Today I rode to work. This was quite a momentus day because, though it was the 4th time I have ridden to work, I did it without Lena my very patient riding partner. I also had to stop and get fuel which was easy once I knew where the fuel tank was - and for those who didn't know it is not under the seat which is where I thought it was. Gas stations in Saigon are full service, you pull up your bike they fill it which takes maybe 3 minutes you hand over 100VND - even though the meter said 80,000 (??) and then you rejoin the traffic. Is there a correct way to drive in or exit the station? no, any way works. Being a newbie at bike filling I opened the only thing that actually opens and shuts - the seat compartment but alas no fuel tank there. No wonder the attendant didn't know what I wanted, but of course pointing at the pumps and finally locating the tank soon had me back on the roads.
Do I like riding to work? I am not sure - half of me loves the excitement of it, the other half well actually three quarters is absolutely petrified of it.
Explaining my route will explain this. I get the bike out of the garage, which I am sure has the guards smirking as I wobble out. I then turn left past the taxi drivers trying not to look too wobbly but it's a right hand turn and I am not good at those. Alls good for a while until the big intersection where I go left - which is a nice big turn but you do have to watch out for the cars turning into the first two lanes -being a bike I go to the furtherest lane, you also have to watch for the oncoming traffic both cars and bikes but they do usually just go around you.
Then I drive straight, sometimes even getting up to a speedy 30 km an hour. Thanks to dad's driving lessons many years ago I am good at going straight. Through the lights, between the road barriers (they only charge cars on the tollroad so bikes drive through these little barriers set up to deter the cars) and now comes a really horrible sharp right hand down hill turn, but I just take it really really slowly, yes it is possible to drive around a corner slower then 20. Alls good for a little bit but the traffic is getting heavier and bikes and cars are now right beside me, there is even a bicycle or two that I sometimes pass if I am feeling confident to go that fast. Through a roundabout and into District 8 which is heavy with traffic, pedestrians, food stands, bicycles, all of which get way to close to me for comfort, sometimes I think they want to look in my rear view mirrors. I try and keep one finger on the horn but then I feel I don't have control of the break but I have found yelling is effective as well. Then its up the hill and over the bridge into district 1. Now my school is just over the bridge and through a set of traffic lights but the traffic is horrendous - its stop start all the way but when you stop, if you leave too much distance between you and the bike in front or beside you someone drives into the spot, its a wonder more feet don't get run over. (I wear jeans every day because the bikes just get so close and I don't fancy a Saigon burn). Moving from a stopped position in heavy traffic is challenging - if you go too fast you might hit the bike in front of you, start off too slow and you wobble and will probably hit the bikes on either side of you (which would look a little like falling dominoes) - there is the perfect start off speed which I am working towards finding. Once you are moving again in the traffic its tricky being able to drive that slow even for a turtle driver like me.
Sometimes when I stop I look at the sea of helmets that I am part of and I can't help but think Wow I am driving in crazy Vietnamese traffic.
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| This is not my photo but it gives an idea what it is like |
Thankfully my journey is all most complete just through the traffic lights, again watching for cars that are turning right across the front of you and for cars, bikes coming from the other direction then into the driveaway down a little narrow ramp and then park - and with bikes there is never a problems finding parking. I can now breathe that is until this afternoon when I have to do it all over again!
