Compared to your home country, how do you ride/drive differently in Cambodia?

In Australia, I have a car for regular transport, and bicycles for exercise. In Cambodia, I have a bicycle for regular transport, and use minivans, taxis or buses for long distances.

On the bicycle, depending on the situation, I often cross to the left side of the road before turning left. I have tried moving to the middle of the road, but people on motorbikes will often go to the wrong side of the road and overtake you on the left. In situations where you have no choice, holding your left hand out may prevent this. I know somebody who had his left indicator on, and moved to the middle of the road on his motorbike. When he turned left, another motorbike tried to overtake him on the left, resulting in an accident.

At intersections, I leave more space than most Cambodians, often letting them go first. I sometimes swerve to go around behind them.

I sometimes choose roads with less traffic, when there is more than one way to get to a place.

My transport is a bicycle, so I am very unlikely to cause an accident where I cause somebody else serious injury.

I have ridden motorbikes and driven cars belonging to others in the past. After seeing a large number of accidents, I normally avoid this now. For, example, I sometimes go to a restaurant with a girl in PP. In the past, I would ride her motorbike with her on the back. Now, I go on my bicycle, and she goes on her motorbike.

I think, the biggest danger for me on the bicycle is getting hit from behind by a fast moving vehicle. People often pull out from the right with no warning, which forces those on the road to move left. Greatly increasing the likelihood of getting hit from behind.

I know not everybody does what I do. What do you do?

I ride defensively. It’s just like riding in Paris or London but with more erratic behaviour.

Beware of wobbling backpackers on rental bikes.

In one word: defensively. In more words: both in Vietnam and Cambodia I expect fellow riders/drivers to do some sort of fucktardery at any given moment; I am rarely disappointed.

I drive my moto or the tuktuk like a Cambodian. Which really irritates some of them.

The only difference is that I don't run red lights - ever - which also really irritates some of them.

I have been driving a moto around Phnom Penh for over 20 years, you're implying other places are different!

Driving is a competition, all other vehicles and their drivers are opponents.

In australia I would drive in the left side of the road but in keeping with traffic norms in cambodia I also drive on the left side of the road.

SlowJoe wrote: ↑Wed Dec 26, 2018 2:55 pm In australia I would drive in the left side of the road but in keeping with traffic norms in cambodia I also drive on the left side of the road.

... right side of the road, middle of the road, either "side-walk", through markets, through private properties, through flood waters...

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Dec 26, 2018 1:32 pm I drive my moto or the tuktuk like a Cambodian.

Sometimes you are forced to do what Cambodians do. You would never get across some intersections if you didnt push your way in.

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Dec 26, 2018 3:04 pm

SlowJoe wrote: ↑Wed Dec 26, 2018 2:55 pm In australia I would drive in the left side of the road but in keeping with traffic norms in cambodia I also drive on the left side of the road.

... right side of the road, middle of the road, either "side-walk", through markets, through private properties, through flood waters...

Sometimes on sunny days, on roads with very little traffic, I ride on the side with the most shade.