March 25th, 2006 | The lowdown by Gordon Candelin

Surviving the streets of Phnom Penh. (A Traffic Primer)

I am alternately bemused and terrified when I see newcomers to Cambodia tooling around on their rented motos or dirt bikes. At best, they'll wind up breaking some of the bizarre traffic rules that are actually enforced and be conned out of too much money. At worse, they'll have an accident, which unfortunately are common and increasing all the time. It may be too hot and too sweaty, but please wear a helmet.

Protect Yourself

It goes without saying that a helmet is a necessity. The pace of traffic may seem slow, but you won't be sitting so smugly for long if after falling at 20 kilometers an hour (painful but doable) your head is promptly run over by a camry.

The streets of Phnom Penh are extremely dusty, especially during periods of intermittent rains which wash mud onto the paved roads that, when dried, can wreak havok on your eyes. And your nose and lungs for that matter. Buy some cheap clear sunglasses ($2-$3 just about anywhere) and ride tear-free.

Road Rules

It may seem like no one knows what they're doing on the streets of Phnom Penh, and you're probably right. Traffic is chaotic, and while some swear there is a logic to it, at the end of the day it's really just every man for himself.

The rule of thumb is to keep your eyes everywhere. At the same time. Always. Turning your head to look left or right when crossing traffic wastes valuable time; during the split second that you eyes are averted, a speeding land cruiser could be barreling down on you before you know it, so keep your head straight and make the most of peripheral vision.

It's common to drive along the wrong side of the street, waiting for a break in traffic in order to swing over and continue. Be especially careful of cars and motos that will turn left from side streets directly into your lane from the opposite direction. This is particularly bad at night, when that vague blur suddenly becomes a Honda Dailem with no brakes and a mound of chickens tied to the seat.

I try to stay away from the center lane as much as possible, since it?s very common for cars and motos to overtake on busy streets by swerving into oncoming traffic, and during rush hour there's not a lot of room to maneuver, even for motos.

If You Get into an Accident

It?s your fault. No matter what happened or how, you are at fault and will be asked to pay. This can be a very tricky situation, and you?ll have to play it by ear. Obviously, if you are hurt, there?s not much you?ll be able to do anyway. If you are at fault, you probably should pay something, though it?s best to do that BEFORE the police arrive, as they?ll ask for payment too. You can always do it the a la Khmer, which is to get the hell out of there as soon as possible. This may not be morally ideal, but neither is having to pay for having your leg broken. Or worse.

Traffic Police

The traffic police seem to go hot and cold about stopping people, except when it concerns left turns on to streets where it's not allowed and driving with your headlights on (apparently only government officials and military are allowed to do this). Otherwise, it's best to stay towards the middle of the road wherever you see lot's of police idling on the corner - sometimes they'll 'ticket' you simply for stopping. I mean, if you stopped, you MUST have done something wrong, right?

Here are a few areas where you should take care:

NO LEFT TURN: from Monivong onto Sihanouk Blvd. There are usually a few foreigners to be seen arguing with the police here. The no left turn signs are there, but not very noticeable. If going north on Monivong, turn left the block before crossing Sihanouk Blvd. If you are going south, turn left the block after you cross.

NO LEFT TURN: from Russian Blvd. onto Monivong. If you are going east on Russian Blvd, follow the traffic as it turns left at the Total gas station. CONTINUE GOING STRAIGHT! During the day there is a second group of police waiting just a bit further north on Monivong. To actually go left at this point, you?ll have to cross Monivong (follow the flow of traffic) and then make a couple more left turn, essentially making a U-Turn. At this point you are now facing west, and can turn right onto Monivong (north).

NO MOTOS ALLOWED ON NORODOM: This is no longer a problem, given that the 'no motos' sign has been taken down and the presence of traffic police has been greatly reduced.

If You Get Caught

The police will sometimes work in two?s or three?s to create a cordon to stop drivers. If you really can?t avoid them, pull off to the side of the road and remove the keys yourself (before they do) and remain sitting on the moto. Official traffic fees are usually 2500 riel and should come with a receipt, but you may be asked for as much as $20. If you have a little patience (don't get angry) you can bargain your way down. A dollar will usually do it, though if you are prepared to make a fuss, they may just wave you on your way. Then again, they may not.