• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Istanbul
  • Cappadocia
  • Mediterranean
  • Aegean
  • Black Sea
  • Other Places
Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish Travel Blog

Turkish People, Culture, History, and Places inTurkey

  • Culture and Traditions
  • Food and Drink
  • History
  • Travel Tips
  • Living in Turkey
  • About Turkey
    • About the Blog
    • Advertising
    • Contact

The Unofficial Guide & Tips About Driving In Turkey

by Natalie

Driving in Turkey has got a colourful reputation and foreigners gasp at the total disregard for safety.  Many first time visitors to Turkey will stand on the pavement( if there is one) for about five minutes just staring at the traffic. Their mouths fall open and they seem to think their eyes are playing a trick on them. They are not.

No doubt you’ve heard of “when in Rome do as the Romans do”. So read on and learn how to drive like a Turk!

Tips for driving in Turkey

Right of Way

Never assume that you have right of way, even if the law says you do. Right of way will depend on whether the other driver is in a rush, has a dentist appointment or he just assumes he is the only driver on the road.

Traffic Lights

It will soon become clear that when driving in Turkey, traffic lights are a waste of time and money. No one pays attention to them , unless a police car has pulled up besides them. If you  decide to pay attention to the lights, then be ready for a line of cars behind you,  hooting their horns when the lights turn from red to orange.

Indicators

They are simply put in cars to confuse the driver and have nothing to do with safety. They have no purpose on earth. So what if the other driver can not anticipate your next move. It keeps them on their toes. Even if you use your indicator to turn left, expect the driver behind you to overtake you on the left to go straight ahead. Remember indicators are useless.

IMG_1079Roundabouts

Approach them at your own peril. Know the person on the inside lane will suddenly cut across in front of you,  to turn off. Know that when you are coming off the roundabout, there will be a pedestrian crossing there.  When you nearly run the pedestrian over, you will get abuse from them, as well as the other drivers who have gone into the back of you.

Mopeds

They are a world unto their own. Drive a moped without a helmet and you will only be stopped by the police if he is bored and has nothing else to do.

Under no circumstances should you point out to the police officer, that he does not wear a helmet himself.! If you want to fit your whole family on the moped and drive into town, then feel free to do so, you will just be keeping up with the Joneses.

Maps

Never attempt to get from A to B by using a map. They are non-existent in Turkey and the ones that are  sold are twenty years out of date. If you ask any local shop keeper, they will draw directions on a napkin,  which he will then use to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

Social behaviour

If your friend is driving towards you from the opposite direction then it would be rude not to say hello. You must stop the car in the middle of the street, wind down the window and discuss how the family is doing. If any cars behind you start beeping their horns,  don’t worry because  karma will catch up with them.

Parking

This is an interesting concept of which you will never get your head around. There are either a lot of parking spaces or none at all. Feel free to ignore all parking spaces and safety rules if you are in a rush though.

Instead leave your car in the middle of the street with the engine running and door open, run into the shop, have a chat with the owner and then run back out to your car. Wave to all the frustrated drivers who have lined up behind you, get in your car and simply drive away.

streets of IstanbulSpeeding

Whilst traveling on a long journey, you will see cars flashing their head lights at you. This is to warn you that a speed camera is ahead. The speed camera is actually a police man sat in a plain car which is meant to be discretely hidden. Resist the temptation to wave at him when you drive past.

Around 1000 meters up the road will be another marked police car, and whether they stop you will depend on whether his wife let him have marital nuptials the night before.

An on-the-spot fine will be issued of which the police officer will add another 50 lira, so that he can take his mistress out to dinner.

Finally

If you can master all the above then you are confident in the fine art of driving in Turkey. Driving in Turkey is a wonderful way to see the country and after a couple of hours on the road, you will feel like you are quite able to tackle any obstacles or threats to your safety

One last tip is to remember we drive on the right here. Enjoy yourself.

Pin
Share134
Tweet
Share
134 Shares

Filed Under: Random Information

Hi. I'm Natalie, a freelance travel blogger and writer specializing in the country of Turkey. I love hot summer days, historical sites and coffee. Read More…

Primary Sidebar

istanbul tourist pass

Search This Website

Popular Posts

Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman EmpireDolmabahce Palace in Istanbul : Last Days of the Ottoman Empire49K Total Shares
The Colourful Wooden Mosque of MaralThe Colourful Wooden Mosque of Maral6K Total Shares
Santa Claus and His Life in TurkeySanta Claus and His Life in Turkey5K Total Shares
Sanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in TurkeySanliurfa (Urfa) : The City of Abraham in Turkey4K Total Shares
The Serene House of the Virgin MaryThe Serene House of the Virgin Mary3K Total Shares
Ottoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in IstanbulOttoman Intrigue at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul3K Total Shares

Footer

Everything Else

  • Blog Sitemap
  • GDPR, Privacy and Cookies
  • Terms of Use and Disclaimer

Of Interest

  • About Us
  • Advertising and PR
  • Map of Turkey

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright @2023 - Turkish Travel Blog

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT