Traffic fatigue in Istanbul
More populous than many countries in the world, Istanbul is Turkey's largest city and the 15th most populous in the world. For those living in Istanbul, this overcrowding has turned into a real ordeal.
Melik Çelik
Melik ÇELİK - 12punto.com.tr
According to the latest official data, the registered population of the mega-city is exactly 16 million. Including those who are not registered, this population is even higher. Consequently, this density directly affects transportation. Therefore, public transport vehicles are at the top of the list of crowded areas. So much so that hundreds of thousands of people in the city experience a veritable "Migration of Peoples" inside public transport every day. So, what do those who experience this situation in Istanbul every day think? www.12punto.com.tr investigated this issue, which affects the quality of life of everyone living in the city.
“AT LEAST 2 HOURS OF MY TIME IS SPENT IN TRAFFIC”
Duygu Kömürcü, a university student in Istanbul, was born and raised in the city. Kömürcü emphasized that she has never been able to get used to Istanbul's crowds since childhood and that she has accepted this density because she uses public transport. Kömürcü spoke as follows: “The crowd is not just physically exhausting; it is also mentally draining. I spend a minimum of two hours in transport vehicles every day, and that tires me out. Furthermore, the noise created by the crowd makes it impossible for me to concentrate. Even if I want to, for example, read a book to spend my hour on the metro productively, I cannot focus because of the noise. At most, I can listen to music, and even that gets boring after a while.”
“IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I WOULD LEAVE ISTANBUL”
Nurgül Beyhan, a cafe owner in Vezneciler, Fatih, commutes to work by tram every day. Emphasizing that members of society treating each other with respect could solve many problems, Nurgül Hanım said: “In public transport vehicles, I mostly see people losing their respect for one another and their intolerance. We witness very unpleasant arguments and unnecessary fights. This tires me out both physically and mentally.”
While stating that the crowd wears her down, Beyhan added that if she could find a job in another city, she would leave Istanbul.
S. S., a graduate of the Turkish Language Teaching department, works as a waiter at Nurgül Beyhan's business. Stating that he frequently uses the Marmaray for transportation, Sarpkaya expressed that he uses almost all public transport vehicles in Istanbul. When we asked how he is affected by Istanbul's crowds, he replied: “For me, the crowd and density are an inseparable part of this city's identity. I have wandered around the city on holiday mornings, and an empty Istanbul really didn't feel like a pleasant city to me at all. As for fatigue, fatigue is actually a state of mind and body experienced all over the world, not just in Istanbul. I cannot say that I am more tired just because I live in Istanbul specifically. Even if I were tired because of the traffic, I would still say it is worth living in this city.”