TADIOTO

I jumped at first, certainly as a journalist, to see that martial law had been invoked in Ho Chi Minh City, or as some prefer, Saigon.  In fact, it was about traffic.  The VietNamNet news’s headline: “Martial Law Declared on Traffic in HCM City.”

Apparently 14 “district military agencies” have agreed to cooperate with more traditional traffic cops to control the situation in Saigon.

Some cynics may say this is another aspect of a police state.  Others may think that the traffic situation in HCM City warrants it.  Yet others may just feel the situation is hopeless.

In Ha Noi, I’ve noticed that during the holidays people frequenly were without helmets: maybe they feared messing up their hair, or were simply too busy to think about it.  After the holidays, I noticed that enforcement of the mandatory helmet law, started in mid December, 2007, only seems to happen at major intersections.  People riding to neighborhood markets and stores seem to “forget” wearing helmets.

In the last couple of days, I have gone on motorcycle taxi rides when the drivers haven’t offered me a helmet. It’s my responsibility and theirs.  The drivers told me, no cops will stop you, especially at night.

Much as I love my motorcycles, I miss simpler days when most were riding bicycles.  I took the photo above in Hai Phone in the early 90s.