VIETNAM: Traffic

Traffic in Vietnam can be unnerving. 

Actually, to be honest, at first, it was almost terrifying for me. 

Especially in the big cities.

It seems like the rules are: "there are no rules!" 

So I did a bit of googling on the internet and found this piece of advice about crossing streets. It is a direct quote:

"The most important thing is that the traffic will flow, the group is important, the person not so much. You as a pedestrian have to manage somehow to cross the street, if you want to."

I am not sure what to do with that piece of advice. 

So I did a bit more research and found these pearls of wisdom:

1. De facto, in Vietnam it is the vehicle who has priority over the pedestrian, in any situation.
2. Vehicles don’t like to stop or slow down in Vietnam. (LF: NO KIDDING!)
3. Basically, you just cross the street and the cars and motorcycles will avoid you (hopefully). (LF: That "hopefully" is a direct quote!)
4. There are not traffic lights on every street and even when there is one and it is green for the pedestrian, there will be (heavy) traffic coming from different angles, so you must get used to the idea that you will be surrounded by vehicles, when you cross. 
5. Watch the behaviour of local people when they cross (even better, cross with them to protect yourself). (LF: What if the locals want nothing to do with me because of my whimpering, screaming and clutching them?)
6. Cars are much more dangerous than motorbikes, so don’t mess with them, try not to cross in front of a moving car. (LF: Great advice! I'll try to remember that!)
7. Despite the chaos, the traffic is moving at constant speed. So when you cross, be predictable to the vehicles, try not to run. (LF:If I scream does it help?)
8. A motorbike needs to decide in a fraction of a second, if to bypass you from your back or from your front, and the driver will do this by predicting your walk. You can help the driver by making him a sign, showing where you want him to drive, relative to you (how to bypass you). (LF: does flipping the bird count as an identifiable signal? And it doesn't indicate what to do if it's a car instead of a motorbike.)
9. You must get used to the idea that you lose a little bit of control when you cross a street in Vietnam, you depend on the skills of the drivers. (LF: GASP!!! Some of these drivers look like they are 14 years old!!! With their grandmother and baby brother as passengers.)
10. The best way to cross a street is on motorcycle, it’s hard to be a pedestrian in Vietnam. (LF: And if you can't find a motorcycle to take you across the street, what do you do? Wait?)
11. Be specially aware of tourists riding a motorbike. Many of them don’t have experience riding a moto + they take the “no rules” to extremes. 
12. There’s no way you can learn how to cross a street in Vietnam, from just reading this page, it’s like learning to swim on the internet. You need to be in place and practice. (LF: hahahaha!!!)

In other words - Good Luck!