New law for expats riding motorbikes?

They tried to introduce this last year, but it was a non starter. The locals got a tad upset about it.

It was discussed here :
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=217142

OK, thanks for the link.

You should carry one anyway, in case you meet a CGST Neanderthal who goes by the book.

Have been asked for mine over the years (usually a Stop and Search at a Toll Gate) but never had it stamped by the police (it might cost too much).

Very necessary around Da Nang, Hue and Dong Ha (the speed trap capital of VietNam - even for motorcycles) as this is the area motorcycle thefts are made prior to them being smuggled to Laos.

The Customs Border Gate near Khe Sanh is a double gate. You check in Gate 1, where you are trapped in an holding area. You are held there until the Cong An/CGST check out their stolen list and occasionally even telephone the owner before you are released through Gate 2 in to Laos. These guys always need a Letter of Authorisation.

Might be worth noting if you get pulled, that the police has the right badge to do so:
http://www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitr … es-1.96842

LBF, you got to give them a "A" for effort. They are truly trying to clean their act up. On another note in regards to the OP. Why would any expat want to be tooling around with-out proper documentation. You surely wouldn't do it back home.

Agreed Budman every little helps improve the situation here.

As for carrying documents, in the UK you are not required to carry them, but can be requested to produce them at a police station, if you have been pulled for a traffic violation. You are usually given the choice of which police station you want to attend, so if you are traveling and outside your normal area you can choose a station near your home.
That said everything in the UK is computer based so by the time you have been pulled they already know if your documents are in order. So this happens rarely now.

How you drive makes a difference.

I am never a leader of the pack as they are the ones that usually get stopped. Phut-phutting along slowly seems to also disarm the CGST. What could a slow driving Foreigner be worth stopping for?

The new multi-vehicle centre lanes have sure put paid to a lot of honey pots where the CGST made a fortune.

Working headlights are important - sure give away for CGST to stop you.

I always wondered how they tell the difference between a traffic violator and a regular Vietnamese driver, given their skills are around 1-2 on a scale of 100?

LBF Understand. It just makes more sense to me when I'm in a foreign country to be proactive have have all the documents with me in the case I would be stopped. Less hassle for me and less for the Police. I'm sure they appreciate it also. One note, I don't own or operate a motorcycle here. A 7 Pax van with driver and A/C suits me just fine tooling around the Delta.

Jaitch wrote:

How you drive makes a difference.

You also forgot the quality of your motorbike. Ride a nice shiny new SH etc. Chances are you have money in your pocket so worth stopping. Ride a clapped out old banger (but still all working) hmmm maybe not so much money....

Budman1 wrote:

LBF, you got to give them a "A" for effort. They are truly trying to clean their act up. On another note in regards to the OP. Why would any expat want to be tooling around with-out proper documentation. You surely wouldn't do it back home.

That's the whole point of my post -- is this letter of authorization legally required or not? I'm simply wanting to confirm which documents are necessary. I'm more than happy to carry the proper documents, as long as I know what they are.

I never knew this law requiring carrying proper documentations or authorization form existed in Vietnam.

Whenever I'm in Vietnam my relatives always allow me their motorbikes to get around. So if a relative loans me their bike for the day I should ask them to sign an authorization paper?

khanh44 wrote:

So if a relative loans me their bike for the day I should ask them to sign an authorization paper?

The answer is above.

khanh44 wrote:

I never knew this law requiring carrying proper documentations or authorization form existed in Vietnam.

Whenever I'm in Vietnam my relatives always allow me their motorbikes to get around. So if a relative loans me their bike for the day I should ask them to sign an authorization paper?

I'm not sure the Police even know what the law is. Some say yes some say no. Some say the fine is suppose to go to the owner of the vehicle, others say the driver. It's probably not a bad idea to get the letter regardless. In Bien Hoa, the police are gonna fine you 200,000 vnd once they pull you over. Unless of course you can convince them you don't speak Vietnamese then they will just tell you to go.

Here is the status:

If stopped, the police will ask you to produce the following papers:

1. A green card showing the registration of the motorbike. It shows that the motorbike is not stolen. The bike can be registered under a different name and you don't need to show the authorization paper (for now).

2. A driver license.

3. A valid insurance.

Anatta wrote:

If stopped, the police will ask you to produce the following papers:

They'll only ask me that if they speak English. Otherwise, I just act like a tourist who doesn't understand anything, and they let me go. (It helps that I left the sticker on the back of my motorbike with the name of the restaurant where I rented it, before I purchased it from them. I just point to that and it reinforces their belief that I'm a tourist.)

I DO have my papers, if needed. But I NEVER show the police anything unless they are able to communicate adequately. If you voluntarily produce what they want, you're pretty much indicating to them that you know better, and shouldn't have done whatever it is they think you did.

Laidback's comment about the kind of motorbike you ride is very true also. The nicer the bike, the more likely you'll be stopped.

saigonmonkey wrote:

Anatta wrote:

If stopped, the police will ask you to produce the following papers:

They'll only ask me that if they speak English.

Ah, true true. I was writing from my own experience. I'd better play dumb and stupid speaking only English (like Howie always does) next time they stop me!!!

Anatta wrote:

saigonmonkey wrote:

Anatta wrote:

If stopped, the police will ask you to produce the following papers:

They'll only ask me that if they speak English.

Ah, true true. I was writing from my own experience. I'd better play dumb and stupid speaking only English (like Howie always does) next time they stop me!!!

Howies not playing Anatta. That's really him.

Hey Anatta,

It worked for me.    But for you...  I don't know.  Maybe they will lock you up until you can speak Vietnamese?