Gap Illusion

Near the end of Girne Pass, gaps appear larger than they are. The descent opens sightlines, speed steadies, and space looks negotiable. Risk forms when visual gaps are mistaken for usable gaps.

As vehicles approach the split between underpass and first roundabout, flows overlap. A space opens briefly as one car positions early. The following driver reads this as permission, not timing. The window closes faster than expected because downhill momentum compresses seconds into meters.

Timing sharpens the effect. Between 16:30–19:30, inbound traffic is dense and staggered. Drivers search for opportunity rather than order. A gap that looks generous from above becomes tight at the point of entry.

A familiar local sequence repeats. A driver descends smoothly, spots a gap, and commits late. Steering begins as braking should. The vehicle ahead adjusts, the vehicle behind reacts, and the margin evaporates. Contact, when it happens, is lateral or rear-quarter, sudden and disruptive.

This pattern persists because visibility improves just as patience should increase. The layout hasn’t changed. What repeats is trusting the eye over the clock.

On Girne Pass near the bottom, the risk is not seeing a gap,

but believing it will still be there when you arrive.