Sunday Driving

Vietnam has hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of motorbikes. And sometimes they are all on the street where I want to be.

There are cars in VN, but they are a luxury many cannot afford. The sales tax on cars is 100% of the car's sale price. In other words, whatever you pay for your car, you will double the price by the time you pay the taxes.  If a person has the means to buy a car, they often will employ a driver. Many companies offer some key employees a vehicle and a driver. Most people, however,get around by motorbike. The motorbikes here are not the big chrome trimmed gas guzzling noise making machines we see on the roads in the western world, but instead little machines that have around 100 cc motors. i have been driving one since just after I got here, and recently bought my own rather than continuing to rent one. I drive very fast- maybe as much as 60 kph! Speed limits for bikes are usually around 50, and many people like to drive more slowly than that.

Two and three wheel vehicles are given a special lane on the extreme right of the road. This is true on the highways and on some streets, but not everywhere. That doesn't mean that only two and three wheeled vechiles use these lanes. Other vehicles, including big trucks, often pull into that lane before making a right turn. The thing that bothers me most is when I'm walking on the sidewalk and a motorcycle comes toward me, going the wrong way on the SIDEWALK, and the driver beeps for ME to get out of the way!!

There are no stop signs or yield signs anywhere that I have been in this country. Some places have lights, and most drivers pay attention to them, but you still have to look out for the crazies who don't.

Today I bought a bicycle. Believe me, bicycles here are nothing like the ones in North America. They have one speed- yours. my new bike is pink and says Queen on the frame. I think the dealer was waiting for me to come along. At about $75 it was one of the most expensive models in the shop. When riding, it feels like my feet are going very fast. I think adjusting the seat may help with that. Anyway I'm hoping that driving my bike instead of my motorbike sometimes may help with my age old weight issue. We'll see how it goes.