Biking in Phnom Penh

August 28

I’ve been biking to graduate school, or work for 21 years. Why stop now?

In PA, my ride in to work is about 3 miles; here it is about 3 kilometers. In PA, the ride has constant hills; I go down, only to go up again. Here the ride is completely flat. (I have always liked flat – like the rails to trails in Minnesota!) In PA, I ride hard, after all, it is my chance to exercise, and I arrive at work hot and sweaty. Here no one bikes hard. Neither do I, but I still arrive at work hot and sweaty! And yes, the first thing I do in both places is sit down in front of a fan to cool off!

In PA, I hug the right side of the road. No shoulders on Fileys or Grantham roads. Here I would desperately like to do that, but the inside curb is reserved for those for whom it is convenient to go “the wrong way.” So when approached by a bike or moto in my lane (a very western notion), I gradually move over towards the center.

The most convenient left hand turn here involves gradually crossing the road, whenever it is clear, and riding the wrong way, right next to the curb for a while. Then you make the turn hugging the inside curb. When convenient, I move back to my side. In the US, I follow the rules for cars, turning left from the inside and using hand signals. Here that sort of turn can be scary, because you find yourself in the middle of a completely unmarked intersection, everyone jockeying for their turn.

I’ve finally found the least stressful route to work – not necessarily the shortest. I had thought the worst of the ride would be the round-about, and crossing the railroad tracks. But traffic is so heavy in the mornings at this place that I get off my bike and walk – over curbs, through the fronts of street shops, and I move faster than everyone else! The worst part is my left hand turn at a very busy intersection, and I now plan to avoid that! I’ve ridden home ahead of a storm a couple times - now that reminds me of Colorado!

I’ve never felt comfortable biking even in sandals. The chemist in my likes closed-toed shoes! Here women bike in high-heeled, strappy sandals! No one wears tennis shoes – but so be it. I don’t really fit in anyway. I’m glad I packed mine.

Roseann