Motorcyclist fined for 'not wearing a seatbelt': Hard not to be surprised

Hakan Çaçan, a 21-year-old motorcyclist living in Diyarbakır, was issued a 993 lira fine under article 78/1-A for "not wearing a seatbelt." Stating that he is a motorcycle rider, Çaçan expressed his surprise at receiving such a fine despite paying attention to traffic rules.

Çaçan said, "I have been riding a motorcycle for over 2 years. I am a baker, but I am also preparing for the KPSS exam at the same time.

Last year, before I went to do my military service, a fine was issued to my motorcycle license plate at Bağlar Dörtyol under article 78/1-A, which is the seatbelt article. As a motorcycle rider, I was astonished as to how I could be fined for a seatbelt. I didn't have the opportunity to appeal because I was going to the military," he said.

Stating that he did not believe the fine at first and thought it might have been written for another license plate, Çaçan used the following expressions:

"I found out 3 days later when I logged into my e-Devlet account to check, and I was very surprised. I got off my motorcycle, looked at my license plate, and then looked at the fine; they were the same. The license plate 46 AIN 448 belongs to me, and a seatbelt fine was issued. I am no longer surprised by anything. Anything can happen. I can't even comment on what I see anymore. I couldn't appeal either because I was in the process of military service. I went to the military and came back. After the military, everyone shared the fines they received, and I shared this one; everyone was very surprised. They didn't believe it at first, but they believed it when I showed them on e-Devlet."

Stating that if children under 10 are in the back seat, it is mandatory to have a seat and a seatbelt accordingly, Çaçan said that he was alone that day and added:

"I am not married, I don't have children, and I don't have siblings. Besides, there is no seatbelt on a motorcycle. If it had been written under article 78/1-B, I would have said I was fined for not wearing a helmet, but it was directly article 78/1-A, the fine for not wearing a seatbelt. It is hard not to be surprised."