Ask Mehmet: Parking in Adana

  • Published
  • By Mehmet Birbiri
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Ask Mehmet is a forum for people to ask questions of the local area, as well as the outer confines of the region and the country as a whole. To submit a question, send an e-mail with the subject "Ask Mehmet" to 39abw.pa@incirlik.af.mil. Then, look for an answer to the question on the 39th Air Base Wing's official website at www.incirlik.af.mil and Incirlik Air Base's Facebook page.

Question:
Mehmet, I was downtown in Adana this weekend and had a question about parking in the shopping areas. There was nowhere to purchase parking tickets (for the wind shield) and then when I came back to my car, there was a ticket on it. This is the second time it happened to me downtown. Can you explain parking and how it works in Adana?

Answer:
Parking in big cities is a common problem, and every city is trying to find a solution. When you are in Adana, look for an "OTO PARK" sign. That means you are near a parking area and you can park your vehicle there. Most of the open spaces in alleys and/or back streets are used parking spaces.

You will notice an arrow showing the direction to that 'oto park' if it is not easily seen. You must pay a parking fee to the attendant either as soon as you park, or when you come back to your vehicle.

Now, the ticket you saw on your wind shield...

Adana municipality has allocated the sides of most streets for parking. You will notice some signs by the street sides in Turkish about parking periods and fees to be paid. You do not go and purchase a parking ticket.

After parking your vehicle, an attendant comes and puts a white ticket on your windshield with your license plate number and time you parked. As in your experience, you might not even see the attendant when you park, but try to find the attendant when you come back.

Generally, the attendant is very close and as soon as you get into your vehicle they show up. They wear a vest and hold a machine in their hands to print parking tickets. They calculate the amount you should pay and give you a receipt after paying them.

The fee is two Turkish lira for the first hour and one Turkish lira for every additional hour. If you park less than 10 minutes, you don't pay anything.

You can pay your two unpaid parking tickets the next time you park your vehicle. Since your license plate number is logged in their system, those unpaid tickets will pop up, and you will be asked to pay for them as well.