Takkun in Da Lat
(This article is written by a Japanese person who loves Vietnam and has spent nine years living and working here.)
Basically, traffic in Vietnam like this:
Basically, traffic in Vietnam like this:
- In Vietnam, traffic keeps to the right, and there are many one-way streets.
- Running red lights is common, so even when the light is green, you still have to be careful.
- Honking is more like a greeting than a warning.
- Driving the wrong way is almost normal, and the police mostly don’t seem to care.
Seeing people fall off their bikes happens all the time, and every day I ride thinking. “Tomorrow might be my turn…”. That constant little anxiety never really goes away.
Speeding up near roundabouts and junctions (not highways)
What’s interesting is that when approaching a roundabout or junction, most vehicles speed up to get in first.
Because I’m on a scooter , I sometimes think: “That big car is slow, so I can speed up and get through the roundabout before it arrives!”
But that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do. Even though the other vehicle looks big and slow, the driver is thinking the same thing and even trucks will suddenly speed up. So honestly, giving way quickly is the safest choice.
Vietnamese people are usually kind and warm, but once they sit behind the wheel, it’s like they become a different person. Even my calm, gentle friends drive incredibly fast and somehow, strangely enough, they’ve never had an accident.
National highways need extra caution
I use a national highway every day. Because the roads are wide, wrong-way driving is very common. Once, I nearly collided with a wrong-way rider and thought: “I’m riding the correct way, yet the wrong-way guy is faster!? I’m doing 20 km/h and he’s definitely over 30!”. I was really irritated back then, but now… I’m just used to it. Situations where you’re about to crash but somehow don’t happen all the time.
Vietnam’s traffic is chaos — but…
To put it bluntly, traffic in Vietnam is chaos. It’s dangerous — that’s true.
But within that chaos, you can clearly see the warmth and mutual support of Vietnamese people.
When someone falls, when a bike breaks down, or when a heavily loaded bike can’t climb a hill, people of all ages immediately step in to help. Once, when the bike in front of me fell over, I wanted to help lift it up,
but I hesitated, worrying, “What if my bike gets stolen?” Before I could move, someone rushed in from behind, saying: “Are you okay!?” and helped lift the bike.
In Vietnam, there are many people with high morals who help others without hesitation when they see someone in trouble. That’s something I truly respect. They also kindly point out even the smallest things:
Speeding up near roundabouts and junctions (not highways)
What’s interesting is that when approaching a roundabout or junction, most vehicles speed up to get in first.
Because I’m on a scooter , I sometimes think: “That big car is slow, so I can speed up and get through the roundabout before it arrives!”
But that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do. Even though the other vehicle looks big and slow, the driver is thinking the same thing and even trucks will suddenly speed up. So honestly, giving way quickly is the safest choice.
Vietnamese people are usually kind and warm, but once they sit behind the wheel, it’s like they become a different person. Even my calm, gentle friends drive incredibly fast and somehow, strangely enough, they’ve never had an accident.
National highways need extra caution
I use a national highway every day. Because the roads are wide, wrong-way driving is very common. Once, I nearly collided with a wrong-way rider and thought: “I’m riding the correct way, yet the wrong-way guy is faster!? I’m doing 20 km/h and he’s definitely over 30!”. I was really irritated back then, but now… I’m just used to it. Situations where you’re about to crash but somehow don’t happen all the time.
Vietnam’s traffic is chaos — but…
To put it bluntly, traffic in Vietnam is chaos. It’s dangerous — that’s true.
But within that chaos, you can clearly see the warmth and mutual support of Vietnamese people.
When someone falls, when a bike breaks down, or when a heavily loaded bike can’t climb a hill, people of all ages immediately step in to help. Once, when the bike in front of me fell over, I wanted to help lift it up,
but I hesitated, worrying, “What if my bike gets stolen?” Before I could move, someone rushed in from behind, saying: “Are you okay!?” and helped lift the bike.
In Vietnam, there are many people with high morals who help others without hesitation when they see someone in trouble. That’s something I truly respect. They also kindly point out even the smallest things:
- “Hey, it’s night — turn your lights on!”
- “Your kickstand is still down!”
- “Your indicator is still blinking!”
- “There’s plastic tape stuck in your chain! If it gets tangled, you’ll fall!”
Seriously — incredibly kind.
The Reason Why People "Break Rules"
・In Vietnam, breaking traffic rules is not just about bad manners. Sometimes, it is a "smart choice" to move through the heavy traffic.
・To avoid traffic jams: People sometimes drive the wrong way because the road design is difficult. If everyone followed every rule perfectly, the traffic jams might become much worse.
・Safety first: At big junctions, changing lanes is very hard. Some drivers think it is safer to turn when the light is red and other cars have stopped, rather than moving through a crowd of bikes on a green light.
Final thoughts
If you ever have the chance to travel to or live in Vietnam. I hope you’ll see both sides of Vietnamese traffic with your own eyes - the dangerous parts, and the good parts too.
by Takkun
(You can find the original Japanese version of this article at the link below.)
https://note.com/takato109
The Reason Why People "Break Rules"
・In Vietnam, breaking traffic rules is not just about bad manners. Sometimes, it is a "smart choice" to move through the heavy traffic.
・To avoid traffic jams: People sometimes drive the wrong way because the road design is difficult. If everyone followed every rule perfectly, the traffic jams might become much worse.
・Safety first: At big junctions, changing lanes is very hard. Some drivers think it is safer to turn when the light is red and other cars have stopped, rather than moving through a crowd of bikes on a green light.
Final thoughts
If you ever have the chance to travel to or live in Vietnam. I hope you’ll see both sides of Vietnamese traffic with your own eyes - the dangerous parts, and the good parts too.
by Takkun
(You can find the original Japanese version of this article at the link below.)
https://note.com/takato109