ELAZIG GUNISIGI NEWSPAPER – May 2011
THE DEADLOCK OF EXCUSES
Laws related to our social life and rules concerning technical matters are meant to make our lives easier. However, the excuses produced by everyone, from the young to the old, to avoid following them could almost form a comedy book. Of course, this humorous state costs us dearly. There is no end to the excuses.
Even children know that it is illegal to run a red light. But when very(!) important reasons arise, we can use the "authority" given to us by the law (!) and boldly violate it. Let's take a look at some familiar excuses:
Excuse 1: There were no police or cameras. (Besides, no one saw me!)
Excuse 2: There were no cars at the intersection, so why waste fuel? It’s a national treasure!
Excuse 3: They set the light duration arbitrarily; if the light stays on for that long, of course, no one will wait...
It turns out that creating laws is not enough; there must be follow-up. When people can violate laws so easily, it’s needless to say what happens to the rules themselves. In our country, earthquake-resistant houses are being built. Some of these houses are located in rural areas, where ready-mix concrete might be difficult or even impossible to deliver. However, when designing buildings for these areas, this is hardly ever considered. There’s simply no time for that! Later, construction begins, concrete is needed, and since ready-mix concrete can’t be delivered, they use on-site poured concrete. Excuses are strong(!), and there are places where homes are built so far that trucks can't get there, the roads are too narrow, and the distances are too long.
Relevant regulations prohibit on-site concrete pouring. In fact, no developed country uses on-site poured concrete. If we absolutely must, static and reinforced concrete calculations should take the on-site pouring method into account. What happens if this is not done? Our buildings will suffer damage even from minor tremors. The cost of repairs becomes as expensive as the construction itself. This means that after every earthquake, the government ends up making significant, unplanned expenditures for repairs.
We should recognize that we have major shortcomings in planning and program development, and we must work to address these. If we go from having an idea in the morning, asking for a project by noon, tendering by lunch, finishing construction by evening, and cutting the ribbon by nightfall, we will all pay the price together. This cycle will continue unless we change.
New neighborhoods are being formed, new hospitals and schools are being built. These are all needs that we know will be necessary one day. But somehow, their planning is always done at the last minute because of a lack of time.
Today, I want to focus on two particular issues: mosques and schools. As you know, mosques are built by the mosque construction and maintenance associations with great difficulty. The efforts of the association members are undeniable. Our citizens constantly try to support mosque constructions. However, there are serious shortcomings in project design, construction, and oversight that should not be overlooked.
Mosque projects are of great importance. Projects must be prepared considering construction conditions. It’s a fact that there are more shortcomings than in regular buildings. The reason for this problem is that the associations often do not have enough cash or large sums of money. However, this should not be an excuse. This issue must be taken seriously, and mosque constructions must be carried out in an orderly manner.
Buildings with proper control have very low operational costs. However, deficiencies that are made knowingly or unknowingly during construction can significantly shorten the lifespan of the building and increase operational costs. If an archive is kept on this issue, it will be evident that many mosques require expensive repairs after every earthquake. Every penny spent on unnecessary repairs is a waste of national wealth.
If the donations collected for mosque construction were gathered in one fund, mosque constructions could be completed quickly, in a controlled manner, and be earthquake-resistant.
Recently, many schools have been built with the contributions of philanthropists. However, when examining the architectural structure of these schools, it seems that some measurements were not properly considered by architects. For example, in a school with around 1000 students, the hallways are as narrow as residential corridors. In corridors where three people cannot walk side by side without bumping into each other, it seems impossible for students to move safely and comfortably.
In crowded places (especially schools), the width of staircases is crucial for evacuation during emergencies. If the stairwells in an 8-story, 16-apartment building are the same size as those in a building with hundreds of people, then something is wrong.
When investigating why architectural ergonomics were not followed, very important(!) excuses emerge again. Philanthropists have set a limit on the amount of money for the construction of the school, and architectural measurements were revised to fit this budget. The issue here is not whether these excuses are right or wrong, but that rules are being neglected. Of course, migration will eventually fix things, but will migration always be disorganized? Wouldn't it be better if we set off in an orderly manner and the caravan improved on the way?
Those who decide the validity of trivial excuses will carry all the responsibility not just in this world, but on their shoulders forever. Those who act with only today in mind and make excuses will not find a place for themselves in any book.
Excuses from those who think they know everything will turn into success stories for those who have teams of knowledgeable people...