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The first rule of the road in Turkey is to expect the unexpected! Here are some other tips that may help you:
- On roundabouts traffic gives way to the right. However you may be expected to stop half way round.
- If an oncoming vehicle flashes you, it means the driver intends to keep moving and you should stop or make way i.e. the opposite of what it means in the UK.
- If a vehicle intends to turn left, it may indicate left, but then pull over to the right to allow traffic to pass before turning. So don’t be surprised if a car tries to overtake you when you are indicating to turn left. Although it is not standard practice now you can still sometimes get caught out.
- Please take care at night; not everything that moves have lights.
- Feel free to make your presence heard by using the horn. Everyone else does.
- If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident or if your car is damaged you must call the police before moving the vehicle. Without a police report the insurance is invalid. You must also contact the car hire company immediately. If you have a camera with you, take pictures.
- The driver will need to carry passport and drivers license along with vehicle documentation. The jandarma (traffic police) stop cars as a matter of routine. As soon as they realise you are tourists they are likely to wave you on.
- It is compulsory to wear front seat belts and advisable to use rear seatbelts too, if fitted.
- The speed limit is 50kph in built up areas. On open roads it is 90kph. Speed checkpoints are common and speeding drivers will be fined on the spot. (101 ytl, reduced to 75Y ytl if paid immediately – based on our experience in April 2006).
- The legal drink-drive limit is one small beer or one glass of wine.
The nearest petrol stations are in Marmaris, Bozborun and Turunç. Expect the attendants to fill your car. They may also wash your windscreen – in which case a nominal tip (e.g. one lira) would be appreciated. It may be possible to get petrol in Marti Marina as there are a couple of petrol/diesel pumps, just opposite the bottom of the drive down to the water side. But we are not sure if supplies are always available.
Parking in Marmaris is limited. Try and park in Otoparks as illegally parked cars may be towed away, or their drivers fined. In Marmaris there is car parking at Tansas supermarket. Or, fork right at the second main turning on the main road that runs along the back of Marmaris (turn right at lights by garden furniture shop and take the immediate left, watching out from traffic coming at you from the right). Follow this road for half a mile or so, across a set of lights and there is an Otopark on both the right and left shortly after the lights. We use the one on the right – where you will probably be asked to leave your keys as the owner regularly moves around and double parks vehicles to make best use of the space. The cost is 3 YTL per day for a normal sized car or 4 YTL for a minibus. From these otoparks it is a short walk to the sea front. |
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