Riding a Motorbike in Hanoi

After about 2 months in Hanoi, I finally gathered enough courage to ride a motorbike on the streets of Hanoi. I don't know why the Vietnamese call them motorbike instead of motorcycle. Maybe it's just easier for them to say it.

I met someone in the office who knew where I could rent a motorbike. Not only he rented the motorbike for me, he delivered it to my apartment. Then he showed me how to ride.

I can't remember when was the last time I rode a motorbike but it must be very long ago.

The motorbike you see in the picture above is what I rented for the afternoon. It's a medium-size bike and it costs me $4 to rent it for the day. Together with the $6.50 helmet and my $2.50 fake Oakley sunglasses, I was ready to hit the streets.

But, wait a minute, don't you need a license? I asked my friend and he said don't worry.
"If the police stops you, just call me." Another friend had told me to have 200,000 Vietnamese dongs ready in case I am stopped. That's how the system works here.

After practicing in my neighborhood for about 30 minutes, I was ready to hit the big streets. Having studied how the Vietnamese ride their bikes, I started to see a pattern.

Number 1 - they don't stop for you. You have to push your way through. There are no STOP signs.

Number 2 - they don't look sideways or behind them when they change lanes or move from a stationary position.

Number 3 - they don't always follow the traffic rules. Red light doesn't mean everyone will stop.

Bottom-line is, you always have to be on the alert and you have to be bold.

I rode around for several hours. As you would expect, there were several tense moments.

I accidentally rode into the Old Quarter. The streets here are narrow and very, very busy. Anyway, I managed to get through the streets without hitting someone or someone hitting me. I felt a bump or two. Sometimes I revert to my American courteous driver style. Doesn't work here. You just have to let others worry about themselves.

Conclusion: It's a fun experience but not the safest. I don't think I will buy a motorbike. I will probably rent one for the weekend when I need to explore the areas outside the city center.