How's The Traffic?

How did I spend my first weekend in Cambodia you might ask...? Nothing too exciting. On Saturday I walked about ten to sixteen kilometers across most of downtown Phnom Penh, learning the sites, purchasing groceries at the markets, and orienting myself. On Sunday, I did the same thing again, this time by bike. Though the cyclists, bikers, and drivers seemed psychotic at first, going down major downtown streets in the wrong direction, never signaling, and treating some traffic signals as mere suggestions, I quickly came to realize that the secret lies in simply not going too fast and generally being predictable in your movements. At home, we stop so that others can move around us. Here, the attitude is more similar to navigating a grocery store with a shopping cart. You indicate which way you will swerve through body language and then other drivers take note and swerve to avoid hitting you. You also need to be certain that your movements are consistent and predictable. No getting frightened. No sudden stops. Get scared, swerve, or stop too suddenly and others will be surprised and unable to compensate. The secret to safety lies in driving as insanely as everyone else.

Needless to say, I wore a good bike helmet and rather enjoyed myself.