 There's a stereotype that exists in the United States, that really pisses me off. It's that Asian people (particularly those from East Asia) suck at driving. Having traveled nearly four months now through Southeast Asia, I have to dispel that myth. It couldn't be further from the truth! If you visit capital cities such as Bangkok, Thailand; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Hanoi, Vietnam, the first thing you'll notice is how cluttered the traffic is. (I haven't been to Ho Chi Minh City yet, but I hear it's WAY worse). It's a swerving mess of tuk-tuks, motorbikes, and other contraptions which I don't know the names of. Traffic laws are almost non-existent. For example, I've seen motorcycles drive in opposite directions, on the same side of the road. I have NEVER seen anyone get pulled over for speeding, and doubt I ever will. The traffic gets so dense in Vietnam, that motorbikes and people often "walk" together in the streets, swerving in and out of each other without a second thought. This transportation nightmare is mostly due to overpopulation and poor road infrastructure. To put things simply, you have to be a damn good driver to navigate heavily populated Asian cities. Many Americans, even those who are pretty good drivers, would fail at moving around by road here. I couldn't tell you exactly where the stereotype originated from, but I will hazard a guess. Some Asian Americans who came from places with chaotic traffic, had trouble adapting to the strict, orderly roads in the West. Therefore, a gross exaggeration was born, positing that Asian people don't know how to drive properly. In reality, it takes great driving skill to cruise Southeast Asian roads. Busting stereotypes while traveling has become a hobby of mine, and I'm glad to rip this offensive idea to shreds. Next time someone makes a comment about Asians being "bad drivers," tell them they should try driving in Vietnam!
4 Comments
yitzchak
9/7/2014 04:52:38 am
an American going to ho chi min would probably get killed pretty fast. but going from a disorganized to organized traffic shouldn't be such a transition. easy perhaps.
Michael
9/7/2014 02:45:10 pm
While I'm all for fighting stereotypes, this is a tricky one. The only reason traffic here seems to somewhat work, is because congestion slows down everything. There's a disrespect for rules and others, poor safety standards, as well as lots of drunk driving and speeding. Driver's also favor a very darwinistic approach, in which vehicle size determines right of way. In Thailand traffic accidents have become the 5th most common type of death, in Vietnam the 7th. All middle-income countries (sometimes referred to as developing coubtries) combined make up for around 80% of world wide deaths in traffic accidents, while having 72% of the world's population.
Yonah Paley
9/7/2014 06:32:13 pm
I do agree, those things unfortunately do exist. For example, motorbikes usually wait for people to cross the street, while cars just do whatever they want. There are also very high rates of traffic deaths here. Leave a Reply. |
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AuthorMy name is Yonah Paley. I quit my job in the United States to travel. I also write movies and do photography. As I backpack across the world, I share stories, philosophy, and travel tips. Archives
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