Thoughts by Dave - riding bicycles and motorbikes in SE Asia

Thoughts by Dave - riding bicycles and motorbikes in SE Asia

I have really enjoyed the freedom of having either a bicycle or motorbike.  I like to stop often and usually don't go over 60 kph very often.  The bicycles so far have been 1-speed heavy clunkers with front baskets, too small for me, and suitable only if there are no hills.  Although they where a great way to get around the temples and Angkor Wat because it's totally flat.

You really have to stay alert and expect the un-expected such as:
1.  Animals crossing the road - chickens, pigs, cows, goats, water buffalo, and little kids
2.  Scooters and cars driving on the wrong side coming straight at you - you need to slow up, make room and let them by, that's how it works over here.  Left or right, doesn't really mater, whatever works best.  When turning left on a busy road, people don't stop and wait for any opening (which would never come anyways), but turn left into oncoming traffic but staying close to the curb. When an opening comes, they cross to the right lane.   So when riding, you always have motos and bikes coming right at you... you just let them go by on the curb side.   Weird, and sounds dangerous, but it actually works.
3.  Slow moving farm carts pulling in front of you without looking. 
4.  Fast moving express buses taking both lanes - let them by as they don't slow down or get out of the way
5.  Women in their 20's riding scooters while holding sun umbrellas and talking on their cellphones
6.  Teenage girls riding side by side gossiping away and totally oblivious of the traffic
7.  The odd testosterone male on a souped up bike, screaming in and out of traffic like he's playing a computer racing game
8.  Busy intersections are the worst, with bicycles, scooters, cars, trucks all moving from 4 directions at once - I try to follow another scooter who seems to know what he's doing.  I went thru one busy intersection only to be engulfed in a sea of mopeds all heading across a bridge in a direction I didn't want to go - I had no choice but to keep it steady and slow and go with the flow.  It took me 1/2 hour to recross the bridge again and get back on the right route.