Saigon: scooter paradise

By Jerry Wadian
Contributing Writer
jwadian@thefayettecountyunion.com

Some four centuries before Christ, along the Red River on the border of modern China, a culture known as the Viets founded what is known today as Vietnam.

Over time the Viets spread throughout Vietnam. Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, became the chief city in the southern part of the country. 

The French occupied Saigon for most of a century, making it their chief center of operations. America made it the focal point of our stay in the country during the war.

Hence, it is the most western of cities in Vietnam. It is a lively place full of energy. Downtown Saigon has modern buildings to go along with the magnificent old French hotels. There are still old markets, combined with modern coffee shops, KFC, and upscale shops. Large photos of Hemmingway and Marilyn Monroe can be seen along the streets. However, the thing that stands out is the traffic – particularly the motor scooter. Saigon has 8 million people and over 4 million motor scooters. They are everywhere, and they are there in droves. Everyone from grandmothers to preteens is driving a scooter. They go to work, to market, and to play on a scooter. 

The motor scooter is an essential element in the country. It is both the minivan and pickup truck of Vietnam.

I saw whole families on a scooter! The most I photographed was five on one bike, but I swear I saw six on one. 

And the Viets carry everything imaginable on their scooters. Live pigs and chickens go on their way to market on the back of a scooter. Boxes and goods piled high in the air grace the back of a scooter. I saw a guy Gary Bemiss would love: The dude was toting six kegs of beer on one scooter! I was laughing too hard to get the shot, but I have one with three kegs on his scooter.

The back of a scooter may have long wooden or metal poles, or a two-wheeled cart attached so more things can be carried. We saw ladders, tires, trees, and things I couldn’t even identify flying around Vietnam on the front or back of a trusty scooter.

Hanoi is very similar with 8 million people and over 4 million scooters. And of all the scooters we encountered, I never saw two helmets exactly the same! There were different styles, colors, decals, and other add-ons to make each helmet distinctive.

Of course, coupled with the scooters are cars (Toyota, Honda, Isuzu, Ford, Chevy, Audi, VW, Hyundai, et al.), buses, vans, and vehicle types that I’ve never seen before. Couple that with bicycles and a pedestrian or two trying to walk across six lanes of traffic, and traffic can get very interesting in a hurry.

You have three other lanes of traffic merging with your three lanes. The scooter in the left lane may turn right, the van in the middle lane may go left, and by then, who cares what the guy in the right lane is going to do!

Then there is the roundabout. Your three lanes are merging with three lanes from four or five different streets – traffic coming from literally every possible direction.

Your first reaction to this is, “Gee, I’ve never been in a 700-vehicle accident before!”

Outside of the city, you can add semis and other large trucks. There is a lane on either side of the road for the motor scooter; however, you can see them going both ways in each lane! 

Meanwhile in the two main lanes, traffic, including scooters, is trying to pass the slow-moving trucks, so the middle lane is always full of vehicles trying to pass, frequently at the same time.

And crossing a street is also an adventure. Nothing but traffic! So wait for a small hole, then slowly and steadily cross the street. The scooters, etc. will swerve to evade you, or slow down to let you pass. However, go fast, swerve, or change pace or direction, and all bets are off – you are on your own!

Once you get over your abject terror and can look beyond the apparent chaos, there is actually an order to the system.

In two weeks traveling throughout the country, we never saw an accident! Drivers let other vehicles come into their lane and, in turn, are let into a lane by other drivers. Everyone tries to avoid each other – headlights flash and horns honk to let people know that they are there and should be avoided.

I wouldn’t drive in Vietnam for all the rice they produce. However, the system, though strange, works; traffic flowed steadily with no tie-ups, flare-ups, or delays. It is, once again, a case of Vietnam adapting to a situation in its own unique way. 

Next installment: Hoi An: A step back in time.