April Showers Bring Poor Drivers

The good weather took a holiday today and the streets are full of rushing water. Walking up the hill this morning I brought hat, gloves, and a jacket, but half way to the top I found myself wishing for a scarf. When it rains or snow or the weather behaves in any unpredictable fashion the common sense of Istanbul's drivers takes a plunge into the abyss. Drivers will take roundabouts backwards to try to save time and all sorts of egregious driving errors become commonplace.
Walking up this morning I saw someone attempt to pass another car climbing the hill, obviously fed up with the other car's slow progress. But approaching the top of the hill the second car found itself face to face with three on-comers. What does a frustrated Istanbul driver do at this point? He pulls farther to the left and tries to drive around the three cars and still pass the first. Wow, I'm just glad there wasn't a collision. Not all are as lucky as me though, listening to an ambulance's sirens screech over honking traffic, motionless for five minutes, makes me hope whoever is in charge of traffic planning will consider widening roads to add emergency lanes.
Other than the chaotic conditions and din of honking the Saturday is perfectly normal, and even growing warmer as the afternoon deepens. Funky Cafe is vigilantly staffed by Gokçe and Apo and the flower lady greets all passersby warmly, her bouquets protected from the elements by sheets of cellophane. Tomorrow the sun is supposed to make a strong showing and the great throngs of humanity should be milling down the sidewalks again.