One of the most powerful impressions of Vietnam is undoubtedly its traffic. Per our guide, the metropolitan area of Hanoi has 8.5 million people and over 6 million motorcycles. They all seem to be on the road at all times. The ratio of motorcycles to cars is at least 30 to 1. They overpower all streets and alleys.

All vehicles, be it buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles and bikes do not stop for pedestrians, even at crosswalks. The only way to cross any road is to just step into traffic, hold up your hand (that helps a little) and walk. I have learned that you can’t look at the traffic or make eye contact. My human reflex makes me stop when I see a bus heading straight for me. But that’s a mistake. The bus expects me to move at my current speed and the driver therefore adjusts his speed and direction to avoid me. If I suddenly stop in panic, all hell breaks loose up-traffic and bad things happen. You just go, go, go. It’s better to go in a group of people, since there is power in the masses.

Most intersections, even with multiple lanes in all directions, do not have traffic lights. So the cross traffic of all types just enters the intersection and eventually makes it across. The cross traffic swims around it like a school of fish in the ocean.

It takes some getting used to. I am amazed that there are not more accidents. I only saw one motorcycle fallen in two weeks.

The following are two videos I took at random spots in Hanoi. Just put them into full screen mode on your browser and watch. Check out the people crossing the streets. Watch the cross traffic make its way. And be amazed.

Here is another one:

You can see all kinds of things on those motorcycles. Here is a woman with a load of ducks that rode next to our bus for quite a while.

I didn’t get a video, but we saw one with two pigs (dead pigs) on the back. We also saw entire pieces of furniture on the backs of motorcycles, usually too late to get the camera out to catch them.

There are many people who commute with their families. Click on the image below, zoom in and check how many kids you can find on the bikes.

Often we saw four people on a motorcycle, with both parents being on their phones, either navigating or watching videos.

Here is a father with a baby between his legs and a kid behind him.

Here is another typical street scene in Hanoi. Every street, every alley, looks like this.

 

Traffic in Vietnam is unique, chaotic, terrifying and fascinating all at once. I might note that we didn’t see any rental car counters at the various airports we flew in and out of, including Hanoi, Saigon and Da Nang. What tourist would be able to drive there anyway?

The rental car companies seem to know.