Hearsay: on driving licenses

Phnom Penh Post (October 20-November 2) keep up the in-depth reports on traffic related issues.

'License to kill: trafficking in the transport ministry'

reveals the 'ease' of obtaining adriving license. Leng Thum Yuthea, director general of transport at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport last year promised that the then newly acquired technology

'would reduce the opportunity for paying off officials for a license'.

More than a year later the promise seems to be broken. At least the report says it simply costs more. Bribes have risen

'from US $ 20 to US $ 80 for passing the computer and driving tests on road rules'.

Even if you pass the exams, but do not pay the bribe, you still do not get the license. Then again if you do not know how to drive , but pay, you get a license. To test this the Post went to the Department's offices and asked a motodop driver hanging around (=a dealer?). He said he could arrange everything for US $ 150 (if you can't drive), US $ 110 if you could. Apparently 'his cut' was just US $ 5, the rest mark-up? The 'official' response of the deputy director of the Land Transport Department:

'could not comment about corruption... because it was outside his jurisdiction (?), he did not dare to know....'

The article also mentions the August statistics: 78 dead.

So where does that leave us?

Traffic signs: Give way

Give way or not? This sign board indicates on the enormous Independence monument roundabout that all traffic approaching the roundabout should give way to the traffic on the roundabaout. Underneath is written in Khmer 'Give right(?) to everybody'. Internationally the correct interpretation is :

'In road transport, a yield (United States) and or give way (United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries) indicates that a of a must slow down and prepare to stop if necessary (usually while merging into traffic on another) but does not need to stop if there is no reason to'.(Wikipedia)

So what happens in a short 5 minute burst at 11.30 on a clear and sunny Friday morning?

Twenty-three cars and 8 motorcycles were forced to stop (!) due to approaching traffic. Complete opposite of what is allowed. Probably because it was not busy maybe, as this encourages traffic approaching the roundabout to push through while the 'rounding' traffic is slower. In one incident motorcycles actually touched! So again the traffic signs are not used for what they are meant.Time for a re-education camp?

Updating Crossing Cambodia's readers

Take a look at this picture above. The authorities have deemed it wise to fill the potholes in street 63 but, as it is a busy street, they need to cordon part of the street off. For this thay use a thin strip of tape with a few sticks. The tape is so thin you do not even see it on the photo. Did it help? Not really. Half an hour later this solution was not used as a number of the sticks had been broken. And has the street improved? Wait and see.

In the recent weeks not so may postings from Crossing Cambodia. Why not? Well, generating own content costs time and from the press there is little revealing insights: this week five seems to be the unlucky number, three separate accidents on 3 separate days have resulted in 5 dead in each accident. Everything (speeding, drugs, alcohol, ignorance)/one got the blame. One incident was a cement truck backing onto a national highway which resulted in two speeding vehicles losing control. Another was a nighttime accident when a vehicle without lighting crashes into another vehicle without lighting on an unlit road. Hmmm.

Should Crossing Cambodia keep you posted?

Anyway, in the coming weeks the layout will be improved hopefully.