Don't do it- plain and simple. You will lose.
One night at Press Club, I was talking to a woman who worked for the World Health Organization. I asked her what was Vietnam's most pressing health issue. She said "Traffic fatalities and injuries."
I took this photo on my morning commute. It looks stressful, but I wasn't running late- so no worries by me.
This incident occurred a few weeks ago on the road Trần Khát Chân. The foreigner made a lot of mistakes here.
- He was on a motorbike and the locals were in a car (a Porsche by the way)
- Fighting in sandals
- He took off his helmet
- Fighting locals
This is not a phenomenon strictly in Vietnam, this applies anywhere- if you are an outsider fighting with a local, the other local people will rally to help their own. This is a short clip from a video that went viral here in Vietnam.
In order to avoid road rage, you should expect the following while driving in Hanoi:
- Getting cut off or people pulling out in front of you without looking.
- People driving the wrong way
- Ignoring traffic lights
- Driving on sidewalks
- Talking on phones while driving motorbike
Don't get mad, just be amused and be careful. Don't rush, leave early and pay attention to road conditions.
Or, dress like Bane.
By the way, if you're going to drive for any length of time in Hanoi, you need a good pollution mask. I found out the hard way because I got a couple chest infections early on. I bought my Respro at The Hanoi Bicycle Collective in Tay Ho. http://www.thbc.vn/
Also, make sure you get a proper helmet that protects your whole head and face. If you scroll back and look at the first picture, most people's helmets will not protect anything except maybe protect you from getting a ticket for no helmet.
You can buy a helmet at Motor Store on 347 Pho Hue. http://motorstore.vn/
I paid $100 USD- how much is your head worth? Stay safe out there.
