Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Driving Around Lost

So the company driver quit last week and now there is a new driver. From Saigon. Which means *I'm* the one who's the local, giving directions. It also means I'm more short tempered than normal, 'cause a ride around town now becomes a pain.

Not only is the dude unaware of the roads, he has the amazing quality of being slow and reckless.

Perhaps he's just not used to the traffic here. The traffic in Saigon is almost placid in its order. At least in the central business district (Dist. 1), it's pretty controlled and manageable. Yes, the roads are overwhelmed with volume, but people actually stick to traffic rules, more or less.

Perhaps there is more traffic enforcement in Saigon. Perhaps in Hanoi everyone and their mother thinks they're a big shot. You know, the whole politico feel of the place - I know somebody who's somebody who can get me out of a ticket, so why bother following the rules?

So this guy with a decade of service in Saigon is relatively dangerous on these crazy Hanoi streets. It is true that there is a cultural gap between the North and the South.

And now I'm annoyed a bit every day. Where's the cheap Lifan taxi service when you need it?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

It was funny, last Sunday during the middle of a rain storm, I was asked by another biker directions to 3|2 street. they were way off but I managed to tell them where to go, I hope... :-)