Saigon bus

Looking over the big roundabout near Ben Thank Market Feb2011

When your ride a motorbike there is the danger that your right hand pulls too hard on the throttle. 

Your hand  is still on the handlebar throttle as the bike jumps forward.

That makes the throttle go on harder,

the bike jumps more, 

the throttle opens up more etc... and we get the jumping bike effect. 

Like a bucking horse. 

On a 50cc bike that is not such a problem. On bigger bikes it can be.

Because of the jumping bike effect  I have a personal rule to always always keep my right foot ready for braking on the foot brake. To never ever drive without the foot ready to brake.

Today I broke my rule.

There are petrol stations on the HUGE roundabout in Saigon, south of the Ben Thanh market. 

I filled up with petrol and pulled out with my little bike. 

I eased out of the petrol station, with just one hand on the throttle and feet hanging loose. 

The bike did the bucking horse thing. 

Right close to an oncoming bus. 

The bus slowed down, I veered away and all was fine.

I scared myself a bit.
I felt like an idiot, I felt small and stupid.
I expected a tirade of abuse.

Now in Australia I'd definitely get honking and abuse and shouting and head shaking and dark looks from the bus drivers.

In Vietnam I got a laughing bus driver, open smile, no anger. 

Wow.
Anything, anytime, are the rules of the road here. 

How the hell do you thank someone high up in bus, with traffic noise and in a foreign language ? 

I folded my hands in a prayer gesture and bowed to the driver. 

It is what people in Thailand would do. 

And everyone can get the meaning of it, no matter what language. 

We look at each other again laugh and drive off.

A Vietnamese friend wrote:
Because you are a foreigner. If it was me, he would have yelled the hell at me - Ph

Why do we worry about things that are totally unlikely and yet we all brave the much more dangerous daily traffic in the cities ?