Rules of the Road

My hotel booked the bus for me and it was another experience. Not a tourist bus, I was the only westerner on the coach or at any of the pit stops and nobody spoke English. Didn't realise that seating was allocated and sat in the wrong seat, separating a girl from her boyfriend but when I realised and offered to move they wouldn't hear of it and we sat like that for 7 hours! The people are so generous and polite.

Sat right at the front of the bus so was able to observe the rules of the road as follows:

1. Size matters, give way to bigger vehicles (pedestrians have no right of way)
2. Sound the horn at least every 15 seconds

there are no more rules, everything else is general guidance.

At least 90% of traffic drives on the right
Sound the horn: x1 to ensure it is working, x4 to advise traffic in front you are approaching, continuously or in bursts of x4/5 to assert your right of way,
When entering a road junction NEVER look to see if anything is coming (you might catch the eye of oncoming traffic and be forced to give way)
At red traffic lights think about stopping before driving through
When reversing onto a main road just keep coming, you can't be expected to have eyes in the back of your head (traffic will stop)
For pedestrians crossing busy roads, walk SLOWLY into the stream of oncoming traffic. Motorcyclists don't want to damage their machines and generally avoid collisions
Speed limits are determined by the traffic in front

This was all very useful for arrival in HCMC which is absolutely manic.

Had a hotel reservation but they let my room go and offered me a higher price suite. Walked out, went in the next one, took a room and ate (you will be impressed with this Christine) in the restaurant next door. Didn't even shop around.

Very hot and humid here...just like home?