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Vietnam Highway Laws

VIETNAM | Wednesday, 25 August 2010 | Views [408]

The rules of the road, as far as I can tell:

1. The bigger you are, the more entitled you are to do whatever the hell you want. Ie a bus could pull a U-turn across five lanes of traffic. Too bad everyone else, you are smaller than the bus.

Hiracrhy on the road: Bus, Minivan (no many of them), Car, Motorbike (millions of them), large person (football linebacker), biker, small person and then the only one that doesnt fit the largest to smallest model; a bike loaded with 100kg of coconuts, bananas, ice or whatever - no respect for goods in transport. 

2. There are no one way roads, they are 1.1 way roads. For every 10 drivers going the normal intended way, it is legal for 1 driver to go in the opposite direction.

3. The sidewalk is an extention of the roadway and should be used whenever the road is filled more than 10 motobikes wide.

4. Although it seems unfavorable to hit pedestrians, they have no rights on the sidewalks or crosswalks. Give them havoc.

5. One must honk there horn at least once every 10 seconds otherwise they are in violation of the 'Mandatory Annoying Noise Act.'

6. There are no lanes, ignore the paint on the roadway. It is advised to stay to the right. But driving on the far left (into oncoming traffic) is also acceptable.

7. Headlights are not required. Especially when it is raining, pull your poncho over the handlebars of your motorbike to keep dry and abide by the no headlight ever law.

8. If you want to make a left hand turn, simple hold your horn down and turn. You have the right to go where you want if you are honking your horn, but rule number one is still boss. Therefore it is advised not to try this in front of a bus (they have a louder horn anyways).

 

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