Our drive from Hué to Hôì An via the Hai Van Pass and the My Son temple was short but very slow: 8 hours to cover 165 kms.  We went through numerous villages and small towns along the way and the scooter riders’ face masks and outfits provided me with great entertainment.  

When we were last in Vietnam, in 2003, there were bicycles everywhere – carrying families, bicycles being pushed overloaded with mattresses, furniture or live animals.  Now, it seems most of the Vietnamese population, of which the median age is 30,  is riding scooters.  There are more cars now than back in 2003 and very few bicycles in cities, although kids and older folk in the country still ride them.  

According to figures by the Ministry of Transport, there are 45 million registered motorcycles. For a country with a population of 96 million, the 15th most populous nation on the planet, that’s close to one bike for every two people and 25% more than was forecast back in 2013. Also, 95% of householders own at least one scooter and interestingly, there are as many female as male riders,  a lot more equal than in our society.

I love how how relaxed the passengers are, and elegant too when riding side saddle.

So many Vietnamese wear face masks, not just scooter riders.  Apparently, it is not only for the pollution or to protect others from their germs as they do in Japan, but to protect and keep their skin pale.  Many ladies also wear elbow length gloves, hats and goggles. Masks seem to have become a bit of a fashion statement with the young ladies – some even have ponytail helmets! While helmets are required by law, not all wear them.  Being ATGATT proponents, “All The Gear All The Time”, it doesn’t make sense to us when we sometimes see just one rider wearing a helmet and not the other passengers.  Maybe it is because they get in the way when there are more than 2 passengers.   

Vietnam has the same addiction with mobile phones as everywhere else it seems as another common sight is scooters riders concentrating on texting, even through intersections…

And of course, one can carry just about anything on scooters.

It would be really enjoyable to ride around Vietnam on one of those scooters one day.  In 2014, we couldn’t take Streak and Storm due to the 175cc restriction, and the laws have changed numerous times since so I am not sure of the latest regulations.  At the speed at which most traffic moves at, 175cc is plenty and motorcycle rental is dirt cheap, so who knows, maybe one day??

– Anne