By MICHAEL FOX
Stuff.co.nz
A stint in Cambodia teaches you to appreciate road rules.
Traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, the give-way rule and seat belts reveal themselves as true blessings.
In my time in Cambodia I was honked at, swerved past, almost run over and driven into the path of an oncoming concrete truck by an unrepentant tuk tuk driver.
A six-hour trip from the capital Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was a game of dodge-the oncoming-death-trap. It was no surprise to learn that Cambodia has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in Asia.
Kids play fight on the side of the roads, a mere push or a shove away from certain death.
An endless procession of villagers cycle along the side of the road, aware of the vehicle coming up behind them only by the incessant honking of horns - quite possibly the biggest necessity in a vehicle in Cambodia, and indeed in Thailand and Vietnam also.
Some vehicles are so poorly lit that what appears to be a motorbike coming towards you, can often turn out to be a Khmer tractor hauling a wider load than you're prepared for.
The median strip is a guide more than a rule and drivers, well my driver at least, seemed to prefer to spend as much time on the wrong side of the road as possible.
Children ride on top of loads strapped to the back of utes that would be considered outrageous hazards in New Zealand.
Some passengers, who are left with no choice as the back of the ute is overloaded, as is the roof, are forced to ride nonchalantly on the bonnet of the car hurtling down the motorway.
Marauding cows cross the road at will.
One unlucky milky-white bovine had the misfortune of crossing the road ahead of an oncoming ute. The vehicle struck the cow so hard it completed a 180 before landing on its back. It got up and limped off nursing a presumably smashed leg.
In the cities, there are no such things as pedestrian crossings. You soon learn to walk out and leave it to the drivers to avoid hitting you - this experience becomes even more nerve-wracking when you notice some of the scooter drivers are texting as they hurtle towards you.
Taking a moto - a scooter taxi - is a lesson in daring driving. Every now and then a driver offers you a helmet but more often than not you're forced to risk your marbles every time you set foot, or bum, on the back of one.
It's obvious the fairly recent law making it compulsory to wear helmets has not quite worked.
Drivers merge when and how they feel like it and it's a wonder you don't see constant crashes. Perhaps it's fortunate scooters, and not SUVs, are the most popular vehicle of choice. Hummers are de rigueur among the newly rich, however.
The only times the roads are quiet are when convoys of VIP vehicles are on the move and their security staff shut the roads down to the public.
You certainly learn to appreciate roads rules for what they are - lifesavers.
Traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, the give-way rule and seat belts reveal themselves as true blessings.
In my time in Cambodia I was honked at, swerved past, almost run over and driven into the path of an oncoming concrete truck by an unrepentant tuk tuk driver.
A six-hour trip from the capital Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was a game of dodge-the oncoming-death-trap. It was no surprise to learn that Cambodia has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in Asia.
Kids play fight on the side of the roads, a mere push or a shove away from certain death.
An endless procession of villagers cycle along the side of the road, aware of the vehicle coming up behind them only by the incessant honking of horns - quite possibly the biggest necessity in a vehicle in Cambodia, and indeed in Thailand and Vietnam also.
Some vehicles are so poorly lit that what appears to be a motorbike coming towards you, can often turn out to be a Khmer tractor hauling a wider load than you're prepared for.
The median strip is a guide more than a rule and drivers, well my driver at least, seemed to prefer to spend as much time on the wrong side of the road as possible.
Children ride on top of loads strapped to the back of utes that would be considered outrageous hazards in New Zealand.
Some passengers, who are left with no choice as the back of the ute is overloaded, as is the roof, are forced to ride nonchalantly on the bonnet of the car hurtling down the motorway.
Marauding cows cross the road at will.
One unlucky milky-white bovine had the misfortune of crossing the road ahead of an oncoming ute. The vehicle struck the cow so hard it completed a 180 before landing on its back. It got up and limped off nursing a presumably smashed leg.
In the cities, there are no such things as pedestrian crossings. You soon learn to walk out and leave it to the drivers to avoid hitting you - this experience becomes even more nerve-wracking when you notice some of the scooter drivers are texting as they hurtle towards you.
Taking a moto - a scooter taxi - is a lesson in daring driving. Every now and then a driver offers you a helmet but more often than not you're forced to risk your marbles every time you set foot, or bum, on the back of one.
It's obvious the fairly recent law making it compulsory to wear helmets has not quite worked.
Drivers merge when and how they feel like it and it's a wonder you don't see constant crashes. Perhaps it's fortunate scooters, and not SUVs, are the most popular vehicle of choice. Hummers are de rigueur among the newly rich, however.
The only times the roads are quiet are when convoys of VIP vehicles are on the move and their security staff shut the roads down to the public.
You certainly learn to appreciate roads rules for what they are - lifesavers.
Not just road fatalities, people throwing Trashs all over the places, people line up along high way and taken a piss and a shits...? they got to educated these people or fine them a big $$..
ReplyDeleteI was visiting cambodia in 2007, on the way to Battambang city, the bus stop a long the roads, people got out, and just peeing next to each other..? i just couldn't do it! i kept finding the big bushes to hide...i could not do like them...!
ReplyDeleteI knew why? your dick is too small...hahaha!
ReplyDeleteEducation is needed for general public. Safety should be on top of the agenda for the education. If it is not safe, don't do it. I found it trouble every time I see people ride on the roof of the taxies and lights were not being lit properly in the roads that are already unlit. Annual inspection of all vehicles should be required to insure everyone is safe. Cambdodia does not need to wait 5 or ten years from now to implement this security measure.
ReplyDeleteSupport Khmer Blog today
ReplyDeletejust press my name you will direct to read all hot news
http://www.pressblock.blogspot.com
Khmer blog
It funny that your mention this.
ReplyDeleteIn a developed country Government pain Police & Teacher enough. But not Cambodia, they fine you but the money goes to their pocket instead of the government.
Where are those corruption laws?
Where do all the yearly multi millions $ donate goes too? who pockets them?
15years and the CPP still can't build a proper footpath or drainage....
so u got a better idea? come help! stop barking and do nth or u afraid ull lose ur welfare checks?
ReplyDeleteAfter 5-6 July 1997. Co-PM Eung Hourt promised to build public wc. Unfortunately, he was dropped from office. So Cambodian people do not have access to public toilet.
ReplyDeleteSo much$$ money from around the world were puring into cambodia, but people in the rural area still have no running water and affordable electricity..? at-least Govt could help them with running waters or electricity please..! Those high drunken officials used electricity for Free?
ReplyDeleteDemocratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
ReplyDeleteTortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over eighty members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
AH SIAM MUST DIE DIE DIE!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI want my Khmer boy life back!!!!!
This is what happen when machinery come before road or highway. In modern world they build road before machinery come so every law was in place. But what the fuck cambodia has 14 million people now, kill a few million more is nothing for Hun Sen Hanoi government.
ReplyDelete