mangorice wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:58 pm

HappyChappy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:24 am So after being here almost a year and spending a silly amount on tuktuks, I've decided that buying a moto it would basically just pay for itself at this stage.

THING IS. I told myself I'd never ride one, I've heard so many horror stories and my spacial awareness isn't fantastic.

HERE'S MY QUESTION: In order to minimise any trouble I may have, what are the perils of riding? What are the main things to look out for? I know not wearing a helmet will get me pulled over real fast, but what else will the cops have me done for? What do I need to know about the trick of the road out here???

Driving reeeeeal slow on the far right of the road is my plan.... Do I need to know anything else???.

Alright, two things here. No riding experience. Poor spatial awareness.

And you want to minimise perils/troubles?

Sorry, the traffic is too complex for you. I don't think it is wise for you to start riding without any proper training.

Otherwise we will see your friend posting in CEO a GoFundMe link because you are in the hospital with life threatening brain injury and/or lost a few limbs, with hospital debt accumulating every minute while you breathe through your tube down your throat.

atst wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:10 pm

mangorice wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:58 pm

HappyChappy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:24 am

Alright, two things here. No riding experience. Poor spatial awareness.

Sorry, the traffic is too complex for you. I don't think it is wise for you to start riding without any proper training.

You can't say that, you don't know the opp his maturity etc, I had never riden a bike till being in Cambodia, first time riding in PP was 3 up on a scoopy no worry's just follow the traffic, after 19,000 klm around most of Cambodia mostly with two up and luggage on a over 125 cc bike yes had some close calls but at low speed could stop and avoid, I would never ride a bike in Australia the traffic is far to fast and idiots applenty
It's a whole lot safer than taxis touk touks in my opinion, never have I needed to close my eyes and prey when on my bike, unlike being in taxis and buses here.
I class myself as a shit bike rider to be honest but would rather ride my bike than take public transport

Kammekor wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:39 am

mangorice wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:58 pm

HappyChappy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:24 am So after being here almost a year and spending a silly amount on tuktuks, I've decided that buying a moto it would basically just pay for itself at this stage.

THING IS. I told myself I'd never ride one, I've heard so many horror stories and my spacial awareness isn't fantastic.

HERE'S MY QUESTION: In order to minimise any trouble I may have, what are the perils of riding? What are the main things to look out for? I know not wearing a helmet will get me pulled over real fast, but what else will the cops have me done for? What do I need to know about the trick of the road out here???

Driving reeeeeal slow on the far right of the road is my plan.... Do I need to know anything else???.

Alright, two things here. No riding experience. Poor spatial awareness.

And you want to minimise perils/troubles?

Sorry, the traffic is too complex for you. I don't think it is wise for you to start riding without any proper training.

Otherwise we will see your friend posting in CEO a GoFundMe link because you are in the hospital with life threatening brain injury and/or lost a few limbs, with hospital debt accumulating every minute while you breathe through your tube down your throat.

Let's be honest, when driving a motorcycle in Cambodia the question is not if, but when shit will hit the fan. And how bad it will be.

Traffic in Cambodia, but especially in Phnom Penh, is notoriously dangerous. Once you've found out the unwritten rules of the roads and have adapted to it you will notice 1-5% of the users of the road don't even live by those rules. They are just completely ignorant about the other road users, and themselves. This isn't just the Bong Thom's in their armor plated land-cruisers but also the youngsters doing a turn at full speed while ending up on the wrong side of the road - your side.

In eleven years in Cambodia I have had my share of crashes, and I've been lucky so far. But I'm much more cautious now and I quit doing long trips. The freedom simply doesn't outweigh the risks anymore, especially because a lot of roads have been improved and traffic moves much faster now. All I do is short trips now, to and from the market, that stuff.

Before I came to Cambodia my employer paid for 10 hours of motorcycle lessons back home, and I had to do a one day course in Cambodia before they allowed me to drive a motorcycle in Cambodia. Buying a motorcycle and driving it in Phnom Penh without any training seems a bad idea to me.

pissontheroof wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:59 am

Brody wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:16 pm

pissontheroof wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 12:12 pm Why do you call it a push bike ? Doesn’t it have any peddles ?
I always use pedals and ride mine .

Lol, I think that's a British / Aussie thing?

I always just called my bicycle a.....................bike.

That’s what i mean about americans perfect the language and most everything ,
..why would you push a bicycle unless it had flat tires ?

Khmu Nation wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:33 am Ignore the doomsayers. Get an automatic scooter, low cc and go for it.

The first time I ever rode a scooter, or had ever been on one in fact, was in Hanoi. The day after I first went on it I drove it all the way to Saigon.

That was a decade and a half ago and I have been driving them ever since, mostly in Saigon. I have had an accident yes. But that was entirely my own fault and took place on an empty provincial road.

You need a motorcycle or a scooter. The pavements aren't really walkable and you can't always be getting tuk tuks, xe om, grab bikes, Uber and all that.

You will soon get bored of having to bicker about the extortionate price every single time you take a tuk tuk or get a xe om. You don't want that.

Get a scooter. Be vigilant. Give it a go.

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:17 am mate i could go on...

pissontheroof wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:27 am Those are great examples of what I meant ,
And how about hawaiian pizza ?
Why do they use american money here and not your “ pounds “ ?

Brody wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:50 am

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:17 am mate i could go on...

please do.

On the whole, I find US words for things more descriptively accurate

Some examples:

British / US

rubber... eraser
post... mail
holiday... vacation
lift... elevator
dummy... pacifier
telly... television (tv)
torch... flashlight
bin... trashcan
underground... subway


Anyway I don't know what your point is Jamie............but lets get into an across the pond vocabulary war.......sounds thrilling.

Though James, you may want to name a proxy.....I don't know if a bricklayer stands much of a chance in a lexical debate.