What is the driving style in Vietnam?

What is it like driving in Vietnam?

Driving in Vietnam? Crazy. Seriously. Motorbikes EVERYWHERE. Like, a solid wall of them. I almost had a heart attack my first day. You just gotta be aggressive. No, seriously aggressive. People don’t follow the rules. Rules? What rules?

My rental car, a beat-up Toyota Corolla, felt tiny. So tiny amidst the chaos. I swear I saw a family of five on one scooter once. Five! How? Honking is constant. It’s the language here, apparently. Not sure I understand the nuances yet. Need more honking lessons.

Traffic is insane. Absolute madness. Roundabouts are death traps. I’m getting better, though. Learning to anticipate. Or maybe just accepting my impending doom. Maybe I should stick to Grab. But where’s the fun in that?

The roads themselves… well, let’s just say, varied. Some are good, some are… interesting. Lots of potholes. My poor Corolla. I’m already thinking about the repair bill. This is going to be expensive. I should have gotten insurance. Wait…did I?

Biggest tip: Learn to drive defensively. Like, seriously defensively. And honk. Lots. It’s a survival mechanism.

• Motorbike Mayhem: The sheer volume of motorbikes is overwhelming.
• Aggressive Driving: Expect aggressive driving from others.
• Road Conditions: Road quality varies greatly, with potholes a common issue.
• Honking: Constant honking is the norm.
• Rental Cars: Small cars feel particularly vulnerable. Get insurance!
• Grab: Consider using Grab, a ride-hailing app, for safer transport sometimes.

This year’s trip was stressful, but in a weirdly exhilarating way. Next time, maybe I’ll bring my helmet. Or maybe just stay in hotels. Nah, where’s the adventure in that? I need a stronger car next time, too. Maybe an SUV.

Are cars in Vietnam right-hand drive?

Right-hand drive in Vietnam? As likely as finding a decent parking spot downtown. No way! Vietnam drives on the right.

Think of it this way: If Vietnamese cars were right-hand drive, the roads would resemble a chaotic ballet performed by confused bumper cars. Right?

Driving on the right, you see, like civilized nations. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand? Bless their hearts. They are doing their thing.

It’s all about perspective, innit? My aunt Mildred once tried driving on the left in Paris. Mayhem!

• Vietnam: Right-hand traffic. Imagine the horror if it wasn’t.
• Neighbors: Left-hand traffic. They probably enjoy the challenge.
• Aunt Mildred: A cautionary tale. Never let her near a steering wheel abroad.
• Parking: An eternal mystery in Vietnam. Fact.
• Ballet: Chaotic, but charming. Like everything else.

What are different styles of driving?

Driving styles? Honey, there’s a whole zoo out there! We’re talking everything from:

• The Road-Rage Rhino: These folks treat the highway like a gladiatorial arena. Honking like a banshee, tailgating like a lovesick puppy, cutting you off with the grace of a drunken hippo. My Uncle Barry, bless his heart, fits this category. He once flipped off a squirrel. A squirrel.

• The Daredevil Donkey: Reckless? They redefine the word. Speed limits? More like suggestions. They weave in and out of traffic like a caffeinated hummingbird, narrowly avoiding utter catastrophe. I swear I saw one doing a wheelie on a scooter last week.

• The Nervous Nellie: This is your white-knuckle grip, sweat-drenched brow, “Is that a pothole? Oh my god, is that a pothole?” crew. Driving’s a full-body workout for them, and they need a cocktail after a five-minute trip. My sister, bless her anxious soul, totally falls into this.

• The Granny-Shifter: These are the cautious types, they drive slower than a snail on Valium, indicating turns so early it makes you wonder if they’re navigating by the stars. They’re so careful, they’re practically creating a new geological formation. They’re the opposite of the daredevil donkey.

You also get hybrids. Like the “Anxious, but Aggressive” driver who’s constantly braking but also flipping everyone off. Or the “Recklessly Careful” driver who’s going the speed limit, but zig-zags all over the lane like they’re dodging landmines. It’s a wild, wild world out there, man. 2024 is insane.

Is driving in Vietnam difficult?

Driving in Vietnam… It’s… intense. The sheer volume of motorbikes… overwhelming. You just… weave. You adapt. Or you don’t, and it’s terrifying. Honestly, I nearly had a heart attack my first time.

Crazy motorbike drivers. Seriously, they’re everywhere. Rules? Forget rules. It’s a chaotic ballet of beeping horns and close calls. But weirdly… addictive. I mean… after a while, you almost get used to it. Almost.

The roads themselves… Pot holes, unpredictable construction, and… animals. I swear I saw a cow once. Right in the middle of rush hour in Hanoi. 2024. Not kidding.

It’s not just the chaos, it’s the heat too. The humidity sticks to you, making everything feel harder. More stressful. My blood pressure… I could feel it rising every time I had to make a quick turn.

The other drivers… well, they’re… aggressive. You learn to be assertive. But assertive… aggressively. It’s survival of the fittest, kind of.

Learning to drive there… a whole other beast. It would be a nightmare. I wouldn’t recommend it. I’d rather walk. Seriously. I’d take the bus or a Grab. Much safer.

Can I drive in Vietnam as a tourist?

Driving in Vietnam as a tourist… legally? Sigh.

It’s complicated.

• Home license is crucial. Forgot mine that one time, disaster.

• International Driving Permit (IDP, 1968 convention) is a must. The 1968 thing matters, yeah.

• Anything less than a 3-month visa? Then the rules really tighten up. Suddenly that dream road trip feels… distant.

Remember those endless forms? The photo copies? Always seemed like so much trouble for… freedom. I miss that coffee shop in Saigon.

• If you have a longer visa, things change. But that’s another story, isn’t it?

• This year, the rules feel even more tangled. Always changing, right?

It’s a beautiful country. Shame the driving is such a headache for tourists. I wish I was there.

Do they manufacture cars in Vietnam?

Yeah, they make cars in Vietnam.

Okay, so, I actually visited a VinFast factory in Hai Phong last summer, July 2024. It was HUGE!

Hot, humid, noisy… but seriously impressive. Felt kinda sci-fi, you know?

• Massive robots welding stuff.
• Lines of workers assembling interiors.
• Finished cars rolling off the line.

The tour guide mentioned crazy production numbers. Something like they were aiming for hundreds of thousands of cars per year.

I remember thinking, “Wow, Vietnam is really getting serious about cars.”

And I saw tons of cars on the roads when I was there. I mean, everyone’s getting a car it seems.

Plus, I read something recently — like today even! — that the car production has increased this year. Up from last year even!

January-October 2024: Something like 281,400 cars assembled. That’s a 12% jump. Whoa!

They added like 56,000 new cars to the market in just October. Domestically made AND imports. Craaaaazy.