Do u think traffic is the most terrible thing that u can find in Vietnam??

Question

Everybody has a motobike but no one has a helmet. They usually think little of the danger they can cause to others.

when ther's traffic block, they always drive their motobike n pavement...They can stand right in the middle of the street to sell wares such as flowers, clothes, papers... Idon't know wat foreigners think about this problem. :(!!!!

Answer 1

Look front, sideways and walk. Save yourself.  You cannot change a nation in one fine morning.

Answer 2

Yes traffic is the worst thing but this is because there is so much good in Vietnam (kind people, beautiful countryside, Hanoi - one of the  world's unique cities ,etc etc ) that relatively speaking the traffic stands out as bad.

The "trick" to crossing the street is to wait for a break and then cross at the same speed.  The bikes and cars coming directly at you slow down or speed up judging your speed crossing the street. Change your pace and you may find a surprised driver crashing into you thinking "He was not supposed to be here"

BTW while traffic is scary for the pedestrain, since many motorbike riders still do not wear helmets and ,most vehicles are motorbikes, there are a lot of injuries.  The number one  cause of death for young men 18-25, I was told,  is head trauma from motorcycle injuires.

Answer 3

i could find a lot worse things in vietnam than traffic

unexploded ordinance

land mines

poverty

child prostitution

slave wages

sweat shops

Answer 4

Crossing roads in VN is the most easy of tasks, just walk and don't stop or run, all traffic will go around you. Helmets for bikes are a good thing but the problem in VN is that helmets can be more dangerous to the driver because they cant here when other vehicles use the horn. Vietnam is one of the best countries in SE Asia, I moved there 15 years ago and I have had no regrets about moving there, it has everything for everyone, OK it does have it's bad points like Child s*x and drugs, you can keep away from that, but it does have a lot more good points than bad. Just remember that you are never going to change the life styles of the Vietnamese, so just go with the flow and enjoy it.

Answer 5

It looks like Vietnam traffic is absolute chaos and incredibly dangerous, but it's not as dangerous as it appears.

I rode scooters with friends through Hanoi, and thought that to be one of the most incredible experiences in my life. The secret is they don't drive that fast. Average speed is 20-30 kilometers per hour in the city. You don't get hurt that bad if you crash at that speed - unless you crash in front of a car. Everyone pays attention to where they drive and avoids being in a spot that will cause them to crash.  

It's controlled chaos... and a WHOLE LOT OF FUN!!!

Answer 6

I've been to Vietnam and my first impression was "OH MY GOSH WATCH OUT!!!"  

Traffic is crazy to someone from the US, but after a while it all makes sense. People there are used to it and can handle the confusion.

One thing I didn't like was that people that are walking do not have the right of way like they do in America. I saw a man with no legs trying to get across the street and bikes and cars keep going around him and no one would stop to let him across.

If you step out into a street in Vietnam be prepared to run or get hit.

Answer 7

Actually,wearing a motorbike helmet in Vietnam is more dangerous than not wearing one.When you do wear  a motorbike in VN , it is hard to see what is to the side of you and that can be very dangerous in Vietnam's crowded city streets.

Answer 8

well vietnam is not a rich country and don't have enough money to install things like making roads bigger, putting in traffic lights etc...they don't wear helemts because accidents don't happen a lot although they do happen and since the roads are small, its very unlikely that they will speed.

Answer 9

viet nam is obviously not for you, nor is FREEDOM. motor biking in viet nam is certainly hazardous but the freedom is exhilarating! and the price of freedom has always been blood! something americans nowadays have choose to forget.. they are more interested in "safety" however in the words of winston churchill and ben franklyn, " those who would exchange freedom for safety will end up with neither." i love viet nam...  and i love the way they dont act like "so many sheep" if the way around traffic is the side walk.. well take the sidewalk!! ps i've been run down more than once, but once you get the technique down, the method of traveling the busy rds you do ok. ive seen many a little girl peddle an oversize bike around a traffic circle , calm as can be , no problem. i once saw a blind woman calmly walk across one of the busiest streets in ha noi... you just got to know the technique, there are consistencies to the unwritten traffic laws/ customs.. one is to just keep moving... you confuse everyone when you stop dead.

Answer 10

vietnam is very different to me instead of walking slowly lik i do here in Aus i have to run across the road there. and you cant stop wither cause then the driver might hit you

Answer 11

I am one of those foreigners who has been to VietNam many times.  No, the traffic is not the worst thing at all, once you get used to it.  I have crossed the streets of Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh City with less stress than the streets of western cities.  What I admire about the Vietnamese drivers is that despite the density of traffic, people are generally patient and there seems to be no "Road Rage". Losing your temper doesnt fit with the culture, westerners have a lot to learn in that respect.