Free for All

Posted by Steve Rice (Olympia, United States) on 22 May 2012 in Cityscape & Urban.

This is a view of the intersection near the the old royal palace in Ubud. You are looking down Monkey Forest Road. Since I had hoped to drive in Bali, I got an international driving permit. However after reading more, I decided that would be a bad idea. After seeing the traffic, it would have been a very bad idea.

The roads and streets are generally very narrow and crowded. Motorcycles and scooters are everywhere. People with handcarts walk out in front of traffic. The horn seems to be the most used of automotive gadgets.

Beautiful Bali

Paco Díaz from Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Beautiful but difficult, lucky decision!

22 May 2012 5:39am

Riccardo from Rome, Italy

Wow!! I have an idea about that.. I live in Rome!!! :-)

22 May 2012 5:46am

Mhelene from Paris, France

Wow ...Great capture of the street !!

22 May 2012 5:48am

PATRICK from miramas, France

superb

22 May 2012 5:50am

Nicou from Sion, Switzerland

En tout cas il y a du trafic sueprb ecompo de toutes ce voiture, des bouchons en vue.
Belle journée

22 May 2012 6:02am

Daryl Johnson from Worcester Park, United Kingdom

More like a car park than a main road...

22 May 2012 7:00am

jpla from St Barthélémy d, France

y'a du monde ! Je te souhaite una agréable journée
JP

22 May 2012 7:58am

Lewis from Ljouwert, Netherlands

easy does it

22 May 2012 8:17am

Z from Shanghai, China

The situation in the intersection seems very familiar to me...

22 May 2012 8:29am

Jeff from Honolulu, United States

I had to laugh when I read your title. Years ago I lived in Taipei, with much the same experience. Your photo caught the scene well.

22 May 2012 8:35am

Sarito from Basingstoke, United Kingdom

ha ha.. I guess you haven't been to India yet :)..

22 May 2012 9:16am

Heinz from Hamm, Germany

Bei dem Verkehr sollte man besser zu Fuß gehen. Schöne Szene.

22 May 2012 9:40am

Dokmateo from Madrid, Spain

Too bad...but great capture and presentation!

22 May 2012 10:15am

yiannis krikis from thessaloniki, Greece

very funny title for this situation

22 May 2012 10:16am

Stephen from Canberra, Australia

Who would have thought - gridlock in Bali!

22 May 2012 10:21am

Lougris from Toulouse, France

:) il faut être aventurier pour conduire dans ces rues !!:):)

22 May 2012 10:49am

Jason Politte from Conway, AR, United States

Wow, what a traffic jam! I think you made the right decision here, Steve. Going on foot seems to be the way to go, eh?

22 May 2012 11:14am

Ruthiebear from Titusville, NJ, United States

I thought it was a view of a parking area! A very interesting image. Lots of colors and a variety of subjects to capture attention.

22 May 2012 11:27am

Chetan from Gurgaon, India

Very intersting iage and nice description of the traffice conditions in Bali. I must admit India is no different :)

22 May 2012 11:31am

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

Looks pretty chaotic! Kind of like driving in Brussels.

22 May 2012 1:08pm

B.Sully from Surf City, United States

looks like you made a good decision! That is quite the traffic jam, great shot!

22 May 2012 1:11pm

l'Angevine from Angers, France

oh il y a de la circulation

22 May 2012 1:30pm

Slackwater - Don from Spokane, United States

You shot a fine image to support your decision to avoid driving! That looks impossible to manage without a problem. No doubt the locals know the unwritten rules as to what can be tried and what will result in a wreck.

22 May 2012 2:56pm

Denny Jump Photo from Easton, PA, United States

A VERY wise decision, indeed....During my year in Vietnam, we occasionally traveled to what was then known as Saigon....This lools like an organized version of downtown Saigon......On the other hand, any 4-way stop in Pennsylvania pretty much looks like this as well..DJ

22 May 2012 4:13pm

Victoria from Sweden

Very nice photo!

22 May 2012 4:55pm

Tamara from Aarschot, Belgium

That's a complicated situation ! Well captured... Have a lovely day :)

22 May 2012 5:03pm

Baldwin VW from Bejuma, Venezuela

Good decision not to drive there. Interesting scene, nice capture !!!

22 May 2012 6:10pm

franz from Baden, Austria

he with the strongest nerves survives ... and reaches his destination first!
happy driving next time!

22 May 2012 7:42pm

Kala from United States

hah! This is an image I would never see where I live. Great shot.

22 May 2012 7:46pm

Isa.H from Paris, Vitry et Ailleurs..., France

Like you, I went to Bali and as you right now I publish pictures on this beautiful island. I like to see these places
See you soon!

22 May 2012 8:28pm

RBL from Oxford, United States

Great street scene documented; I would be a nervous wreck ~ looks difficult to navigate this traffic. Great photo!

22 May 2012 8:41pm

J.R. from Urasoe City, Japan

Looks like driving in TJ

22 May 2012 8:54pm

Michael Fresh from Chester, United Kingdom

You made a wise decision Steve, a taxi sounds better. Good shot btw.

23 May 2012 12:48am

Eric Cousineau from Sherwood Park, Canada

Definitely looks like a happening place Steve! ;-)

23 May 2012 2:04am

Francisco Romero from Carbajal de la Legua, Spain

The chaos (for some foreigners, but not for the natives) is splendidly captured.

23 May 2012 6:41am

Florence from Paris, France

Must be an interesting exprerience to drive there ! I don't think I would like it.

23 May 2012 5:11pm

Diana from Olympia, United States

Your view captures it all.

23 May 2012 7:56pm

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

i'm sure i couldn't function in uncontrolled traffic. i'd rather walk:-)

24 May 2012 1:21pm

BrigitteG from Sydney, Australia

i think it would be pretty stressful to drive there.. too many cars and they probably drive everywhere and in all directions... just about like in the Pacific islands ;)

25 May 2012 12:45am

Céline from New York, United States

I think I would avoid driving too! It looks horrible...

30 May 2012 7:46am

bali
indonesia
ubud
monkey
forest
road
traffic
jam

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