Echoes From Antalya Buggy Safari Ride

Sometime in 2019, I visited Istanbul en route to Havana, Cuba. That visit was brief; we spent just a night before proceeding on a 13-hour flight. It was my first trip to Cuba and Turkey, although I had once or twice flown to the United Kingdom (UK) through Turkey.

The one day in Istanbul gave me a glimpse or an eye-view of a city that reminds me of the good old days in Lagos, Nigeria. In Turkey, there is rush hour, just like in Lagos and other major cities in Nigeria. However, in Istanbul, 70 percent of the day is rush hour. This is attributable to the rapid population growth and urban development.

There is a limited road network and increasing demand for transportation while traffic jams have become an inevitable part of the city. However, the uniqueness of Istanbul lies not so much in the daily traffic jams but in the outstanding unique integration of architectural masterpieces.

This masterpiece reflects the unique meeting of Europe and Asia over centuries. Its incomparable skyline is formed by the creative genius of Byzantine and Ottoman architects. Istanbul is the only city settled between two continents and two seas.

Recently, I was privileged to travel to Turkey again. The destination was Antalya, a city and Mediterranean seaport in southwestern Turkey. The beautiful old town has plenty to see, with beautiful harbours, waterfalls, and surrounding mountains. The cost of living is lower compared to other cities.

Like the first trip, this second trip was an all-expenses-paid trip. This initially gave me goosebumps, as my preference was Istanbul, the city of architectural uniqueness. The flight to Antalya was smooth despite my reservations, though.

We arrived safely at the Antalya Airport. Taxis at the airport were well coordinated without touts and their nuisance value, and we were greeted by ever-smiling airport officials. Ali, our chauffeur, was a delight, not just in humility but also in responsible driving. For about an hour, he demonstrated the skill set of a driver packaged to market his country and the company he represents.

I was elated by the roads and the traffic. They reminded me of the trip to Majorca, Spain. There were countless traffic lights from the airport to the hotel, yet all worked. At no junction did I spot a non-functional traffic light, which adorns some parts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Traffic cameras were mounted at specific points to checkmate excessive speeding, which the United Nations (UN) singles out as the highest causative factor responsible for increased fatalities.  The icing of the cake of the journey from the airport was Ali’s observance with speed which was well regulated. Most drivers were on top of speed compliance while there was high decency in driving. Unlike our clime, truck and luxury bus drivers overtook and returned to the slow lane.

Like what I saw in Majorca, especially at bends, the appropriate chevron road signs (characterised by their rectangular black-and-white chevron patterns, which warn drivers of harsh bends or turns in the road, particularly on roundabouts or tight curves) were displayed to guide road users. Speed was posted in descending order from 80km to 70 to 50km, depending on how sharp the bend was.

I told you the roads were tarred, although road surfaces from my guide can be poor in remote areas. I did not see drivers driving against traffic or driving one-way, which has become the thing in Abuja, the FCT. Neither did I see security operatives adorning the road with numerous checkpoints in a century when digital policing should be the catchword.

I saw Okada riders, but nine out of 10 wore helmets, as did their pillion. Strangely, I didn’t see overloaded Okadas or taxis like we see daily along the Kugbo-Karu, Nyanya-Mararaba axis.

Each rider kept to the slow lanes without outsmarting vehicles or attempting suicide.

Road markings and signs were exhaustively displayed, including directional signs, which adorned the roads. Stop signs (DUR) and other traffic signs were all displayed in Turkish. Structures and buildings did not encroach on the right-of-way, which demonstrated the professionalism of the town planners.

The drive from the airport made me wonder if there were security operatives as we didn’t hear the sound of sirens except ambulances. As expected, phone infractions were rampant, but there were no overloaded vehicles, route violations, or driving against traffic.

While the appropriate infrastructure was present to cater to all road users, pedestrians were given due priority. Visible zebra crossings with adequate signage were available. As I said earlier, Town planners were no doubt at their best or on top of their game as right-of-way encroachment were not seen

Overhead bridges were without hawkers and pedestrians, ready to commit suicide like we behold daily along the City Gate-Airport Road in Abuja and across a handful of cities in our clime. Roundabouts were not manned, neither were traffic junctions.

The high point of my visit was my River quad and buggy safari ride, an adventure that raises your adrenaline as a rider or passenger.

The 1.5-hour tour took us through woodlands, sleepy valleys, lakes, and the forest of the Taurus Mountains. It was a delight to behold nature in pure form with the birds’ sound and the freshness of the forest. Above all, the safety details, such as the crash helmet and seat belt, without the prying eyes of traffic officers, made the ride worth an encore. Despite low vehicle traffic, appropriate road signs and markings adorned the road to enhance safety.

While pondering on the 37th anniversary of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), I prayed for a day when the appropriate infrastructure that make policing easy will be provided. I am talking about the right road network with appropriate road signs and markings, functional traffic lights, and above all, the right technology to help us navigate away from the analogue to technology-driven policing.

Turkey has its own hiccups as information available indicates that the road traffic fatalities in Turkey annually stand at 6,548 in 2023, 5,229 in 2022, 5,362 in 2021, and 4,866 in 2020. In 2019, of the 1,168,144 traffic crashes, 174,869 were crashes with fatalities, resulting in 5,473 deaths and 283,234 injuries.

The majority of about 88 percent were caused by the driver’s error, while pedestrian mistakes were the second. Like our climate, more than 90 percent of transportation is carried out on road, and transportation is the leading cause of deaths.

Antalya had its own comic side, which I experienced when we visited Manavgat. At Manavgat, zebra crossings were mere decorations. On more than three occasions that I stepped on a zebra crossing, no driver halted or gave way. This strange driving infraction might be the same in remote areas.