Driving in Phnom Penh

Leaving work I looked left 30 meters to see the intersection clogged with cars and motos. I thought "if I go around the block the intersection up the street will be less crowded." Going around the block was comparatively easy; there was only one car and two motos coming at me in my lane.

Making the left turn onto the main road was easier at this intersection. I swam with the school of motos toward the main boulevard, picking my way from open space to open space. At one point there were six motos abreast coming down the street in the other lane, three with me headed toward the boulevard and two more motos coming at me on the right side. Needless to say the street was crowded.

At one point there was a car trying to turn left, which blocked our lane, I followed another moto that drove up onto the sidewalk for 15 meters and then back onto the road when he was around the car turning left.

Our school of motos reached the main boulevard. I turned right onto the main boulevard, wow there was 100 meters without traffic, this relief was short lived. I came up the next intersection that does not have a traffic light.

As I approached the intersection there were four cars in the intersection crossing the boulevard. These cars were circled with a small school of motos. The cars were almost stopped and the motos were zipping around the cars. I thought, "The intersection is a bit crowded, I will stay off to the far right and sneak around the back of the car that just entered the intersection." That worked quite well.

I was now on the right side of the right hand lane of three lanes going my way. I assume traffic would all be going my way. I forgot that the right side of the right hand lane is really an extension of the lanes going in the opposite direction. That is, if you want to go left and you cannot get across the lanes to go the way you want to, you just go the way you want on this side of the street and if you get a chance you can cross.

There are many more driving rules in Cambodia than in any other countries. I am glad I don't have to take a driver's test here.