The land where the scooter rules

So I’ve spoken a bit about the scooters and motorcycles that rule the world here. Basically, most people don’t drive a car, they drive a two-wheeler (and seldom a bike).

Traffic rules varies between “the biggest go first”, like Vietnam, and “the fastest go first”, which is more Thailand. Red lights are often more a… suggestion than a hard rule. Traffic signs like “Stop” are also more a suggestion to check the traffic rather than a firm “stop for two beats”.

Overtaking is just a matter of being faster and if there is enough space to do it. Visibility comes second. “Space” can be defined as “the paint isn’t scratched, so there was ample space”.

Now all that is a bit harrowing when coming from the Land of Traffic Rules and Regulations. What actually helps is that first, people drive a lot slower in Asia. It’s not true everywhere, of course, but in the cities’ small streets, where the road serves equally for cars, scooters, tuk-tuks, handcarts, bikes, and people (because sidewall are either non-existent or serve as parking space or shop space), you can’t go fast.

And I won’t even brush on the occasional scooter going the wrong way.

And second, people drive carefully. It’s not obvious at first because it’s so chaotic. But I’ve occasion to see that.

Imagine you are a hapless tourist in Ho Chi Minh City, wanting to cross a two-lane main street, without the benefit of traffic lights. That’s four lane to cross, and of course the traffic won’t let up. How to do it?

You advance calmly advance, giving ample time to the traffic to avoid you. And that’s what will happen. They will pass on either side. Of course, the moment when you switch on the traffic coming to your left to the traffic coming to your right is always a bit interesting.

You can also be stuck riding the back of a scooter-taxi, with or without multiple backpack/handbag/foodbag/straw hat. Helmet optional, obviously. (Would you put it underneath the straw hat, or…?) That’s when you heartfully thank the driver to drive smoothly, without speeding or breaking suddenly, taking the turns with the right angle. (You can close your eyes when he drives in the wrong-side lane because otherwise it would be too big a detour.)

In Cambodia and Vietnam, if you overtake a smaller vehicle (or a pedestrian), you hit the horn to make sure they know you are coming (and that they will go closer to the side to give you more space). Generally, scooters will ride on the right, and it is not rare to see three vehicles side-by-side, overtaking each other. Notwithstanding the scooter coming in the opposite direction, which has just enough space left to go its own way. But hey, no paint scratched, everything is fine!

And then, they offer you to rent your own scooter for the day. Just to add to the general mayhem.