One of the first things that people think of when they think about Saigon is MOTORBIKES! I've seen estimates of anywhere between 4-6 million motorbikes in the city alone. It's hectic at all times, but at rush hour you can really feel it. And don't even get me started on how people drive in the rain! Everyone starts driving super aggressively to get home as fast as possible, and it just slows down traffic further.
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| Traffic circle at night |
I've always been adamant that I would not be driving a motorbike while living here. However, upon arrival I found that they were unavoidable. The first issue I had was how to cross the road. The stream of motorbikes is unending, so, contrary to everything I learned growing up about crossing the street, you have to just step out into the sea of bikes. Somehow it works, motorbikes swerve around you, and as long as you keep walking at a steady pace, you'll (most likely) make it across in one piece. Whatever you do, DON'T STOP, this will confuse the driver and they won't know which way to swerve. I'm pretty sure I held my breath every time I crossed the street for a straight week when I first arrived.
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| Photo from: InHoiAn.com. Bikes as far as the eye can see. |
Next up, taking taxis and ubers are super affordable. I thought, "Ok, perfect, I can just get around via car." Not so much. It takes about double the time to navigate through traffic in a car than it does on a motorbike. And, while $3-$5/ride anywhere in the city sounds nice, it does add up.
At this point I gave in to the fact that a motorbike might be a necessary form of transportation, so I started taking "Xe Om's." Xe Om translates to "Motorbike Hug" and is basically a motorbike taxi. I was able to get from point A to point B much quicker, but holy sh*t those dudes drive like maniacs. Using the Grab Taxi app (amazing, definitely download it if you visit) I was able to start using their Grab Bike feature, and those drivers tend to be much more chilled out.
In order to avoid always relying on a xe om, I started riding a bicycle around town. Great for speed and a workout, not so great for showing up looking like a professional. Sweaty mess is more like it. Riding a bike did however prepare me for getting behind the wheel myself. Riding the bicycle taught me how to navigate traffic, which turns out to be semi-organized chaos. I realized that if I could do it on a bicycle, I could do it on a motorbike. In fact, I'd feel safer driving my own motorbike rather than on a defenseless bicycle or at the mercy of a crazy unknown moto driver!
So,...that's how I found myself being the proud renter of one of the cities millions of motorbikes. Now that I've gotten the hang of it, it's actually quite fun!
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| Picture me rollin' |
Goodnight Vietnam, Good Morning Portland!
