riding scooter in vietnam

[piglett 16]

One question for you all... What is the largest number of people you have seen on one motobike ?

i was on the back of 1 alng with my wife & her cousin the 1st day i was in the province.

all i could hang onto was the dam tail light

the next day i said screw it & borrowed 1 & started riding it

i didn't go 2 fast the 1st couple of days but after that i was ok.

I think the next time we go there i will price one of those little mini trucks

many run about a 1000cc engine & would be great way out in the sticks.

have you seen those "baby" truck in S.E. Asia?

I have even seen a couple up here in new hampshire but most are not run on the road.

piglett

[lindal24 1]

I rode the first time I had ever gone back. It's all about confidence--after you learn bike basics and road/light basics--its a piece of cake. Just be smart about pulling out in front of cars...lol. Even though they're supposed to yield to you, just realize that they are BIGGER than you and can cause more bodily injury. But, if you don't learn the first time, hopefully you'll learn the second. If it happens a third time, consider calling a taxi! haha..

[Huong and Phung 0]

how many of you here actually have the ball to ride your scooter while you are in vietnam . it took me a while to over come the fear of being kill on a scooter before i actually learn to ride . i seen a few people die from scooter accident when i was there , with brain and bones out on the road .. it fun to ride yet the dying part aint good at all lol gona have to get me a heavy leather jacket and riding boot for my next trip to vietnam.

I wouldn't wear a Leather Jacket or Boots man. You're already different from all of them there and you don't want to make a scene out of it. Vietnamese are pretty straight forward man, if you stop at a red light while wearing those, people will LAUGH at you. Literally laugh and pointing at you and you don't want to do that. As of riding moped in Vietnam, I have a chance to ride it because my wife have to put up with my weight. So I decide to take over the wheels plus we got lost in SaiGon one night and I have to ride around for 2 hours. From then on, I know how to ride moped in VN. It seems dangerous and all but they actually use lots of common sense and it's easier than you think. Well, one thing I can tell you is that if you look too much different from Vietnamse people there then you need to have some kind of permit. Police overthere looking for any chance to get money for coffee. Good luck and wear your helmet (you can buy helmet here in the State and bring it back there). Their helmets are b.s.

[BinhJerome 14]

I wouldn't wear a Leather Jacket or Boots man. You're already different from all of them there and you don't want to make a scene out of it. Vietnamese are pretty straight forward man, if you stop at a red light while wearing those, people will LAUGH at you. Literally laugh and pointing at you and you don't want to do that. As of riding moped in Vietnam, I have a chance to ride it because my wife have to put up with my weight. So I decide to take over the wheels plus we got lost in SaiGon one night and I have to ride around for 2 hours. From then on, I know how to ride moped in VN. It seems dangerous and all but they actually use lots of common sense and it's easier than you think. Well, one thing I can tell you is that if you look too much different from Vietnamse people there then you need to have some kind of permit. Police overthere looking for any chance to get money for coffee. Good luck and wear your helmet (you can buy helmet here in the State and bring it back there). Their helmets are b.s.

What are you smoking bro? You rev your scooter when you go to a red light and others run it because they think you are. You honk your horn with 8 seconds left on the light the front two rows leave without looking. They pull out infront of a bus that they passed going 50k just to stop infront of it and turn right. If there is an inch they take it, god forbid let the car turn infront of you and wait 3 seconds they would rather wait 3 minutes so that they make sure they get every inch they can, and make everyone else stop behind them, and the traffic behind the car because it can also only move an inch at a time. The only COMMON SENSE I have seen is when they run a red light and see a cop, they hurry and turn right, or when they hit someone they dont stop long enough to allow someone to complain.

Common sense :rofl: :rofl:

Jerome

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

They actually stop for red lights in VN?

[Teacher Mark 53]

I ride all the time. As long as you pay attention, and dont stop too fast you are fine. Knock on wood, I have not been in any accident yet, I have avoided a few, and I have seen some pretty bad things while riding, I watched a woman riding side saddle, her driver bounced into a truck, and the woman lost a foot, and a leg about the knee, I was 3 bikes back, and had to avoid her leg. Luckily my wife was not with me on that one, but for some reason she wonders why I dont like her riding side saddle anymore

The key to driving in Vietnam is to pay attention, and use people as blockers (Thanks Mr. Saigon I still use your advice) and make sure you do not stop to fast, if you do you might get ran over. Also look ahead, if you see something on the road ahead, be prepared for people to avoid it and in the process cut you off.

And on another not, if you are a foreigner and you do get pulled over talk to the cop as fast as possible, tell him you like his coat, hat, what ever you can think of, Fred said they will pass you along everytime.

Jerome

No problem on the advice.

Ouch. I haven't seen any amputations in the 2 years I've been riding a motorbike here (Thank God). I have seen a few fatalities though, as well as a few accidents (aside from my own).

I've had 2 single vehicle accidents. Both times I hit the front brake too hard on dirt/gravel. It's amazing how fast you can go down. Luckily I only suffered a few scrapes, bruises, a sprained ankle and wounded pride.

I agree with Fred. It's rare for a Westerner to be pulled over (most of the police don't speak English), but it does happen. If you're Viet Kieu it may be more likely. I was stopped a few months ago for running a red light (accidentally). 100K VND, a heavy dose of compliments and an on the spot rendition of Yesterday Once More got me going again.

Your potential choice of riding gear is certainly better than mine, which consists of sandals, shorts and a bad attitude. Feel free to wear your leather and boots. If anyone starts laughing just start singing Yesterday Once More (see previous paragraph) or Born to be Wild. Music truly doth tame the savage beast. Anytime I'm being stared at I start to sing. Might as well give them a show, right?

My friend, who's a doctor/highly educated, just left this afternoon. He was here for 4 days and stated that his favorite experience was the motorbike rides. There's nothing more liberating than getting out on Đại Lộ Đông Tây and hitting the throttle.

On a separate note:

City bus crushes motorbikes on Saigon bridge, no casualties

Motorbikes end up under a public bus during a collision in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday

A public bus in Ho Chi Minh City lost control and hit a series of motorbikes on Wednesdayas it was driving down the Saigon bridge.

Six motorbikes were flung to either sides of the road after being hit from behind. The bus only stopped after two other motorbikes ended up under it, severely damaged.

No one was killed but at least six people were injured, four of them women.

The bus, full of passengers, was driving from Thu Duc District to downtown HCMC.

Eyewitnesses said the bridge was crowded at the time and no one could manage to do anything when they heard loud noises from the bus.

The accident happened at peak office hour in the morning, and caused a traffic jam for many hours.

Police are investigating the accident.

http://www.thanhnien...1124192717.aspx

Edited November 26, 2010 by Mr. Saigon