Carpooling in Vietnam

Diksha wrote:

Is carpooling and cost-sharing common practice in Vietnam? What about the regulations in force?

For which types of journey does carpooling seem more suitable in Vietnam? How much is the cost of a carpool trip?

Is there an app or other means available to connect people looking to carpool? How do you find other carpoolers?

If you are carpooling in Vietnam, what precautions should you take to travel safely?

According to you, what are the advantages and disadvantages of carpooling?

Thank you for sharing your experience,
Diksha

Vietnam invented the bike pool...

The cheapest is to just buy a used scooter.

It’s a non issue. Particularly for Da Nang which is literally walkable. Carpooling seems to be nonexistent, this isn’t Europe or America.

When you see a family of 4 on a motorbike any idea that carpooling is a thing out here is foolish.

Grab vehicle is readily and easily available and I utilize it exclusively and as a retiree I assure you we ain’t carpooling.

Is carpooling and cost-sharing common practice in Vietnam?
Not at all

What about the regulations in force?
No regulation

For which types of journey does carpooling seem more suitable in Vietnam?
Long distance

How much is the cost of a carpool trip?
N/A

Is there an app or other means available to connect people looking to carpool?
No

How do you find other carpoolers?
Not available

If you are carpooling in Vietnam, what precautions should you take to travel safely?
Driver alcohol checked; license checked; itinerary knowledge

According to you, what are the advantages and disadvantages of carpooling?
in Vietnam > advantages: cost effectiveness; comfort >  disadvantages: itinerary massive deviation; un-respected timing

Diksha wrote:

Hello everyone,

In order to move around in Vietnam, you will have to spend time on the road; for your work commute, to drop your children off at school or for everyday trips. Carpooling could be the right option for you. We would like to know your views on carpooling as a means of transport, and whether it is a practical and cost-effective option.

Is carpooling and cost-sharing common practice in Vietnam? What about the regulations in force?

For which types of journey does carpooling seem more suitable in Vietnam? How much is the cost of a carpool trip?

Is there an app or other means available to connect people looking to carpool? How do you find other carpoolers?

If you are carpooling in Vietnam, what precautions should you take to travel safely?

According to you, what are the advantages and disadvantages of carpooling?

Thank you for sharing your experience,
Diksha

For short local trips, people usually ride a motorbike, take a taxi or use Grab rideshare which has an app (not available in all provinces).

With Grab you can get a car ride (various sizes) or a motorbike ride.

So far, Grab doesn't offer the option to share a ride with other passengers going to the same (or different) destination.

You are only "sharing" the ride with the driver.

Some people take local buses.

Lots of people take buses over longer distances (city to city).

The closest thing to a car pool here is a car service or VIP limo service.

The advantage to those services is that every person is picked up at their own home and each is dropped off at the door of their individual destination in the new city.

I used services such as that in Danang when traveling to Tam Ky. It was a large SUV type vehicle.

The VIP limo services run very regularly between Vũng Tàu and Ho Chi Minh City in customized vans.

A car pool in the USA normally requires commitment to a regular run at least 5 days a week.

With the limo services here, there's no need to make any kind of commitment to repeat use, and that business effectively becomes the coordinator of the pool of riders.

With the narrow, busy roads in VN, carpooling just doesn't make sense. Like Oceanbeach 92107 says, 'Vietnam invented bike pooling.'

The carpool query is a bit uninformed and uneducated. Any basic online research of SEA, it’s traffic and transportation methodology tells you clearly that carpooling is nonsensical within the environment.

What’s important to the query is thinking that SEA/Vietnam is anything similar to Europe or America is also nonsensical.

I advise first and foremost not expatriating over with such a misinformed ideology that there would be such a thing as carpooling, and without doing some homework. Too many expats as it is coming over in this regard. SEA and Vietnam and more savvy expats suffer for it.

The carpool query is a bit uninformed and uneducated. Any basic online research of SEA, it’s traffic and transportation methodology tells you clearly that carpooling is nonsensical within the environment.

What’s important to the query is thinking that SEA/Vietnam is anything similar to Europe or America is also nonsensical.

I advise first and foremost not expatriating over with such a misinformed ideology that there would be such a thing as carpooling, and without doing some homework. Too many expats as it is coming over in this regard. SEA and Vietnam and more savvy expats suffer for it.

Joeaports59 wrote:

The carpool query is a bit uninformed and uneducated. Any basic online research of SEA, it’s traffic and transportation methodology tells you clearly that carpooling is nonsensical within the environment.

What’s important to the query is thinking that SEA/Vietnam is anything similar to Europe or America is also nonsensical.

I advise first and foremost not expatriating over with such a misinformed ideology that there would be such a thing as carpooling, and without doing some homework. Too many expats as it is coming over in this regard. SEA and Vietnam and more savvy expats suffer for it.

Okay...

But the OP is not some clueless person asking questions which deserve your ad hominem jobs.

The OP is one of our ADMINS who handles many different country forums besides Vietnam.

She likely copied and pasted much of this to many forums, as this is a generic topic that generates unique comments in every country.

So maybe chill with the somewhat offensive sense of smug superiority?

That's my bailiwick... 😉😉😉

Not interested in your liberal snowflake thin skinned avoidance of hard fact. There is no carpooling in all of Southeast Asia and that is indeed an obvious fact. The silly query should have been screened out and answered by the moderator and not posted to the site.
There is nothing offensive about my posts except your incorrect interpretation of it. Mind your own business and stay out of mine, particularly when your liberal politically correct sensitivities lead your thinking and view of the world.

Joeaports59 wrote:

Not interested in your liberal snowflake thin skinned avoidance of hard fact. There is no carpooling in all of Southeast Asia and that is indeed an obvious fact. The silly query should have been screened out and answered by the moderator and not posted to the site.
There is nothing offensive about my posts except your incorrect interpretation of it. Mind your own business and stay out of mine, particularly when your liberal politically correct sensitivities lead your thinking and view of the world.

So you calling her "uneducated" is not offensive...interesting!!!

How would you react to being called uneducated?

With indifference and confidence knowing what I know and what I can reason out like it is obviously extremely unlikely carpooling would exist in SEA, therefore don’t ask a silly question in regards to it.

The query shows a lack of any kind of research or understanding or effort to step back and consider the unlikelihood of carpooling.

Again, too many lazy expats stepping off the plane often based upon misconceptions (like that there would be something as unlikely as carpooling) and little research. It bodes Ill for SEA and those of us expats that come over having prepared so as not to negatively affect the indigenous culture.

Joeaports59 wrote:

The silly query should have been screened out and answered by the moderator and not posted to the site.

She IS the moderator, newbie (JJ)

The first aspect of carpooling is that you have to have a car.    May we accept the assumption that more than 50% of expats in Vietnam are ESL teachers?  In fact the number is likely a lot higher than that.   I don't think a large number of teachers have cars, as they cost roughly double what they do in the West.  Even if you had a car, would your school have a place to park it?  Would the others in the carpool have the same schedule?  I don't think the answer to these two questions is yes.  I suppose that two expats could motorbike-pool but they would still need the same schedule.  They are not working bankers' hours but anywhere from 7 AM to 10 PM.

THIGV wrote:

The first aspect of carpooling is that you have to have a car.    May we accept the assumption that more than 50% of expats in Vietnam are ESL teachers?  In fact the number is likely a lot higher than that.   I don't think a large number of teachers have cars, as they cost roughly double what they do in the West.  Even if you had a car, would your school have a place to park it?  Would the others in the carpool have the same schedule?  I don't think the answer to these two questions is yes.  I suppose that two expats could motorbike-pool but they would still need the same schedule.  They are not working bankers' hours but anywhere from 7 AM to 10 PM.

See? (addressing no one in particular  )

That's the way to address an irrelevant question without offending anyone.

As (almost always) usual, well written sir!

😎👍

Joeaports59 wrote:

With indifference and confidence knowing what I know and what I can reason out like it is obviously extremely unlikely carpooling would exist in SEA, therefore don’t ask a silly question in regards to it.

The query shows a lack of any kind of research or understanding or effort to step back and consider the unlikelihood of carpooling.

Again, too many lazy expats stepping off the plane often based upon misconceptions (like that there would be something as unlikely as carpooling) and little research. It bodes Ill for SEA and those of us expats that come over having prepared so as not to negatively affect the indigenous culture.

All hail our new leader.

Joeaports59 wrote:

It bodes Ill for SEA and those of us expats that come over having prepared so as not to negatively affect the indigenous culture.

I thought you were the one negatively affecting the indigenous culture by picking forbidden fruit?

Or do you claim that your young peach isn't influenced at all by your Western wealth?

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Joeaports59 wrote:

It bodes Ill for SEA and those of us expats that come over having prepared so as not to negatively affect the indigenous culture.

I thought you were the one negatively affecting the indigenous culture by picking forbidden fruit?

Or do you claim that your young peach isn't influenced at all by your Western wealth?

Looks like his research about noise in VN wasn't overly good. Ah well, maybe he could get some tips from other illinformed expats.

Joeaports59
What you call, "liberal snowflake thin-skinned avoidance of hard fact." I call rude and obnoxious. You're a guest in a foreign country, try being a little polite. My mother used to say, "You will catch more flies with a cup of honey than you will with a bucket of vinegar."

Well, I am not good at riding motor bike and likely to kill someone the first time, so 'll be bringing my Mercedes Benz with me.
I'll be asking any local registration details next year.
My move has been delayed as I am having a couple of surgeries done with in USA before the move.
Hey, the motor bike pool looks great as long as I am a rider, not the driver! lol

lifeisgoodok wrote:

Well, I am not good at riding motor bike and likely to kill someone the first time, so 'll be bringing my Mercedes Benz with me.

Lots of threads on importing cars here.  There are definite restrictions on age of the car and a duty of around 100% even on used cars.  Also urban car piloting may actually be more nerve wracking than being on a motorbike as you are sort of swimming in a sea of bikes.  You will definitely want to do your homework.  Maybe you should consider making your mind up after you arrive.

lifeisgoodok wrote:

Well, I am not good at riding motor bike and likely to kill someone the first time, so 'll be bringing my Mercedes Benz with me.
I'll be asking any local registration details next year.
My move has been delayed as I am having a couple of surgeries done with in USA before the move.
Hey, the motor bike pool looks great as long as I am a rider, not the driver! lol

I'm honestly not an expert on this, but I'm thinking it might be worthwhile selling your Mercedes before you depart and then purchasing one here.

I can't imagine the headache and expense involved in importing a car here.

But I'm a liberal snowflake, so probably best to ignore me.

Liked just for this:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

But I'm a liberal snowflake, so probably best to ignore me.

Joeaports59 wrote:

When you see a family of 4 on a motorbike any idea that carpooling is a thing out here is foolish.

The photo of a family of 5 (not 4) on motorbike and the caption "Vietnam invented the bike pool" from Ocean Beach's post was tongue-in-cheek.  Was it foolish?  Only if you think jokes are foolish.

Myself, I've seen 6 young adults on a motorbike. 

Also, I'm sure OB could've found a photo with at least the same number of people but with the additional bags of groceries hanging over the bike's handles.  And an additional dog with front paws on the back of a person.

The caption of the new photo, were I to post it, would've been:  "Carpooling in Vietnam?  You've seen nothing yet."

Joeaports59 wrote:

The carpool query is a bit uninformed and uneducated.

What’s important to the query is thinking that SEA/Vietnam is anything similar to Europe or America is also nonsensical.

This thread was created by an Admin, not an uninformed expat.  If you care enough to glance at other forums, you would've noticed that this is one in a series of subjects that are posted on almost every forum on every continent. 

Admins do this regularly to bring people to the table for discussions, thus one of the questions was "Is carpooling and cost-sharing common practice in Vietnam?"  It's a legitimate question that deserves a legitimate answer.  You can give a short answer of Yes or No, or you can explain why there's no such practice.  The latter, had you given it, would have helped her with the goal to have people talking and sharing, that is, people who didn't carry a hammer with intention to bash.

She has also never said Vietnam is similar to Europe or America. 

Joeaports59 wrote:

There is nothing offensive about my posts

... except that part where you called one of the Admins, the host of the forum on which you just became a member less than a month ago, "uninformed and uneducated".  Without a shred of evidence to back your "nonsensical" criticism.

Joeaports59 wrote:

I advise first and foremost not expatriating over with such a misinformed ideology that there would be such a thing as carpooling, and without doing some homework.

"Do some homework" before "advising" and criticizing.  IOW, practice what you preach.

Joeaports59 wrote:

those of us expats that come over having prepared so as not to negatively affect the indigenous culture.

Indigenous culture?  I'm two minds about the term so I'm going to let it go.  It's still Tết, I don't want to start a "silly and nonsensical" argument over some "misinformed ideology" with someone who called himself a "savvy expat" but who arrived in this country 6 months ago for the first time, whose idea of not "negatively affect the indigenous culture" is complaining about how "brutal" it is comparing to his American Midwest life.

In another week when Tết is over, maybe, but not now.

BTW, OceanBeach, when did you become a liberal snowflake?  You should've informed us that so my better half and I would've known how to act around you.   

Ciambella wrote:

BTW, OceanBeach, when did you become a liberal snowflake?  You should've informed us that so my better half and I would've known how to act around you.   

I had posted this...

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Joeaports59 wrote:

The carpool query is a bit uninformed and uneducated. Any basic online research of SEA, it’s traffic and transportation methodology tells you clearly that carpooling is nonsensical within the environment.

What’s important to the query is thinking that SEA/Vietnam is anything similar to Europe or America is also nonsensical.

I advise first and foremost not expatriating over with such a misinformed ideology that there would be such a thing as carpooling, and without doing some homework. Too many expats as it is coming over in this regard. SEA and Vietnam and more savvy expats suffer for it.

Okay...

But the OP is not some clueless person asking questions which deserve your ad hominem jobs.

The OP is one of our ADMINS who handles many different country forums besides Vietnam.

She likely copied and pasted much of this to many forums, as this is a generic topic that generates unique comments in every country.

So maybe chill with the somewhat offensive sense of smug superiority?

That's my bailiwick... 😉😉😉

Which was immediately followed by this (sadly, without quoting me and giving me due honor):

Joeaports59 wrote:

Not interested in your liberal snowflake thin skinned avoidance of hard fact. There is no carpooling in all of Southeast Asia and that is indeed an obvious fact. The silly query should have been screened out and answered by the moderator and not posted to the site.
There is nothing offensive about my posts except your incorrect interpretation of it. Mind your own business and stay out of mine, particularly when your liberal politically correct sensitivities lead your thinking and view of the world.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Which was immediately followed by this (sadly, without quoting me and giving me due honor)

For your suffering of being misunderstood and the missing of credit, I now proclaim You're IT. Be prosperous and be strong. 

Ciambella wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Which was immediately followed by this (sadly, without quoting me and giving me due honor)

For your suffering of being misunderstood and the missing of credit, I now proclaim You're IT. Be prosperous and be strong. 

Oh...

I thought I was ET 😉

Thank you.
I will for sure do some discovery and due on this.