The BBC reports that thanks in large part to rising costs in China, Cambodia is now listed as the fifth-largest exporter of bicycles in the world after China, Taiwan, the Netherlands and Germany.
It is the EU’s biggest supplier, having shipped 1.5 million bikes to Europe last year.
Cambodia currently enjoys tariff-free access to the EU, but that may be cancelled in February when the EU publishes the results of a review into Cambodia's political situation – references have been made to a "deterioration of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law."
There have also been calls for a review of the US's preferential trade relationship.
An EU-Vietnam free trade agreement comes into effect next year and Robert Margevicius, the executive vice-president for US-based Specialized Bicycles, which uses Speedtech in Cambodia as well as suppliers in Vietnam and Taiwan, said: "Cambodia could be a short-term solution until things heat up in Vietnam."
Moun Channheak, from Cambodia's Ministry of Commerce says the government is doing its utmost to support the sector.
"We gained success with bicycle exports to the EU and other countries but we need to invest in components manufacturing. We need investments in Cambodia instead of importing material."
There is however also the question of working conditions. Zeit reports that workers in many of the factories are being exploited in a longish piece that makes for a very interesting read.
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I think the video of Kye Whyte is brilliant and I'm really good it's been sent out by BC. He's a nice lad from tough council estate and is an inspiration to others from similar back grounds. I was pleased to see 'daddy' Whyte make a little cameo appearance too as he doesn't always get credit for having encouraged his sons, or for the coaching he still does every week at Peckham.
Funny how whenever there's a video of a motorist apparently being an arsehole there are always comments saying there must be more to it. What happened before the video starts? Is their camera distorting the distances? If you zoom in you can see the reflection of a red traffic light in a shop window which the cyclist must have just jumped to provoke the incident. Etcetera, etcetera. I don't know, maybe this cyclist is an arsehole. It could well be that simple. Or maybe the truck wasn't going to stop at all until the cyclist stood his ground, and what we see was preceded by a minute of the driver blasting his horn at him. Or maybe it's a one-way street. Or HGVs aren't allowed on that road at all. Or it's a rat run and the cyclist is a local resident who's sick of trucks thundering down there at all hours. Possibly he has encountered this particular lorry driver before, who certainly seems to have a problem with cyclists. But nothing excuses assault, if that's what happens at the end.
If you are going to get into conspiracy theories, maybe the whole thing is a setup between 2 truck drivers to support an anti cyclist agenda.
Or maybe it's just someone being a complete and utter penis.
That driver had a 15 tonne truck on a narrow road he couldn't reverse on? What an idiot.
A$$hole on bike was identified, according to media reports (made the newspapers in Belgium). By profession he's (wait for it)....a truck driver.
Apparently not the first time he has frustration management issues. He'll be prosecuted for assault and obstruction of traffic.
It's not quite a Squirrel, but DarkCycleClothing have a new Chipmunk on a bicycle shirt
Though they already do a squirrel T shirt.
chipmunk-on-a-bicycle-unisex-long-sleeve-shirt-tees-dark-cycle-clothing-t-purple_110_1024x1024.jpg
Nice, but not enough squirrel
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That is terrifying
Very sweary.
If it had been 2 cars, then one of them would have simply reversed back to the passing place.
You would not go on to soft ground in a car, let alone that truck
Looks as if the Flemish fool actually attacked the lorry driver at the end, so is he now in a ditch somewhere?
Only if the cyclist was also a prostitute
(c) J Clarkson 2008
The cyclist who refused to pass the stationary truck is an utter cockwomble who gives cyclists a bad name. If he couldn't cycle past he could've walked past the truck, it would have saved a lot of time for all concerned, that includes us who watched the video...
Stop with this collective responsibility nonsense.
The 2 drivers who earlier this week, one who killed a 12 year old and injured 5 others and the other seriously injured a pregnant woman causing the death of her baby, aren't referred to as 'giving other drivers a bad name' because we understand that those individuals are solely responsible for their actions.
Engaging with that attitude that 'the actions of one shames all' only gives a green card for shitbag drivers to use it as an excuse when they carry out close passes or dangerous maneuvers when passing cyclists.
That bloke in the truck is bang out of order - vertical video!!!!
Cyclist demanding the truck risks overturning on a soft verge? What an utter penis...
Looks like a long straight road, the truck obviously has a number of vehicles behind it and the cyclist has literally cycled past a refuge area not more than 30m back. What a complete and utter penis...
"I'm a truck driver myself..." - nce variation on a theme.
why was he driving a vehicle that size on a track like that? What would have happened if another truck was coming, rather than a cyclist?
As a truck driver yourself, I expect that you can answer that question quite easily. I'm not a truck driver but I imagine it would involve some attempt at forward observation, critical assessment of the situation and taking action, such as using the refuge area to pull off the road, rather than creating an issue where none were needed.
I live in Belgium and can tell you that in the Flanders region there are loads of such roads that allow unrestricted traffic in both directions. When both move to the shoulder (which is the normal way), two cars can pass, no problem. Two trucks are a different matter: one will need to back up or use cemented layby's that are usually found every 2-300 meters. There is no rule that determines who needs to wait or back up, it usually boils down to courtesy/common sense.
If a car encounters a truck in such a situation the unwritten rule is that the car backs up because it's a lot easier. In almost every case where I as a cyclist encountered a tractor in such situations, the tractor moves to the shoulder and slows down or stops. But obviously a tractor has the tyres to do so. In case of a truck, the cyclist is supposed to take the soft shoulder and move a bit out of the way, with the truck slowing to walking speed or stopping. As to why the guy was driving there with a truck? Probably because he needed to be in the area and because there's no law that says he can't. (in most cases there are no restrictions on weight/type of vehicle on such roads).
Well that Fabio bloke seems to be quite good at riding down stairs.
Yeah, great triathlon team, but it would have been more interesting to have them do a different discipline each. Not sure what Cav's running or swimming prowess is like!