Traffic Trouble

I know I have written posts about the traffic here before. It really is orchestrated chaos. There are rules, but there are no rules. Any part of the road is available for anyone to drive on (and the sidewalk too!) Cars, trucks, motos, tuk tuks, bicycles, animals, and hand carts are everywhere. In fact, you have to look against traffic first when crossing the street because usually there is a moto or bicycle coming the wrong way at you.

Surprisingly, though, there's not really any road rage. Move slowly, and you can do just about anything you want, though the bigger vehicles have the right of way. People generally just move around you. Horns here are not used to complain if you have done something wrong, but rather to warn you that someone bigger is approaching and you need to move out of the way. (At first, I didn't get that. I kept thinking, "What did I do?" And then would get irritated.)

I share that little background knowledge so that I can tell the story of what happened yesterday. My main mode of transportation is my bicycle. I wish I could strap on a helmet cam so that you could get the full effect of what it's like to ride a bike in the midst of all that chaos. I've learned to look every direction for approaching motorists...left, right, in front, behind. I've gotten good at the art of making a left-hand turn. And I have acquired tips for travel...like when trying to cross the street, wait for a bigger vehicle going the same way and then cross beside it. A pack moving together is less likely to get hit.

No matter how careful you are, though, things happen. Just like anywhere else I suppose. So, yesterday as I was on my way to volunteer at Daughters, I was at a busy intersection waiting to cross. There were actually policemen there directing traffic. They signaled that it was time for our lane of traffic to go, so we did. Cars, trucks, motos, tuk-tuks, and me.

You would think that since a wall of traffic was crossing and the police were there controlling traffic that the people moving in the opposite direction would stop and wait. Um, no. Not so much. We all moved, and yet the motos continued to come at us from the right. I suppose I should say at me, as I was the one on the outside of the lane.

So in the middle of the intersection, we all stopped. And I found myself pinned in between several motos lined up against my bike (literally) and the cars heading my direction on the other side. There was no room for me to move, and we all just sat there for a moment. But, assured that those restless motos weren't going to move any farther, the traffic beside me continued on. Including the tuk-tuk to my left. Which was inches away from me. And as it moved, it ran over my foot.

Since being here, I have made many statements I never thought I would make. Including this one: A tuk-tuk ran over my foot. Funny how one reacts in situations like that. I wasn't angry at all. It just seemed like a normal part of living here. So, I got myself off to the side of the road and inspected my injury.

Which leads to another statement I never thought I would make: I got an x-ray done at a Cambodian clinic. Another new experience for me. All in all, they were very nice there, and it only cost $15. Don't worry, my nurse and doctor friends looked at it, and declared it not broken. Though it's very sore right now. At the moment, I'm sitting here typing this with my foot elevated and iced.

Honestly, as I think back, I have to laugh at the absurdity of it all. My friends and I were discussing whether or not I should go out and about today and, as they were convinving me to stay home and rest my limb, they said, "Jen...a tuk-tuk ran over your foot!" And we all laughed hysterically. It's good to be able to laugh.

Because soon, I will be right back out there on my bike again. Yep, you can pray for travel safety. And also for quick healing. It's tough enough getting around here without a bum foot.

I hope to get back out to the orphanage in the next couple of days as well. I miss the kids so much since being gone the past week. Hopefully, I will have pictures of their cute faces soon.