The Motorbike Diaries: Traffic Laws in Vietnam

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Traffic Laws in Vietnam are sort of like Santa Claus…not very real. Every time I climb onto my motorbike in Saigon, I have this fleeting thought: Should I be wearing body armor? Then the horns jolt me back to reality, and I remember—no, just a flimsy helmet. It’s the one piece of “safety gear” that’s actually required here, and even that’s a bit of a joke.

The Helmet Law (Sort of)

Vietnam only introduced a helmet law in 2007, which means it’s still kind of optional in people’s minds. Parents strap on their helmets, but their toddlers? Nope. I see kids clinging to the front of bikes like little hood ornaments, heads bare. I once read an article in the English-language paper titled “Draft decree extends fines for helmet law violations.” Catchy, right? The gist: fines of $6–$11 if you don’t comply.

I often see a family on their motorbike – the parents have helmets, and the kid is wearing a mosquito net on his head, covering his face. What?! Yes, a mosquito net. I have no idea what the thinking behind this is, which just brings to light how different our cultures are. I can’t even come up with a humorous explanation for it. Do they think that while going 25 mph on a motorbike, a mosquito will come attack their child? Or do they think the mosquito netting will provide padding or contain the brain splatter? Sorry for that thought…but I’m baffled.

But even compliance is questionable. Many people simply balance a helmet on their head without fastening it. It’s like putting on a seatbelt but never buckling it—pointless. Still, the government keeps trying. They put up billboards showing entire families with helmets, even the children. It’s aspirational, like those glossy Western ads showing happy families on road trips. Except here, it’s on a motorbike with four people squeezed in.

Most of the helmets here are inadequate little bicycle helmets – not meant for the speeds of motorbikes. But I suppose it’s better than nothing. When I got my motorbike, I required myself to get a proper helmet – one that covered my ears – like a real motorcycle helmet. It was hot – but at least I felt safe.

Rules of the Road (Theoretically)

Of course, the helmet thing is just one slice of the “laws” pie. On any given ride, you’ll witness a buffet of questionable behavior:

• Driving on the sidewalk.
• Running red lights.
• Driving the wrong way down one-way streets.
• Cramming three adults (or four, or five) onto a single bike.

Technically illegal. Practically—part of daily life.

There are even new laws about passengers: the third person on a motorbike must be under 14. On a bicycle, the third person must be under 7. But my favorite exception? It’s legal to carry three adults if you’re rushing someone to the hospital or escorting a criminal. Can you imagine clinging to the back of a bike with a criminal sandwiched between you and the driver? Somehow, I don’t think that’s the safest police tactic.

When Enforcement Shows Up

And then there’s the other extreme—where the laws suddenly matter. I was riding to my favorite $2 lunch spot, Lam Café in the backpacker district, when I hit one of the busiest intersections in District 1. Total gridlock. The power was out, which meant no traffic lights, and thousands of motorbikes were playing a giant game of chicken.

I walked my way through this clusterfuck (sorry, I really have no other word for it) with my bike. I don’t mean that I got off my bike and walked…no, no…that’s not how you do it here. Instead, you walk the bike while still on the bike; this basically means that you inch along with both feet on the ground, taking little, slow steps and getting nowhere fast. You provide a little throttle when you see a 12-inch space in front of you and then continue to walk. I inched along, feet on the ground, throttle barely open, for 15 minutes before finally breaking free.

Two blocks later, at Lam’s, I parked my bike on the street like everyone else and ordered my lemongrass beef and smoothie. Just as I settled in, six cops pulled up on motorbikes. Not to clear the intersection chaos I’d just escaped—no, they were here to ticket Lam’s for illegal street parking.

The family pleaded, shouted, and finally handed over cash. I felt awful, especially since every single business in Bui Vien parks bikes out front. It’s as common as having rice with a meal or ants in your kitchen. Apparently, this was the day the law would be enforced—right here, not two blocks away, where it might have actually helped society.

The irony? They made me move my bike onto the sidewalk. Yes, sidewalks are not for walking—they’re designated motorbike parking lots. That’s the law. Makes perfect sense, right?

The Real Law: Patience

The longer I live in Vietnam, the more I realize that trying to make sense of traffic laws (or really any laws) is a lost cause. The only real rule is patience. Accept the absurdity. Don’t question why six cops would rather collect a “fine” from a café than manage an intersection. Don’t stress about the child riding helmetless between two adults. Don’t even try to understand why you can transport a criminal on your bike but not a third adult friend.

This is one of the greatest skills I have learned during my worldly travels and living abroad in Vietnam: don’t question, don’t get upset – accept. Patience is not something that we Americans have; yet it’s required here to survive. I think this is one of the reasons I blog — to let out all the frustrations that build up in my patience bank during the week.

Just accept it, laugh when you can, and always—always—wear your helmet.