. . . I think the Turksh registration numbers are numbers in alphabetical order.
34 has always been Istanbul,I don’t know most of them obviously,but Adana is 01 which gives you the idea.
It’s not quite as simplistic as Adana = 01, Istanbul = 34; it may have been once, but when you get to Zonguldak at 67, the list starts again with Aksaray = 68, and so on - until 81 which is Duzce. Here’s the list of area codes.
Before the Bosphorus was bridged, you had plenty of time to look at Turkish number plates - sitting in the queues for the ferries in Istanbul…
. . . I think the Turksh registration numbers are numbers in alphabetical order.
34 has always been Istanbul,I don’t know most of them obviously,but Adana is 01 which gives you the idea.
It’s not quite as simplistic as Adana = 01, Istanbul = 34; it may have been once, but when you get to Zonguldak at 67, the list starts again with Aksaray = 68, and so on - until 81 which is Duzce. Here’s the list of area codes.
Before the Bosphorus was bridged, you had plenty of time to look at Turkish number plates - sitting in the queues for the ferries in Istanbul…
Very interesting.It would appear the additional 14 were possibly smaller licencing areas as an area got to be big enough to split.
As the additions are not in alphabetical order I suppose they were just added onto the list as they occurred.
Ex Haulier:
I’ve seen the Youngturk vehicles, anyone know if it’s the same as the chap who was famous as the fixer in the heyday of running to the middle east ?.
Real name:Suliman Aksu.
A real nice guy.I remember he was in a serious road accident that almost cost him his life,but he got away with seveer facial injuries.
Further to the post about Turkish registration numbers,I clicked on to the details of the “Mardin” licencing area out of interest,it sure brings some memories back.
These days there are adverts to stay in the hotels of Mardin!
My God,when I was last there you needed an armed soldier in your cab when you passed through at night.
I took this photograph from the passenger deck of a Bosphorus ferry in the late 1960s - looking down at the vehicle deck - and in particular a Turkish light-truck which was probably a prewar one - the heavy ones were a slight improvement. Most taksis were old American cars. Like the trucks, the roads have improved no end - as can be seen on the picture below:
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Click the map to go to the website - it’s a good Turkish road map and includes a distance calculator bewteen the major cities. I wish I’d had the thing all those years ago…
Turkey has advanced considerably in recent times, they now build a lot of their own wagons - amongst other things. When I first went through Turkey, it came as a shock - Yugoslavia had seemed rather primitive but parts of Turkey appeared to be still in the Middle Ages - once you’d left Istanbul behind and were heading east to Ankara. This was on the then so-called Euro-Asian highway, and it was a dirt road that was more like a farm track in places - old trucks and buses lurching along, meandering through the minefields of crater-like holes in the surface. From what I can make out, all the main trunk routes have been upgraded now, to dual-carriageways in a lot of cases.
I had a lot of dealings with the Turkish Soldiers when I was posted to Cyprus with the UN. They are a very decent people. The poor guys were begging for water everytime we went through their Army checkpoints. They were left in the middle of nowhere with NO facilities, not even a toilet.
The guys seem to be a bit too friendly walking hand in hand around Nicosia, but hey.
They also seem to obey the law much more than other countries i could mention. All in all a thoroughly decent bunch of chaps.
euromat:
my opinion, the turks probably have the most modern european trucks on the road, dont see them in old junk anymore (unlike the british )
Can’t comment on the drivers as I’ve never spoken to one, but in the last couple of months I’ve seen 2 Cursors and 2 Axors from Turkey.
Hands up who wants to do international work in either of these …■■
TC
probably my mate carl, who is currently doing euro in an l reg volvo fh spoke to him the other week, the window had dropped off the runner so he had a lovely draught coming in
couple more pics of turkish trucks, mainly for betz!
this one is a rubbish pic, i took it early this morning n my 45 minute break, not only was it dark, but i was shaking like a ■■■■ ing dog cos it was so cold! seen not far from the norwegen border, they get everywhere eh!!
Ayup,Ive spoken to a few Turkish drivers who were delivering textiles in West yorks.Seems they get a ferry from Izmir or Istanbul which brings them to Trieste,then drive to U.K.There are always Turks delivering M&S clothes to Elite distribution warehouse in Leeds.Ive always found them good guys,and having given them directions they are very happy sharing chai and cigs with you.Ive allways found eastern europe drivers to be very friendly and helpfull,like it used to be in most places in the old days. cheers Joe.
walking hand in hand around Nicosia, but hey.
)
