Monday, March 20, 2006

Traffic calming measures

The Turkish justice system has always been a mystery to me for reasons that probably shouldn't be listed here but I have to take my Gencler cap off to judges in Kayseri who have come up with some novel ways to punish wrong doers.

According to a story in the online version of Milliyet 26 year-old Umit Dirgen was sentenced to one-month imprisonment for (I think) dangerous driving. Under provisions allowed in the new criminal code, the judges reduced the sentence to a ban on attending Kayserispor or Erciyesspor matches for two months.

The story doesn't actually state whether Dirgen was given a choice between the two (I know that Eski Kanka Jim would gladly take the jail time rather than miss out on Ankaragucu for two months).

The decision is clearly good for Turkey. I can imagine that in the weeks leading up to a Galatasaray - Fenerbahce derby it will be a dream to drive in Istanbul, with fans politely giving way, using their indicators and actually stopping at red lights.

The court has also in recent days handed down a one-month ban from attending matches for 57 year-old Metin Cetin who was found guilty of breaking the co-operatives law (whatever that is).

In both cases the court has ordered the local cops to enforce the bans. Good luck.

1 comment:

  1. Yes ......... I agree .... prison is preferable to missing any Ankaragucu match. Being a footie fanatic is a way of life !!

    By the way, I read in Hurriyet this morning that there will be 2,500 Policemen at the Fenerbahce V Galata...spit....saray cup match tomorrow night. I wonder if they will be there as spectators or as `policemen` ???!!!

    All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

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