The Madness

First impression of Hanoi: amazing!
First impression of Hanoian streets: fucking INSANE!!

The streets of Hanoi are constantly filled with motorbikes zooming up and down, round and round. People going fast, going slow, going through red lights and going on the wrong side of the road. The traffic laws are clearly stated but never enforced, and with a city of six million people, who's going to stop them?

There are more bikes on the road than there are cars and it's truly amazing how the Vietnamese can find so many uses for a bike. It's not strange to see multiple people on a bike and there is no need for a family car in this city. A family of four can be seated comfortably(?) on a bike, with a baby in mom's lap, dad driving with the older child between his legs, and only two helmets for all. Motorbikes also have the same use as delivery trucks, delivering anything from live animals (pigs and chickens in bags) to refrigerators to construction materials. The bikes rule the road and you either have to accept the bike culture or live in fear of being run down.

Crossing the street in Hanoi is initially a pain but becomes a form of art after a while. Reminiscent of the old style arcade game 'Frogger' where you try to cross the road and can only move forwards, backwards or side-to-side. I found myself stranded in the middle of the street when I first got to Vietnam and learned the tricks of the trade rather early. I'll gladly share with you the secret to Hanoi traffic so that you don't end up alone and crying in the middle of the street as you tried to check out the souvenir shop on the other side. The trick is to just keep moving. Pretend like you don't see the traffic around you and walk forward at a normal pace. As intimidating as the bikes are, they will go around you and try to avoid hitting you the best they can.

I'm an experienced Hanoian (well, I've only been here for two months but that's all it takes really!) but I can't say that I partake in the terror that is involved in riding bikes. I do, however, ride on the back of them whenever I can. I love tearing through Hanoi while sitting on the back of a friend's bike or on the back of a Xeom (say-um), one of the many hired bikes found on any street corner. Life in Hanoi seems so great from the back of a bike. I feel like a distant observer of the madness, while at the same time, being right in the thick of things. It's such an amazing daily experience, there's no place I'd rather be.