When I cycle, being safe is more important than obeying the rules. Where I live in Australia, it is legal to ride on the footpath/sidewalk. If I was in a place where it was not legal, but the road was dangerous, I might ride on the footpath/sidewalk anyway. As a cyclist I give way to everybody, pedestrians and vehicles. If I am on a street with no traffic, I may not stop completely at a stop sign. But if vehicles are coming, even if there is no stop sign, I give way to them.
Then in S E Asia, it is completely different again. People ignore road rules. There are a ridiculous amount road accidents. The way I ride is half like they do, but more safety conscious than them. There are a lot of differences in the way they drive and ride. You need to ride a lot like them so you are not unpredictable in terms of how they think. I will mention one example. People pull out from side roads or parking spaces without even looking if traffic is coming. Anyone coming is forced to slow down or stop. Everyone knows that everyone else does this. So if someone sees someone else approaching on a side road, they sound their horn. That tells them, I am not stopping so you have to stop. So you have a culture where drivers are continually on their horn, to compensate for other drivers not looking. The attitude of drivers and riders results in madness on the roads. Traffic has to go much slower. Another example. People never get booked for drink driving here. I have seen police drink several beers, and ride motor bikes home drunk. Nobody cares. It is a different world.