Playing in the street

I've written about the traffic in Saigon from perspectives of watching from the curb and participating as a motorbike passenger.

The last few evenings I've been at my hotel and needed to find dinner for myself. My hotel only serves breakfast buffet so I must venture out for other meals. As in other cities I visit I walked from my hotel to get a sense of the area and see what's in the immediate area. That means I experienced traffic as a pedestrian! Fortunately I had the opportunity to observe pedestrians before attempting my own trek across a street. If not for that I would never have attempted a crossing at dinner time much less crossed safely.

Based on what I observed I waited until nothing too big was coming my way (four wheeled vehicles seem less apt to make way for pedestrians), then I look in the direction opposite oncoming traffic because not all traffic goes the "right" direction, look in the direction of oncoming traffic and when there is space to step into the street without making anyone immediately swerve or get on their brakes I head out.

Once in the street proceed slowly and deliberately forward timing your progress so you'll walk forward into the spot behind the motorbike that just passed by. If it doesn't look like you have room to move forward stop until the motorbike preventing that progress passes then move into the spot behind as just described. Move deliberately and remember you, the motorbike riders and the cars are dynamically negotiating the progress each of you want to make.

If the motorbikes are adjusting their path but it doesn't seem to be a reaction to you stop and look opposite the direction of oncoming traffic. There's likely someone coming from that direction and you need to be sure not to step into its path.

On the streets that are wide enough the four wheel vehicles are near the center line and the motorbikes toward the curb. If you're crossing one of these streets when you get to the four wheel traffic area stop if there are four wheel vehicles approaching and they can't conveniently slow down to let you pass. Standing in the street is okay, really! Once you can step behind a passing four wheeler and not slow the following one down too much go ahead and cross the street to the center line. Remember to watch out for motorbikes from either direction.

Now that you've made it to the center of the road repeat the crossing process in reverse. That's all there is too it!!