Rules of the road? Cambodian edition

[SINUS]

Road laws? Nah - Cambodian minimalism" (Phnom Penh 2025)

https://odysee.com/@sinus:4c/traffic:d6

[ressl]

Actually quite simple. It is not important what's behind you, just take care about what's in front of you. Woman take this rule more serious than man, so even if you horn at woman because she does some crazy shit, she will not even notice that at all. Every traffic light has its own rules, and some of those rules change with the time of the day, so just go with the flow what others do, if you are not familiar with this specific traffic light. Start immediately when the traffic light turns green is a death sentence. Same for rushing through a traffic light that has been green for a long time but without any other vehicles on the road. You are expected to turn right on a red traffic light, but it is no problem to block the lane and prevent others to do so; the same goes for TukTuks blocking any paths a normal motorbike would fit through easily. Driving on the pavement when there is congestion is normal. Don't drive between 22:00 and 03:00, this is the time where drunk Chinese usually do airbacking on road dividers or other vehicles on or beside the road. If you cause accident: if your vehicle still works drive away; if not, run.
Open for additions, those were just the first things that came to my mind

[total nutter]

Actually quite simple. It is not important what's behind you

Yeah, right. Until they ride over you.

[Freightdog]

Actually quite simple. It is not important what's behind you, just take care about what's in front of you.

Except maybe every vehicle where your head barely makes it into their field of vision, in a country where drivers barely move their heads.

[Gazzy]

These twats with expensive motors, don't even understand what high-beam means. Duh.

[Daun Penh Stalker]

Nothing is in back of a Cambodian driver.

[Spigzy]

Road laws? Nah - Cambodian minimalism" (Phnom Penh 2025)

https://odysee.com/@sinus:4c/traffic:d6

Lol @ the dude in the "Mario Kart"

[DLsea]

A few additions. These are from a Siem Reap perspective (but probably true everywhere in the KOW) -

NEVER forget:

Small gives way to big. (Cyclists are at the very bottom of the pecking order and give way to everything, everywhere, - even on "dedicated" cycle paths.

Flashing indicators on motorcycles seldom mean "I am turning".

A flashing indicator on a car could mean any number of things - I'm pulling out of/into a parking bay, I'm turning, I'm double parking while wifey is buying takeaways.

There are no rules applicable at school entrances during pickup/drop off times except avoiding contact. Best to avoid them irrespective of what you drive and especially if you are a pedestrian. The hazzardous area usually extends to at least 1 block either side.

Hooting at intersections generally means "I am not stopping" (that is, I am in a hurry or, my brakes don't work or, the load on my motorcycle's trailer is too heavy for me to execute a quick stop).

Most of the road users have never had to do a drivers' license test and have absolutely no idea as to the meaning of street signs and markings, right of way, indicating etc.

A high percentage of the road users will be on their phones, or in the case of cars, looking at their GPS screen.

Avoid night time driving, especially out of town. Some Khmer have exceptionally good eyesight and don't need to use their lights at night, while others have such bad eyesight that they have to drive with brights and spotlights on at all times.

[phuketrichard]

one thing that always scares me in a car or even more so on a bike, be it Thailand, Cambodia, Laos etc, is slowing down an stopping as a yellow light turns to red.
I ALWAYS make it a point to see how far behind me the car or motorcycle is

FYI:
mirrors on a bike are not for looking at whose behind you, but to check ur hair and pop zits

[hanno]

one thing that always scares me in a car or even more so on a bike, be it Thailand, Cambodia, Laos etc, is slowing down an stopping as a yellow light turns to red.
I ALWAYS make it a point to see how far behind me the car or motorcycle is

FYI:
mirrors on a bike are not for looking at whose behind you, but to check ur hair and pop zits

I am often on the road very early, at 04:00 or earlier, to go bird watching. Most dangerous time of day on Sunday morning. Lots of drunks in big cars going really fast. The dilemma: do I stop at a red light and risk getting rear-ended by some Chinese fcuktard in a Toyota Alphard or do I run the light and risk getting nailed by the coppers?

Another danger: a couple of weeks ago, I had just left the hotel, it was 4 am, when two bigh cars came up behind me. They overtook me on the right just as an unmarked vehicle drove past my left, stopped the two cars, and all these heavily armed police piled out. They looked serious, face mask, heavy weapons, and all, and I high-tailed it before the bullets started flying.