Hold on a bit, where did you get the quoted information from? Do you have any link to an official site or a law that says the speed limit for 4x4/SUVs is less than 120 Km/h on motorways, even in Turkish?

Some posts back there's a link to speed limits in Turkey, here's the translated version so we can all speak the same language: Translated version of http://trfdenetleme.iem.gov.tr/(S(klvzeq452uqag155vl11q455))/hiz_limitleri.aspx
Where does it say about 4x4/SUVs?

Not only here did i read, that for some time now, people are being penalized for speeding ........ precisely for 91 km/hr ......... but i also have been hearing from the locals too...

Although its very embarrassing ...i have to admit it....

Every time when the goverment needs some financial support ...they start doing this. If you pay the penalty in 7 days they even give you %15 discount ... no joke!

And they write for 91 km/hr, so that you pay the minimum amount of penalty and it wont hurt too much ...

Thats why for everyone, coincidentaly, is receiving ticket for 91.

Is the petrol in Turkey really that expensive?? $2.50 US for a litre?!

When I'm riding through Turkey next month I reckon I'll be obeying their stupidly low speed limits if only to try and reduce my fuel consumption!!!

__________________
UK to Mongolia 2009, on a DR350

yes ...

I was paying more than US$3 ($3,50 Australian) a litre last year!! It was cheaper to stay put while I waited for my Iranian visa than to travel - even though I was on a bike. At least bus fares around Istanbul were cheap

__________________
Just Ride!
www.rocktravels.blogspot.com

Here is what I read and not hearing from locals ....

This is the law: karayollari trafik yonetmeligi - on the government site ::.. TRAFÝK HÝZMETLERÝ BAÞKANLIÐI ..::- where it says the speed limit is:
Otomobil, M1, M1G (Değişik: RG-05/07/2003-25159) 50 .... 90 ..... 120

M1 and M1G are motor vehicle categories and the above statement means any M1 or M1G motor vehicle is considered "Otomobil".

Here are the relevant bits from vehicle classification:

What you 'heard' from other people might be true if they were pulling a trailer behind their car or there were other particular road conditions or traffic signs.

So, 4x4s or SUVs (like Land/Range Rovers, Toyota Land Cruisers etc) are "Otomobil"s and they are allowed 120km/h on the highways


One other thing. "Arazi taşıtlarında ve motosikletlerde" in the above quoted law refers to Motorcycles and ATVs (mostly). That's why they are in the same speed limit category.



Although off topic, here are some links for our friend Nath here, to check the current (live) fuel prices in Turkey:
- M-Oil Fuel Price - choose a station below "POMPA FIYATLARI" (price at the fuel pump)
- BP fuel price - choose a city ("İl Adı:") then choose the station within an area in that city ("İlçe Adı") then click "Bul" (it means "Find").

I came across this sign last summer; a bit extreme, I thought, even for Turkey!

Stephan

The answer to the question "Why isn't the '20' centered in the red circle like '50' and '90' are?" should bring your eyeballs back in place

If your registration says it is an off-road vehicle, (which in my Honda HR-V's registration says it is, "though I don't think it is" and many Land Rover's, Jeep's, Land Cruiser's registration says also they are too off-road vehicles, at least in Turkish registrations.), your maximum speed can not be above 80 km/s at the highways according to this law. As i said the police is really flexible about this limit.

So, if your registration says it is an "Otomobil", Automobile, you are safe but if your registration says it is an "Arazi Taşıtı", Off-Road Vehicle, the police have every right to fine you for speeding if they want. (Do not think that I am saying it is logical or right, I am against this traffic law.)

In the second part of the Traffic Law, Definitions part Off -Road vehicle is defined as;

7) Arazi Taşıtı: Karayollarında yolcu veya yük taşıyabilecek şekilde imal edilmiş olmakla beraber bütün tekerlekleri motordan güç alan veya alabilen motorlu araçtır.

7) Off-Road Vehicle: A vehicle which is built to carry passenger or goods in the highways and is able to receive power from engine to its all wheels.

Hız sınırları (Speed Limits)

Madde 100- Karayolları Trafik Kanunu'nda ve Yönetmeliğinde yazılı kayıt ve şartlar dışında ve aksine bir işaret bulunmadıkça yerleşim yeri dışındaki devlet ve il yollarında 90 km/s, otoyollarda 120 km/s hızı geçmemek kayıt ve şartları ile şehiriçi ve şehirlerarası römorksuz taşıt cinsleri için saatteki en çok hız sınırları aşağıda gösterilmiştir.


ARAÇ CİNSİ
(Vehicle Type)

YERLEŞİM YERİ İÇİNDE - YERLEŞİM YERİ DIŞINDA - OTOYOLDA
(Within The City Limits) - (Out of City Limits - Public Highways) - (Express Highways, Autobans)

Otomobil, M1, M1G
(Değişik: RG-05/07/2003-25159) 50 90 120
(Automobiles)

Otobüs, 50 80 100

Minibüs, kamyon, kamyonet
ve N1G sınıfı araçlarda
(Değişik: RG-26/09/2003-25241) 50 80 90

Arazi taşıtlarında
ve motosikletlerde, 50 70 80
(Off-Road Vehicles
And Motocycles)

Tehlikeli madde
taşıyan araçlar ve özel yük
taşıma izin belgesi veya özel
izin belgesi ile karayoluna
çıkan araçlarda
(Belgelerinde aksine bir hüküm yoksa), 30 50 60

Motorlu ve motorsuz bisikletlerde, 30 50 -

Lastik tekerlekli traktörler,
arızalı bir aracı çeken araçlar
ve iş makinelerinde, 20 20 -

Kilometredir.

The registration paper for my Land Rover Discovery says, in a direct word for word translation, "Land Car" in English, "Arazi Otomobil" in Turkish. Whereas the other normal car that I have it says "Car" (Otomobil).
It clearly falls in the M1G category but, unfortunately, the category (M1G) is not written on the registration paper.

In my opinion, the "Arazi Taşıtı" category is for all the other vehicles with All Wheel Drive that don't fall in the M1G category.
I've also asked a couple of Land Rover drivers in Turkey about this speed limit issue and they also say the speed limit is 90 and 120 km/h, unless the vehicle is registered as a commercial vehicle (for carrying goods, not people) which means they won't fall in the M1G category.

Given this difference in opinion in reading the law among you, the locals, I thing the best way is to ask the authorities and get an official reply to this matter.

So, what authority do you suggest I should write to (website?)? Who is in charge for enforcing this law? As far as I know the state police should do.


On the other hand, I can get a paper from my local vehicle register authority saying the vehicle I have falls in the M1G category. I'll have it translated in Turkish by an authorized translation office and I'll be safe (I think).

I wrote to the Police Dept. and asked them in which category they include my Honda HR-V and what are the speed limits, inspection periods etc. according to my registration. I will post the answer as soon as I have it.

And as i said even if they count 4x4s as Off-Road vehicles, the police is very flexible about "Arazi Tasitlari"-Off Road Vehicles and so i don't think they will stop you for speeding if you are within the speed limits of cars because they never fined me for speeding. Very few of the Turkish Traffic police knows English so even if they look at your registration, they will not understand it. Tell them it is a car.

I know they count my Hr-V as off-road vehicle becasue of the legal inspection periods. For cars first inspections is at the end of the 3 years and after that, at every 2 years but for off-road vehicles, it is annual from the start.

Cheers,
Ozgur

Thanks for that. I also wrote to the Traffic Department of the Emniyet Genel Müdürlüðü (but obviously in English) and I'll post their answer if they'll be kind to reply.

I can understand the police flexibility but I can't rely on that. I have to know what the law says and not place myself and my family to the mercy of a policeman, more or less flexible, more or less looking for a bribe. I want to enjoy the ride, not watch for police vehicles.

I wouldn`t worry about the speed limit driving one of them gas guzzlers, or worrying about what class of vehicle it says on your registration, there`s too many SUVs owned by Turks on the roads in Turkey, and they all go fast as hell, so forget it.

It`s about 70kph for motorcycles - too slow to be safe, especially from all them big honkin` SUVs blasting past on the road - never mind the cement trucks, the dump trucks, the other trucks that legally can go faster than a motorcycle.

__________________
quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

From this thread it sounds like the Best way to ride a motorcycle in Turkey is to put it on the back of a truck, kick your feet up and drink cold .

I'm not looking forward to doing 200kms at less than 70kph in June/July!

Does Turkey have it's own ?

__________________
TurboCharger + Francois (our BMW R1200gs) '07
www.riding2up.net, blog.riding2up.net

Sure, it does. Efes Pilsen is the best (at least for my taste). If your way passes through Ankara, let me buy an Efes.

Cheers,
Ozgur.