Braving the Traffic

Thousands of motorcycles clog the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, along with a far smaller number of bicycles, taxis, cars, buses and trucks.

Crossing a busy street on foot requires an act of faith. There's rarely an actual break in traffic, so people simply launch themselves off the curb and into the maelstrom as soon as they see the slightest gap in the outside lane. Since the main concept in driving appears to be to keep moving at a steady pace, traffic simply parts and flows around pedestrians. What at first was totally unnerving soon became commonplace and we casually stepped into the busiest of streets.

Being on foot in the middle of all that traffic sometimes felt safer than being on the back of a scooter or in a taxi.

The dashboard altars in many cabs led to speculation about whether to feel safe because of our driver's request for divine intervention or concerned because he felt the need for it.