Want to know the main difference between Viet Nam and California? In California, pedestrians (supposedly) have the right-of-way at intersections. Doesn't matter where you are in the country, really, traffic is everywhere, at high speeds and in great numbers. Mostly, Vietnamese ride motor bikes. I heard there are 4 million motor bikes in Ha Noi alone.
But the pecking order is different in Viet Nam. Here is how it breaks down:
1. Buses
2. Vans and SUVs
3. Cars
4. Motor Bikes
5. Bicyclists
6. Pedestrians
You can see that pedestrians fall to the bottom of the totem pole. This means if one wants to cross the street, it's done at one's own risk. You can't dash across and hope to avoid being crushed by a motor bike because fast movement is unpredictable. You must walk very slowly across the street and cross your heart that somebody doesn't hit you. In other words, you must put your faith in the drivers and not the other way around.
You may as well close your eyes for all the good it does you to stare down drivers in the eyeballs. It sort of reminds me of why did the chicken cross the road. Question: Why would a tourist cross the road in Viet Nam? Answer: Because the tourist is stoned. That's the only reasonable explanation. Hey, Sacramento's busy intersection at Howe and Fair Oaks has nothing on Viet Nam traffic.
Photos: Elizabeth Weintraub
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