:: December 30, 2003 ::

Cockroach moto crash
To start with: I was in a moped accident on December 19th. Since I am still posting to the website, you can assume that I am not dead.

December 19th was a Friday, and I had just finished 35 hours for the week, a hefty sum for most teachers around here. I planned to meet some other western travellers, but one of the moto guys, Mr. Long, called me up and said they were going to eat snake... they have learned how to drag me into a restaurant to drink, then only later to find out that there is no snake left.

So, there were 5 Khmers, me and an Australian guy visiting from Saigon. We went to our regular restaurant, drank some rice wine, and ate eel(the closest snake substitute)soup again. I was still supposed to meet someone at 10:00, so I rounded up the troops to gather more people to goto a Khmer nightclub for the rest of the night. One of the Moto drivers was too drunk to drive, so the australian guy drove him. My guy was semi-drunk, but he would not let me drive his moto... pride thing I guess. Plus, he has a birth-deformed hand, so it makes it more difficult for him to drive.

Just as we were about to leave the restaurant, a little girl with some very random fried insects for sale came up to us. She had crickets, grasshoppers, preying mantises, and cockroaches. We sampled all but the crickets, as I'd already had some before. The grasshopper and mantis were both much more chewey than the crickets had been, but I was pretty hesitant about the cockroaches. They were smaller and you had to peel the wings in a special way. After the australian guy bought one, I was shamed into getting one as well. 100 reil for 1, or about 2 or 3 US cents apiece. They were quite crunchy and not altogether bad. Seeing that we didn't throw them up, the little girl offered us a huge bag for 1000 reil. Seeing the bargain, and shock effect of presenting a bagful of cockroaches to our waiting friends, I bought the bag.

Off we went... until one of the moto guys blew threw a red light.... this is not uncommon here, but only when the crosstraffic is light. The rest of us stopped and were waiting to turn left. There was a big "no left turn sign" ahead of us, but again, Cambodians don't pay much attention to road signs. The traffic pattern here is to try an jump the light. You can see the other directions light turn yellow, and even before the crosstraffic stops, we were going and trying to cut in front of oncoming traffic from the opposite direction. There are no left-green arrows, so you either jump the light, or wait a long time....

unfortunately, a Toyota Landcruiser was timing the light from the other direction and didn't stop or slow down at the light. So, we are cutting across traffic, with a huge SUV coming straight for us, I'm carrying a bag of cockroaches, and my moto driver has no fingers on his right hand. You can see where this is going right?

----

So, luckily my moto guy guns the gas and we are not hit head-on, but instead the rear wheel is clipped. The bike is spun around, and the moto guy lands right on his head. My many years of mountain biking, snowboarding, and motorcycle riding have prepared me well for this moment....

instincts tell you to brace the fall with your hands, but after seeing so many broken wrists in snowboarding falls, I remember quickly. As soon as i hit the ground, I tuck my hands in and do a roll, and pop up onto my feet before the bike even stops skidding. Now, I estimate that we were going 10-15 kmh max, but the landcruiser was going much faster than that... The instant the bike started to go out of control, I threw my hands up to try to keep my balance... and in the same motion... threw to bag of cockroaches in the air...

Now, I was pretty upset: First, that I had little cuts on my hands and arms... nothing gushing, but little bits of asphalt stuck under the skin is not pleasant. Second, that this would ruin the rest of the night. And finally, that I dropped my bag of cockroaches...

The moto guy was worse off than me, and his bike wasn't going anywhere, so I go off on the sidewalk to try and calm down. I am walking around and telling everyone to keep away from me. Now, by some chance of luck, another english teacher I've met here in Phnom Penn, Vinh, happens to be driving by at that moment and stops to ask me what happened.... But first a side note:

---------------------------
Khmer road accidents
---------------------------

When two khmers get into an accident, they quickly assess the damage, pay each other, and get the hell away from the crash scene if both motos or cars are still running. The reason: A typical accident will cost $5-20, but if a policeman comes to the scene, the cost will be 3-5 times higher. Only because the policeman wants money from the victims so that he won't file a report or arrest them.

If a westerner is involved, it is their fault. Sometimes, even if a westerner was near the accident, it is their fault. A good samaritan trying to help someone can quickly find a mob of Khmers demanding money for the injured person.

Also, there are no ambulances to come an pick you up. If you look like you don't have money, then you lay in the street and bleed until someone can prove that you will pay for the transport to the hospital. Also, it is a sick fascination with khmers(and all people I guess), to see someone hurt. But here, it goes to extremes. A mob will form in under 20 seconds. Within 5 seconds of our crash we had 20 people huddled around our bike and just staring. No one will do anything except stare and point at you. In one minute, I saw a huge group of people all yelling and pointing, but not helping my moto friend who was bleeding on the street. The other moto guys I knew were trying to get the bike started so they could get out of there, but after they found that to be a futile effort, they came to see if we were ok. Nice to see what the priorities are.

-----------------------

So, not knowing this information at the time, I want to stick around and make sure everyone is ok. Vinh, who knows better, throws me on the back of his moto, and we race off the scene. I was told if I stayed, I would have had to pay upwards of $50 for sitting on the back of a moto and nearly getting killed, all while doing nothing wrong other than having white skin. Sounds perfectly normal, right?

I see a moto accident almost everyday here, but most people never think it will happen to them. Now that a minor one has happened and I've escaped in one piece, I feel like I will be more aware of the motodrivers, and use my bicycle more often. I seem to be a better driver, and if anything happens, at least I know that I was in control so I would be the only one to blame.

I've got a wedding and a rave on top of a mountain to attend in the next week, so there should be some more uplifting stories coming....

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.



.: Ben Hansen :: 6:53 AM [+] 0 comments
.: Email : :: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.





.AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le
ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos
tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n
ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon
g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I
.go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You.
road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here...
.Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis
eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka
rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl
e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass-
I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves.
me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps.
me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are
.latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!.
You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind
ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she
lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod
den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s
ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo
f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part.
in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o
f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea
ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde
nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than
.I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,.
and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by
.the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m
e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and.
imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha
t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold
s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar
e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I.
can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself
.and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among
.them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me...
..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app
ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air
,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the
.whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains
t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it,
.to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage
s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen
ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine.
philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo
ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h
im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob
ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes.
for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass
,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e
fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T
hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa
nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under,
.but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa
ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s
eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be.
free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here
.is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He
re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and.
woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou
ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o

f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo
nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires.
...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi
rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea
utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th
is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here;
.However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i
nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya
nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety
,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The.
stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t
he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here
.if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas
'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes
;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer
.rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall.
scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard
ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the
Open links in secondary window