Casey Space

The equivalent of Uber here is called Grab. You can Grab a ride on a motorbike or a car. There are taxis also, but we haven’t figured out how to get one to come to us.

Besides the driving rules being very different, we have seen some bad accidents with motorbikes, which was a demotivator for getting on one. However, I’ve had some issues with ride share and taxis, so I was soon motivated to gain independence and get out there.

I haven’t had much luck with Grab. When I use the app, it says everyone is busy over and over again. I walk up to a Grab motorcycle rider and try to enter his ID code in the app, but they just shrug it off and tell me to get on. This means the ride is off the books which scares me a little, but, I need a ride. We’ve been ripped off a couple times by Grab and taxis, so spite is a great motivator.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Casey Space (@caseyspace9)

New Driving Rules

Driving is different here. The rules are similar to a roller rink or ski hill. The Vietnamese do not like to stop. There are no stop signs and stop lights are optional if it’s a 3 way intersection and you’re on a motorbike going straight.

Turning left is just about noodling your way through oncoming traffic until you get across, or driving down the wrong side of the road until your turn, you do not stop and wait for a break in traffic. Roundabouts are are a free-for-all.

When I think of driving with ski hill or roller rink rules, it makes sense. You are responsible for what is in front of you, and the drivers behind you are responsible for not hitting you. It is common for people to pull out into traffic without looking at all. They absolutely do not use their mirrors.

Though it is much much higher stakes, it taps into the same part of my brain that is able to maneuver through blockers in roller derby. It’s about predicting movement and finding holes.

This is a great how-to video we watched about driving in Vietnam.