While living in Istanbul, I needed to go to the Canadian embassy in Ankara for some minor reason. While there the staff invited me into the their canteen for a real Canadian beer. I drank one and appreciated their hospitality. At least 4 hours later, on a very dark night, I was making my way back along one of the better highways in Turkey. As most Turkish trucks (at that time) had difficulty going faster than 20 MPH on such terrain, it had three paved lanes, two for passing - it was almost a super highway. Unfortunately it was very dark and raining very hard, visibility was a couple of car lengths at best. I was going slowly down a winding stretch when I suddenly saw lights in my rear view mirror, then it happened. The truck carrying large steel beams plowed into the rear of my car. One beam going through the rear window. All passengers were fine, but the car was close to being a write-off. The rear end was shortened by a couple of inches. When I finally pried open the trunk to get my bags, I found one of the trucks wipers inside.
The ordeal that followed took over two days. Most of the time involved “interrogation” from the army colonel in charge in the area. They were continually trying to find out if I had insurance but I wouldn’t tell him, because if they found out I did, I thought I would be charged with something. For most of the two days the interrogation consisted of the usual questions. How much money do you make? What did you do in the military (they can’t grasp the fact Canadians don’t have to go the military). Do you have car insurance, What kind of fighter jets does Canada have. Have I been to New York.
However that first night, they insisted I take a alcohol test, I refused because I had a single beer at the embassy 8 hours before and was worried. Although I would not be over the limit in any known western country. I wasn’t quite sure of the repercussions of a non-zero test. The army officer was getting very upset, the conversation got heated. Finally he order the two soldiers guarding me to point their rifles at my head. My companion with me screamed. The two rifles were pointed point blank at my head, I quickly agreed to the alcohol test. They loaded me into a very small car with the officer, two guards, driver and my companion. We went to a very dark apartment building (it was quite late at night by now). They knocked on the door of an apartment on the 5th floor. A very sleepy older man answered. They spoke briefly in Turkish. The man, who I found out later was a doctor, said to me, “Breathe on me”. I say “What?”. He said “Breathe on me”. I did, he then said in English and Turkish, “ No alcohol”, and quickly closed the door, to go back to sleep. I guess I passed the Turkish drunk driving test.
Ultimately before I finally was released by the army, I had to go over the entire accident with the officer, the truck driver and a translator, and produce a signed affidavit. I should have known what was going to happened when the truck driver said bye to the officer and kissed this cheek and shook his hand repetitively. When I arrived back at work in Istanbul, they told me that I signed a statement declaring the accident as totally my fault.
A final note on this, it seems that in most Muslim countries if you get in an accident with a local, no matter what, the accident will be your fault. The logic is that you are a visitor, if you weren’t there, there would not have been an accident. Thus it is your fault. Be aware.
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