Don't just focus on the crowded lines of vehicles, the scenes of congestion, fatigue, and your own impatience, and hastily conclude that traffic is just a game of chance and that there's nothing to do but pray. Today is not a day of traffic chaos; we can adapt and drive leisurely like an artist when we know how to blend into that rhythm of life.
1. Traffic:
On hot days or during sudden rain showers, I have reflected and realized many interesting things about the streets of Saigon. It is always crowded, but around one to two in the morning, the roads are empty. Places that have turned off their lights are always off, and places that haven't turned off sometimes unexpectedly go dark. Driving in Saigon is like an adventure; there are sections where you know there will be traffic jams, but you still try to get through. The streets of Saigon intertwine with earthquakes, with wide roads that narrow down, with flooded roads that submerge half the wheels, and with roads that don't need to be wide but are always filled with complaints. Just like the story "The Endless Field" by Nguyen Ngoc Tu, the streets of Saigon can tease and surprise people. Saigon is always unpredictable; there are busy roads that are safe and quiet roads that are dangerous. A driver in Saigon must be like an artist, possessing many skills to move comfortably. The streets of Saigon are narrow, but the people of Saigon are smart and flexible.
From all directions, traffic in Saigon is like that; people pour out like a waterfall, but despite the crowd, it is still easy to navigate. The flow has its own rhythm; knowing how to catch the beat is fine, just like when flirting; each quiet girl or strong-willed girl has her own way to flow, knowing how to catch the beat is fine. The streets of Saigon are like a symphony, a mysterious girl full of personality. Outsiders look in with hesitation, but those inside are relaxed, enjoying. Those who are strong enough to love and dare to try discover other charming aspects of Saigon's traffic.
2. Saigon Streets:
The rhythm of Saigon's traffic is unstable but flexible, so participants also need to be clever. When the roads are full like a waterfall, such as on the routes of Binh Thanh, Tan Phu, Hanoi Highway, or Pham Van Dong, if someone runs fast, we also run fast, but if we run slowly, with trembling hands, it’s a failure. Gently, like playing chess in District 1 or the streets in District 4, one can skillfully return, sit with grandparents, or stand still. Occasionally, just running in a trickle, and the secret is to be patient, don’t honk the horn. There are many places where you can't go forward or backward, but teammates behind continuously honk, urging you, making you just want to turn back and ask, "Why are you honking?".
In the end, I realized that someone honking is like needing to pee; sometimes it will hit your shoes, and it’s uncontrollable. And for things that do not depend on your wishes, don’t care too much, so as not to get frustrated. The honking also has its charm; listening gradually becomes familiar, and sometimes you even miss it, because it’s always lively, which vehicle, which person, which sound, the honking, is better than silence. Noise is a sign of peace; silence is not.
Love is the same; when two people argue, that is also the time to save oneself. When you can't go forward or backward, be patient. Don’t listen to the teammates honking behind; they tell stories, but often still need companionship. The most difficult roads, the most stressful ones, like the five-way or seven-way intersections, or the bustling roundabouts, are often the safest places. People and vehicles form lines, slowly like a troop advancing towards an ideal sky. I remember once turning at the green light, just as I arrived, I encountered a crowd of people and vehicles like a raging waterfall in front of me. Yet, in the blink of an eye, people and vehicles from my village advanced, forming a crowded group, cutting through that chaotic waterfall.
My teammates and I looked up at the sky and moved forward. Leaving behind the cut-off waterfall, waiting for the opportunity, when people need each other, they are often kinder. But once you have passed the perilous part, when everyone is free to move, it becomes easier to hurt each other. The majestic roundabout roads, everyone wipes their heads, each person takes a different path, then collides with each other, causing harm. Sometimes because of that, they disappear forever. Traffic in Saigon is full of profound philosophy, but also down-to-earth, carrying burdens. The streets of Saigon are crowded, the people of Saigon are in a hurry, so at intersections, each person has a light; some have lights for a few seconds and rush through, while others have yellow lights that have gone out but still rush through.
3. Time:
Fortunately, those who have a passionate love for time like that have not yet touched each other, to sing the honking song on the dragon rides. Touching the clever spots, stopping at red lights, observing, also has many pleasures. But sometimes, that blackness is very interesting, like a film about busy life, posted back in just a few seconds. Some people are weary from fatigue, while others have excited eyes about an upcoming appointment.
Some people tap their fingers to the rhythm of the engine, some take the opportunity to smoke a cigarette, some look up, then look down, their distant, lifeless eyes full of allure. People occasionally glance around, but they have never been familiar, nor have they ever been strange. There are a few quite interesting things at the intersection that I was lucky to encounter. The other day, while waiting at a red light, a woman leaned too far past the line, to where an elderly man selling lottery tickets sat in a wheelchair, then she pulled money from her jacket pocket and handed it to the lottery seller. The elderly man did not accept.
But then that person realized with the look of a child, it had been a long, long time since a stranger had given a piece of cake, looking very touching. After that, that person saw the red light still had more than ten seconds, so they hurriedly opened their bag, took out a few more polymer notes, and handed them to the lottery seller in the wheelchair. There was nothing special about them, just a lot of humanity, but that was more than enough.
The streets of Saigon are crowded, so the people of Saigon often bend the traffic laws. Perhaps when you first arrive in Saigon with civilized ideals, you will look at those who bend the rules with disdain. But one day, you will also have to bend the rules. Many times people want to be good, but circumstances do not allow. Many times we want to change the world, but realize that just ourselves are not enough. When we are kind, we only suffer losses. Therefore, the people of Saigon need something fairer.
If I don’t bend, then you won’t bend either. The one who bends the rules goes faster, avoids the sun better, so being kind only suffers losses. The sidewalks are also full of people and vehicles, not empty as per our ideals. Then people bend the rules again, and you will also run a red light, or cross with the crowd when the red light has only a few seconds left. Because if you stay, the honking behind will discourage you. Or if you are too determined, they will bump into you and then turn back to curse you with a few flowery words. It’s hard to dress among naked people, you know. Traffic in Saigon, rain is the same. This couple often goes together. But sometimes you think it will rain, and you wear a raincoat, then traveling from one end of the city to the other, there isn’t a drop of rain.
But as soon as you stop, take off the raincoat, it will rain heavily. Sometimes it rains heavily, but just for a few seconds, and you can’t react in time. Sometimes you think you know when it will rain, but in reality, it’s not like that. Just like love, the streets of Saigon are crowded, the people of Saigon are numerous, but they fumble around and still can’t find each other. The streets of Saigon are like that, with some slow parts, some fiery parts, sometimes very melodious, but also quickly intense. Blending into it is the most comfortable way to live with Saigon's traffic. And to recognize Saigon in all its inconveniences, if you change your perspective, you will feel light and comfortable.
Driving in Saigon is not just about moving from point A to point B, but also an art, a lesson in patience, skillfulness, and flexibility in controlling vehicles in the challenging traffic environment of the city. With millions of residents and thousands of vehicles moving daily on the narrow, crowded, and always busy streets of Saigon, driving becomes no small challenge.
Driving in Saigon requires a keen sensitivity and deep understanding of the street environment, where rules are not always strictly followed. Drivers must always be alert to reckless behaviors, dangerous overtaking, and emergency situations arising from other traffic participants. Additionally, they must know how to respond to unexpected situations such as sudden rainstorms, crowded crowds, or traffic accidents.
However, driving in Saigon is not just about keeping a calm spirit in unexpected situations, but also about developing a range of specialized skills to overcome the challenges that this city presents. These skills not only include safely and effectively controlling the vehicle but also understanding how traffic operates, especially in congested areas, where finding the right path and knowing how to avoid obstacles is very important.
4. The "Artist" Driver:
To become a true "artist" driver in Saigon, a driver needs to have extensive knowledge of the road system, traffic signs, and laws, as well as always staying updated with information about traffic conditions and about roads that are under construction or repair. They must also know how to use the latest applications and technologies to help them easily find their way and avoid traffic jams.
Moreover, an equally important part of the art of driving in Saigon is the ability to communicate and interact with other vehicles in traffic. Courtesy, patience, and mutual respect among drivers are key factors in maintaining a smooth and safe flow of traffic.
Additionally, understanding the psychology and mindset of other drivers is an indispensable part of the art of driving in Saigon. Predicting the actions of others and knowing how to respond to them is an important skill that helps minimize the risk of collisions and traffic accidents.
Finally, to become a "artist" driver in Saigon, a driver needs to have a spirit of patience and tolerance. They must be aware that traffic in Saigon can be very difficult and stressful, and maintaining calmness and confidence in all situations is the most important thing. Only when all these factors are combined can a driver truly be called an "artist" driver in Saigon.