Sisowath Quay

Morning View

Busy Night Traffic

A man sits on his cyclo during a busy traffic

The Warden

The policeman waves his hand signaling the vehicles on the other side to come along

View of Night Traffic along Mekong River Phnom Penh

A beautiful view of the Mekong River at night along the road

Sisowat Quay

Night View

Showing posts with label Analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Analysis. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Expensive Car but so Cheap is the Driver (Cambodian Expression)

In English, "cheap" literally means something which could be affordable at a low cost. Normally, this adjective is not used to refer a person. However, in Cambodian's expression, when someone is referred as Cheap, it means that someone worth nothing in his/her characteristics. People wouldn't value such person.

Recently, someone has made him or herself quite well-known in Cambodia's social media as he/she was trying to drive in a reverse traffic direction escaping from junction in a busy evening.


 A CHEAP driver in an expensive Lexus 570 driving in a reverse direction

A man seeing this person in his/her luxurious car could not help letting this go so he picked up a camera and to a few shots then post them onto his Facebook profile criticizing this act. (We would like to credit these photo to him while we prefer to keep his name hidden.)

"It is not a strange thing that people with luxurious expensive car never learn to obey the traffic law," said a social media user, commenting on the post. Normally, at least most of the time, people with power and modern car treat themselves higher, not respecting any other road users. However, others would see this from the exact opposite corner of thoughts. The higher they raise, the lower people would rate them, just like someone in this photo.

On the contrary thoughts, not only rich and powerful people are traffic violators. Even from these images, we could see that there are a few bikers follows the car joining those being called CHEAP on the road. There are also those rich and powerful people who obey the law and respect their fellow road users. So being rich or powerful does not define how someone obey the traffic law. It solely lies on each individual's sense of responsibility and accountability.

To build this up, education should be sharpened while at the same time the government should play a vital role to ensure that such thing is reduced to a minimal stage. Severe fine and punishment should be enacted to traffic violators regardless of how rich and powerful they are.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Someting you can only see in Cambodia

In traffic, if someone asks you to name out the most bizarre country in traffic condition, what would you recommend?

Well, people have their own perspective of how they view something which is either good or bad. Some image below are not bad things but some common condition you can only find in Cambodia. It may be funny, crazy, horrible, or anything up to the viewer's perspective and I, as a writer of this post, would not recommend anything but just to take it as a fun.

1. The MO-TEL (Motor + Hotel)


Despite a very busy traffic condition and how hard it goes, this motor taxi driver (Motor Dup) find it a peaceful day on his bike which he used as his perfect bed for a nap a long the street. What else could be better for him? It's both comfortable and a no-cost MO-TEL for him. You can find this only in Cambodia.

2. Mind the CowBoys

You may find the cowboys in Texas. Well, that's what I have heard as I have never been there. But here in Cambodia, I witness it with my own eyes. The cowboys here would literally means the Cow and the Boys who would come together with their big herds of cow joining the main road.






What would you do in such condition where you will have to face them on the road you are traveling. Of course, just let them be and be patient, they will be gone in minutes. If you are in such a hurry stage, you can try sneaking in among the heard and probably get some welcoming Moos from the cow.

3. The Real 3D Road

Some really good artist would make some of the roads into beautiful 3D images where people could come and enjoy how it feels like. Images may vary according to the artist's imagination such as waterfall, hell, beautiful scenes, etc. There's no need for such things in Cambodia as they have made a read 3D environment right on the road.





Look at the above image of a comparison between an artist's 3D road and a real 3D road of Cambodia and tell which one is better. Frankly, some people would rate it more than just a mere simple 3D as that one exceed every condition it has to be a 3D. Kids and youth today would call it a 4D or 5D as it includes both real-time dimensional experience and how it truly feels to be in such thing.


4. Mind the Crocodile

A crocodile in road traffic? What a bizarre thing!
Well, here is how people take it. So big they have holes and bumps along the road, people leave a sing for it. However, they do more than just telling there are big holes.


The sign reads, "Be ware of Crocodiles!" You can find this only in Cambodia.

5. The Marine

Which country has the best marine ever? Russia, The United States, or else?
Well, I wouldn't call it the best one if I hadn't seen this in Cambodia. Even though not locally made, this vehicle overtakes all others that were used in the high-edge countries and developed words.

The description in this image tells the comparison between cars in other country which is completely helpless to that one in Cambodia while it is able to turn itself into a marine and survive the rain.

Let me know if you see that above image and couldn't get to understand what I mean.

More to come and stay tuned! Only in Cambodia!


Cambodia lost 337 Million USD in 2013 alone for the traffic accident

Reports from the Ministry of Public Affairs and Transportation said that in 2013 alone, Cambodia suffer from a net lost of more than 300 million US dollars from its in-country traffic accident.

"There is no day that Cambodia do not have a traffic accident and it would be the oddest thing that it has none", said a road traveler giving his concern over the daily rate of traffic accidents. Truly here in Cambodia, at least 20 cases per day of traffic accident happens and at least 2 person die each day to traffic accident. There has been strategies to strengthen the law enforcement, vehicle condition control, alcohol control, improvement of traffic infrastructure, etc. yet the trouble does not seem to be going down. From another dimension, it seems like the government is doing on the wrong side to prevent traffic accidents.

Photos of traffic accidents during the year
Credit: The Phnom Penh Post





Each year we just see the government people would say they commit to reduce traffic accident to a minimal stage, but it never happens at all.

Bike Lane


The Biking Lane!
Has any Cambodian realize they are at a very low edge of sorting out traffics for bikes. Normally, at everyday driving, you will see that bikes are almost at every part of the street where they try to sneak out and compete to get their way up front.


However, most of bike drivers fail to realize that there is already a set-aside lane for them at the very right end of each main road. What so funny about this is that no matter what that is always there ready for them, bikers choose not to take it, and we would love to know the reasons why. Some lines below tell briefly, though not all, about why people choose to ignore the biking lane and bikers choose to join the others' lane.

The most important thing and foremost is the knowledge mainstreaming from the government. If you ask 10 bikers in town, you may find only 1 who knows the bike lane, and if continue asking will he/she choose to drive in that lane. I guarantee the answer would be a "No!" Government has been so poor in telling their people about the bike lane even they have that type of lane in town. There is no knowledge sharing on social medias, TV, online network, etc. related to this; hence, nobody would ever know. In addition, they never have the will to tell this to the people. Normally, only those who study in laws and those who works in law enforcement would know such things. However, some people, even knowing about this, wouldn't choose to comply.

Another reason hitting this is that it has become a general aspect that people do not drive in their lane. In other words, the practices have overtaken the law. Every biker would hit any other lane they find a space for their bike.

Bikers sometimes choose to hit the other lane on the road because their lane was taken. Look at the above image, you could see that one small truck is parking on a motor lane while another saloon car is coming in a reverse direction stepping on the bike lane line while the bikers had to join the other two available lanes. What a Fail!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

A driver luckily escapsed while his truck went on fire

Note: This video was uploaded on to Youtube by early 2013, so the case probably took place about more than one year ago.

The main reason it is brought up again is that it can be used as a lesson to all drivers so they are always cautious when they drive. Vehicle condition is also an utmost important thing to check before one steps up into his/her car.

The accident took place quite quickly starting from a crash along the main road and the truck suddenly  burst into rapid fire.


With just a flick between life and death, the truck driver tragically made an escape and ran his way from within the truck crossing the road to the nearby viewers who then made their best effort at saving his life.
Buckets of water have been poured on the poor man who got almost a hundred percent of his body burned.
He was then referred to the near by hospital.


Let's hope this tragic won't happen again.
Road traffic is everyone's responsibility.

Friday, March 14, 2014

February 2014, 228 Died and 881 Injured

Source: Koh Santepheap

Within one month of February 2014, the number of people killed in traffic accident has reached 228 which is a 20 percent increase compared to that in January. The number of people injured hit 881 (33% increased).
Here are some data and info-graphic related to the cases happened in February 2014.

Number of people died: 228
- Cambodian: 224
- Foreigners: 4

Number of people injured: 881
- Cambodian: 849
- Foreigners: 32
- Seriously injured: 487 (11 Foreigners)
- Wounded: 394 (21 Foreigners)



Causes of Accidents
- Over-Speeding: 44%
- Drunk: 17%
- Overtaking: 11%
- Priority disobedience: 11%
- Driving on the left: 6%
- Careless turn: 5%
- Others: 4%

Trends:
The traffic accident tends to be tragically worse if we compare the statistic between that of January and the February's.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Motor Road Rules and Tips

By Steve Gosselin, May 2013
This post is the exact quote from Steve's post on his blog dated 03 May 2013 though not every single listed items are displayed in this post.
Click HERE to go to the original post/page.

These peculiarities in Cambodia are true, some of which are exactly against the law, though it might look a bit weird or somehow funny.
There is a need that we come together and put an end to those that are against the law.

Unofficial Lane
# 1 (Rule)

An Invisible Lane with Opposite Flowing Traffic Exists at the Far Right

It is often convenient to drive the wrong way down the lane. Fortunately, there exists an unofficial rightmost lane for this purpose. It is not just courteous to allow traffic in this unofficial lane to flow, it is custom to give right of way. For example, you (the RED motor) driving at the far right should veer to the left slightly to make way for oncoming motors.



Red Right Peek
# 2 (Tip)

Peek Before Turning


For some crazy reason, it is illegal to turn right at a red light in the Kingdom. As with all traffic violations, they are not enforced unless you are physically chased and apprehended. You cannot however, be chased if there are no police standing at the side of the road. Police are sneaky though and often hide behind cars and trees. The common practice is for you (the RED motor) to roll ahead slightly into the intersection until you can get a good view of what's around the corner. If there are no police, then you are clear to continue turning right. If there are, then sheepishly backup and wait for the light to turn green.  







Side Walk to the Front
# 3 (Rule)

At Red Light, Get to Front at Whatever Cost


You (the RED motor) are probably not in a rush. You probably don't need to be anywhere. This shouldn't stop you from always attempting to get to the front of the pack at a red light. Hopping up on the sidewalk, manoeuvrings around a parked car or riding behind a food stand are all highly recommended tactics.

















Motor Snooze
# 4 (Tip)

The Ground Is Dirty


You feel the urge to relax in the shade and their are no benches, no grassy areas and no empty hammocks. Never fear, your motor makes a completely comfortable and stylish alternative. Make sure to employ the parking stand (not the kickstand) to ensure the motor balances flat.  





Motor Date
 # 5 (Rule)

Ignore All Other Traffic

Constant rushing is the norm except on one occasion: the motor date. You (the RED motor) need not worry about holding up traffic but only to stay exactly parallel with your partner in order to maximize ease of conversation. Continue to drive at a leisurely pace and ignore impatient honks from behind.








Preemptive Left
# 6 (Tip)

Act First and Save a Few Seconds


In the West, it is common etiquette during green lights to wait for straight traffic to pass before turning left. Often this results in left turns occurring during the amber light just before red. Not so in Cambodia. It is common practice for the most ambitious left turners to go before the straight through traffic as demonstrated by the RED motor in the image.












The Swarm
# 7 (Tip)

Comfort in Numbers


You (the RED motor) may feel anxious at first when being enclosed by fellow motors. There is, however, power in The Swarm and it can be used to great advantage. Lexus' may seem at first to rule the roads but a sizable swarm of motors soon takes the upper hand.  


















The Parasite
 # 8 (Tip)

Big Vehicles Have Unofficial Right Of Way: Use It To Your Advantage

Big vehicles like Lexus SUVs punch their way through traffic to complete a turn. You, the RED motor, being tiny in comparison, don't command much influence when separated from The Swarm, so it is wise to hug the side of a larger vehicle who has the same intention for direction change. Instead of looking around at traffic, just focus on clinging to your host as close as possible until the turn is completed. This greatly reduces the risk of capture, as it is difficult and dangerous for police to cross the entire lane for you.

Conscious Avoidance
# 9 (Tip)

Perfect Driving Won't Save You


Your paperwork may be in order. You may have this year's 4500 Riel tax sticker. The police will still find something wrong. It's best for even the most upstanding citizen to avoid capture whenever possible. When police are spotted up ahead, the best technique is for you (the RED motor) to quickly hide behind a larger vehicle (tuk tuks are great for some reason) on the leftmost side of the lane just in case. 
















Must Make Left

# 10 (Rule)

Don't Miss a Green Opportunity

Even though you (the RED motor) have nowhere to be, it is downright unacceptable to miss a green light opportunity. Do whatever it takes to get through the intersection, in this case, veering far left into the opposite lane.