Things got a little too wild on the streets around here recently. A bunch of heavy truck drivers had taken to swapping out their standard horns for modified ones that blast full-on dance beats instead of a normal beep. Whenever kids by the roadside heard them coming, they’d start busting out moves right on the curb, with some even running straight into the middle of traffic to shuffle. The clips went totally viral online, but the danger on the roads shot up just as fast.
According to local media, Prime Minister Hun Manet stepped in a few days ago, ordering the transport ministry and provincial police departments to launch an immediate crackdown. Any truck caught with these "musical horns" is pulled over on the spot, stripped of the mod, and kept off the road until it is properly restored. Officers have been setting up overnight checkpoints along major arteries over the past few days, tearing out scores of these flashy horn setups.
Phnom Penh's roads are tight enough as it is, choked with late-shift motorbikes and overloaded three-wheelers jostling through exhaust fumes that make your eyes sting. Everyone understands wanting a bit of fun, but fooling around in front of a heavy rig is just asking for a disaster. Things have calmed down noticeably on the streets over the last couple of days. Chatting over iced coffee at the local street stalls, most people agree the government made the right call—after all, when you’re out making a living on these streets, coming home safe matters more than anything else.
