We spent some time just sitting at a busy corner and watching the passing traffic! Of course, we needed a local beer to enjoy.
Some remarkable loads were carried on scooters. This is but a sample!
The 'tradies' used 3-wheeled scooter-trucks to deliver building materials to inner city sites. Well, most did. We saw several extension ladders, long pipes etc go past, but we were too slow with the camera. Even a mannequin dressed in a suit!
Traditional carry methods were used also. Some were for tourist benefit, but most were for genuine use.
On nearly every corner, there were 'taxis' available, which meant scooters or motor bikes with capacity for 1 passenger. The drivers seemed relaxed, or asleep, while waiting, so business must be slow.
The electrical infrastructure looked complicated. Not sure how you would troubleshoot if the power goes out on the 4th floor!
While walking the streets of Hoi An and Hanoi, we did hear the news of a $100,000 pay out to a Maccas worker in Australia where the cleaners failed to put out the yellow triangle warning sign that the floor was wet. Much easier in Vietnam! You have to watch where you're walking or you'll trip over, bang your head on,
fall into or slip on the numerous hazards. Not sure I read anything about
risk assessments either! Have we made our living environment too sanitised? Below are just a sample of the footpath hazards! No texting and walking here!!!
... and a photo from Hoi An ... same issue.
Helmets for riders on scooters are optional.... apparently. Some placed greater emphasis on protecting the lungs from the traffic fumes.... even for the little ones. In fairness, the speed was low and one of our guides told us fatalities are very low in cities, but skyrocket on the open road where speeds increase. Apparently a fatality every 2-3 minutes in the population of 95 million. Perhaps an indicator might be that in our short 6 days in Hoi An and Hanoi, we saw no traffic accidents and only two ambulances running lights and sirens, and they were within 10 minutes of each other. Then again, was this a measure of accident rate or a measure of supply of emergency services?
We walked past two street hawkers who were having a full-on argument, probably about who trades in the area. Didn't see blows laid, but it got close! Later, neither was there so perhaps the law moved in.
Another practice we saw occasionally on the streets was the burning of fake, paper money outside premises. This is a Buddhist offering, usually after a death in the household, to seek good luck from the ancestors. The 'wads' of fake money were readily available in the markets.
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