Sir,
I am a foreigner living in Cyprus for the last three years, and I agree that the driver’s education that I received in my native United States has proved utterly inadequate for conditions here.
An example of one of the many difficult adjustments I have had to make is losing my dogged American habit of believing that sidewalks are for pedestrians while streets are for cars.
However, judging from the comments of the Director of the Police Traffic Unit, Demetris Demetriou, (as quoted by the CM) I should adjust my American mathematical education to Cypriot practices as well. In the US, quantities like 42 percent, or 13 out of 31, would not be considered a majority. This is the percentage of people killed on the roads this year, a figure which Mr. Demetriou apparently uses to support his assertion that “most of the victims are from third countries.” I won’t bother questioning this imprecise use of the term “third country,” since I am infinitely reassured by the authorities’ initiative to help protect us confused foreigners from our own ignorance by making us aware of local driving laws, to which the locals dutifully abide.
But I am left with a few lingering questions.
Are the authorities equally concerned about the lives of the remaining 58 percent (minority?!) of first- and second-country drivers who get killed on our roads? And isn’t it relevant to know what percentage of fatal accidents are CAUSED by third-country nationals? Even though I have previously been a third-country national in France, Greece, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and the UK, I never had to face these questions because I always used public transportation.
Ken Smith
Latsia
Sir,
I have just read your article on road safety for foreigners. I have to say that although this is a very serious matter, perhaps the police should look closer to home when it comes to road safety and adhering to it.
I have lived in Cyprus for nearly eight years and love it. I have had my children go to our local school to learn Greek better to adapt to their surroundings and have many friends from all nationalities.
I feel strongly that not only should the police address road safety for other nationals but also they should concentrate on getting the local population (this includes Cypriots and other nationals who class Cyprus as their home) to adhere to road safety as well.
In my time here I have witnessed:
Overtaking on roads that carry a straight white line especially in the villages and the Troodos Road,
People turning across the Troodos Road where they are not supposed to,
Talking on mobile phones and slowing down or swerving whilst texting, talking or searching for contacts,
Children allowed to stand up, jump around and even sit on parents laps in the front and back of cars without seat belts,
Animals sitting on laps of drivers and passengers laps and hanging out of windows,
Cars turning without signalling,
Pulling into car parking spaces without signalling,
Going around roundabouts without signalling… need I go on!
I am not saying by any means that I am a perfect driver but I do try and adhere to the lessons I took when taking and passing my driving test.
Perhaps we should ALL take a closer look to ourselves and our driving habits then perhaps many road accidents would not happen in the first place!
Name and address supplied
