tekra soylemisin”

Just to say I don't understand means they then talk perfect English and I will never learn! Thanks

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
14/10/2010 23:45

ajaney, you never mentioned in your first post that you had hit a child running out into the road. Perhaps there is a compulsory fine if someone is injured in a road accident.



Many years ago in the UK a child on a bike came off the pavement and straight into my car. I had anticipated it so was only driving at about 2 miles per hour. The police came out and totally exonerated me of any blame.



I still ended up with a bill to pay the hospital even though it wasn't my fault.



Live and let live.

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 01:57

elko , maybe they have to pay your unpaid speeding fines..???

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 02:28

http://www.cyprus44.com/forums/42764.asp

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:14

This is startuing to look like a vendetta

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:17

just facts ......nothing of my opinion .....

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:21

Whatever floats your boat, seems to me you saw Elko posting about the strange decision and the fine and then you decided to resurect his statement about not paying fines. Only one of factual statements brought together to make it look bad but hey that is only how it looks to me, maybe the rest of the readers will see it as just facts that happened to appear together.

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:26

http://www.cyprus44.com/forums/42764.asp



this is not my thread/post ,i believe this thread is about fines and driving in n/cyprus , so was the one above ...

are You saying any of the above by other posters is untrue ...???

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:35

Try a little harder and you might just get more of a twist.

He admits he didn't pay his fines and then he is questioning the fine applied here, that is as far as I can see all they have in common until you try to make them match up when they were completely independant.

I don't know Elko so I am not trying to defend him, I have seen you post a couple of times recently that appear to me as a personal thing but as said before, maybe it is just me.

I started off my comment by trying to inject some humour but you tried to turn it into a justified defensive post, I don't understand why but don't let me affect your decision, have fun.

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 03:57

always have fun ......thanks hope you do too...



in msg 6 elko questuions the validity of the original post .....



"There is something vital missing here. 250 TL fine for what? Did you get a receipt for it?



ismet "



all i was pointing out was that not all people pay fines ...as he posted himself ...now how is that a "vendetta" when i replied with his post , no false allegations , no slurs , no suggestions ......

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
15/10/2010 04:01

an assumption or vendetta would start with a quote like ........................



"Oh dear dear, I have inadvertently upset our friend apc2010, or is it the old friend pike? It does not matter"



"