From the press: Mirror Mania Mayhem

Mirror mania has caught up with the Cambodia Daily. Yesterday's (5 December 2006) issue has an article (with assistance from the KI site) with the following curious caption:

Police to fine Motorbike Drivers Without Mirrors

The curious does not refer to the difficulting in understanding the lead (do moto drivers need mirrors or do their moto's need mirrors?), but Crossing Cambodia seem to have problems with a logical sequence of events: government announces measure, government announces date (december) in which to comply and on said date starts to enforce the announced measure. Seems logical, but this is not the case, apparently, as traffic police are already doling out fines and non-police officials are still having their doubts:

But Deputy Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong said police should only start to warn drivers without mirrors today, and that it is still too early to start fining them.

"We need to give more time for residents to install the mirrors," he said. "We also strongly ask vendors not to sell the mirrors at a much greater price."

Probably he wants to uphold the age-old Cambodian tradition of legislating and non-enforcement.

What's more surprising is that it seems very serious ( see other blogs), moto's are being fitted with mirrors! There is also some concern with corruption:

"Anyone who is fined will be given an invoice to make sure that they will not be fined several times in one day," Touch Naruth (chief of municipal police) said by telephone.

He adds:

"We strongly believe that the order to install mirrors on both sides of motorbikes will reduce accidents."

Well, that remains to be seen. Crossing Cambodia believes that if something changes it would mean more accidents: more chances to catch the mirrors on something / someone.

The main problem is that the measure, when introduced, was meant to increase the use of mirrors, but not necessarily for combing ones' hair. How this will be enforced has apparently not be researched. But it is the thought that counts.

Then finally there has been some leeway for police and public to barter the height of fines. Apparently: there is also a 1000 riel discount

'if their mirrors are deemed too small or improperly positioned'.

Now what are the official requirements for size and position?

Central chaos

From the Cockroach Corner of the December 2006 issue of Bayon Pearnik:

Central Chaos

'Yes the consultants are at it again. The south west of Central Market around the bus station is being cut off from the rest of the market to aid traffic flow.
Once the cops have got bored with enforcing the new rules (one week) it will be interesting to see how multi-dimensional the flow gets.
These ideas work in the west but the consultants always forget the ingenuity of local motos in finding ways round rules'.

See also this posting:
Curious I