Death on the roads

Welcome to Asian roads.
Don't worry, assuming you survive, you'll get used to it.

I was always of the opinion Indonesian roads were about the worst in Asia, but Vietnam is clearly as bad, or at least trying for the title.
We do have one advantage here - drinking and driving isn't very common, something Thailand can't claim.

What's the punishment for a head-on collision? Someone was riding on his side of the road... Next,he's dead. What will follow?

Incarceration? What will the insurance pay out to the victim's family?

Just wondering.

Not sure but I was told a driver will be fined 50 mio for a road kill.

While I love the country and its people and have called it my home for many years, i honestly hate the plane stupidity which most Vietnamese show on the roads. Even some of my best friends get to hear how utter stupid in my opinion they are.

But it is their country and it is not up to us foreigners to change it, shall they continue to drive like idiots if they wish. I for one know what they're able to do and constantly expect the most ridiculous maneuvers possible. That's how I have avoided trouble and never had an accident.

I live near nga 3 Vung Tau which is notorious for many deaths. Had a motorcyclists ran a red light and the many freight trucks on this stretch of road couldn't break in time. The police found the motorcyclist at fault but the truck driver still compensated the family 50 millions dong.

All my relatives that drive trucks are strict about not a single drop of alcohol. Many drivers I've hired not a single one has taken my offer to drink bia with me. And we all know Vietnamese men love to drink but evidently family priorities is number 1 to them.

hs0zfe wrote:

What's the punishment for a head-on collision? Someone was riding on his side of the road... Next,he's dead. What will follow?

Incarceration? What will the insurance pay out to the victim's family?

Drivers of vehicles found at fault by CGST go to jail for at least a couple of days whilst the CGST check out insurance.

The 'road kill' price for 2015 hasn't been settled yet, but a couple of years ago it was USD$32,000 per body. That's why VNese are the best, most practised, hit and run drivers.

hs0zfe wrote:

There was heavy traffic and the difference between overtaking 20 times and not overtaking wouldn't be that big.

There is a certain attitude towards other drivers and especially those on motorcycles. One has to brake all the time, because others do whatever they want. Face death or a collision if you don't yield. That bus exiting a petrol station was flashing his lights while driving on my lane. No, he wouldn't slow down or wait 3 seconds.

What's the penalty for killing a motorcyclist, driving on the wrong side of the road?

Have you noticed how taxi and truck drivers sometimes behave?

One Lexus was double parked on the main road in Halong - and the driver wouldn't drive 10 meters to take available parking space.

Pushing into a lane - never wait! seems to be the leit motif.

Driving the wrong way dates back to the bicycle days - vehicles are, informally, allowed to drive the wrong way, along the kerb, IF they signal with their turn indicator.

Truck and, even more so, taxi drivers think they are kings of the road. Urban bus drivers I cut a little slack for - how would you like to drive an oversize vehicle in the city streets. As a cyclist I recognise that drivers of green buses in HCM are more courteous than blue bus drivers.

Last week I watched a Vinasun taxi (5632), who was waiting at a red light in Q3, decided that since no one was, apparently, using the cross street he would shoot across the red light, Unfortunately, at that very moment, a motorcyclist passed across and hit the cab.

The CGST have a bribe 'honeypot' nearby and they were there in a minute. The Vinasun driver blamed the motorcyclist, the motorcyclist told the truth and my POV camera settled the matter. The cab was removed on the end of a tow hook.

Later, as I was crossing Nguyen Van Linh, another Vinasun taxi (6781), ignored a red light as he turned on to Nguyen Luong Bang (Crescent Mall intersection) a truck, turning left on a green, hit the cab, which rolled and had a severely reshaped body.

Yesterday, I watched a Vinasun taxi (6400A) sail blithely across a multi-lane road after ignoring a red light. Unfortunately, he made it across.

Truck drivers can be dangerous to your health. They are often poorly maintained, have inexperienced drivers and their loads aren't secured properly. I usually just video bad driving and send it to the truck owner.

Owners care - about insurance rates and having their trucks impounded for a month or two whilst incidents are 'investigated'.

Once I saw a toll of steel proceeding at speed down Nguyen Van Linh after it fell from a braking truck. It went through the intersection, crunched up several cars and ran on, unperturbed, for another couple of kilometres at which time it hit a small incline at which time it stopped.

One defence against car drivers is their body work.

My bicycle has 'crossbars' fitted. These are bars (10cm stainless rod) are 10cm wider than the handle bars. They have very sharp ends and little red flags.

To the front and rear I have bars that protrude beyond the front and rear wheels - also having sharp points and flags.

Most car drivers, and I don't include taxi drivers, respect my flags. Motorcyclists who try to squeeze between my bicycle and the kerb also quit trying to overtake that way when waiting at a light.

I have installed 'outrider' bars - horizontal bars across the width of a motorcycle that prevent injury when the bike falls over - which exceed the width of properly adjusted wing mirrors by 10 cm each side.

These, when tipped with points (inverted stainless bolts, with sharp ends, welded to the bars) also act as a deterrent.

I also have my pointy front luggage carrier which deters vehicles wanting to cut me off.

Trucks and bus drivers don't care about their paintwork. So watch out.

Remember, older drivers have 'grandfathered' licences - no test. Younger people either manage to pass the test or pay the examiners off to get their licences, then they promptly forget most everything they know.

And rural drivers are far worse - like Ha Long Bay.

Most every Foreigner has road war stories - enough to fill a paperback. Many others get killed.

the biggest risk on a scoot is when you are turning left onto a side street. The trucks will overtake inside you (in the on coming lane). If you don't look behind you before turning you will eventually be hit and killed.

panda7 wrote:

the biggest risk on a scoot is when you are turning left onto a side street. The trucks will overtake inside you (in the on coming lane). If you don't look behind you before turning you will eventually be hit and killed.

That's true!

A few times, my lane was blocked (pedestrians walking in the motorcycle lane or something). And abig truck comes thundering towards me, hogging the full width of my lane

Flashing the lights and honking does not make this okay! So they may get there half an hour late. So what?!

Jaitch wrote:

hs0zfe wrote:

What's the punishment for a head-on collision? Someone was riding on his side of the road... Next,he's dead. What will follow?

Incarceration? What will the insurance pay out to the victim's family?

Drivers of vehicles found at fault by CGST go to jail for at least a couple of days whilst the CGST check out insurance.

The 'road kill' price for 2015 hasn't been settled yet, but a couple of years ago it was USD$32,000 per body. That's why VNese are the best, most practised, hit and run drivers.

Its only small change for Millionaires. Penalty should be be, complete per body ONE family level looses everything in compensation, so three dead the whole family clan would loose out, who has not enough to compensate sufficient, the whole clans should go to hard and the driver face the ultimate sentence. Anything else will fail

hs0zfe wrote:

panda7 wrote:

the biggest risk on a scoot is when you are turning left onto a side street. The trucks will overtake inside you (in the on coming lane). If you don't look behind you before turning you will eventually be hit and killed.

That's true!

A few times, my lane was blocked (pedestrians walking in the motorcycle lane or something). And a big truck comes thundering towards me, hogging the full width of my lane

Flashing the lights and honking does not make this okay! So they may get there half an hour late. So what?!

I drive Canadian/North American style. If I am turning left I will go into the LH lane, even if there are cars.

When I use my turn signals the headlight/spotlight modulators (we manufacture them) turn on automatically and even truck drivers pay attention.

Of course, taxis are 'special', ride in a car lane and they sit on their horn even if there is a car immediately in front of you. And they think it is OK to ride in motorcycle lanes. too and get surprised when you protest.

HCM has 'widened' many streets in the past year. They do this by painting three lanes where there were two. LH for cars, CENTRE for cars/trucks/motorcycles, RH for motorcycles. This has really improved traffic flow.

Making a left turn into a side street. Another option is to travel against traffic slowly in the curb lane with your flashers just before you get to the side street. Than you make the left turn again going against traffic until you see an opportunity to merge with flow of traffic.

This is just an option and it all depends on the situation and street make-up.  Obviously it's dangerous to go against flow of traffic but if sitting in a lane waiting to turn left will get you mowed down there's an option.

Also when making a left turn angle your bike so you can see the traffic behind you as well.

khanh44 wrote:

Making a left turn into a side street. Another option is to travel against traffic slowly in the curb lane with your flashers just before you get to the side street.

These drivers are the problem. A motorcycle going the wrong way occupies at least 150% of it's width of the lane.

Meet me - I will stop, or hit, you. According to the VN Highway Code this is illegal. And I can plead you were in the wrong.

If you want a safe LH turn, stay in the RH lane. When the red goes green proceed across the intersection and stop at the opposite corner. When the lights change, proceed across the intersection (at 90 degrees to arrival direction) and you are done.

I do this on the Crescent Mall intersection of Nguyen Van Linh. The only other risk is cars from the opposite direction, turning left, across your right of way, thinking all you need do is to out your flasher on and ignore the Highway Code.

This part of the VN Highway Code is no different to other parts of the world; straight-ahead Priority 1; turns Priority 2. I will, and do, drive in to an illegally turning car - the cost of repairs will make him think again.

The two-second all lights red section of a traffic light sequence is insufficient. All need to be 3 seconds and larger intersections need to be 5  seconds, or more, long.