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1st Sgt Welsh

Just thought I would post this in case anyone is interested:

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-traffic-cops-caught-taking-bribes-on-cam-24425.html

I can't wait for their next hard-hitting, revealing expose which investigates whether Japanese tourists take a lot of photos Rolling Eyes

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BenE · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 321

The title of this thread seemed so much more exciting. I was expecting reports of cops going into weddings and carrying brides away.

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 5:47 am Post subject:

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

I read the text of the linked article and I found this comment by a bystander interesting: "He said both the streets as well as Pham Van Dong are one-way street, plus No.17 is just a few tens of meters long, thus no point in switching on the right light when making the turn." Despite the fact that they were basically set up as a money making venture, it seems to me that despite the opinion of the witness, failure to turn on your turn signals is a reasonably serious violation anywhere in the western world. When the police routinely stop people for no legitimate reason, it is no wonder that they have no insight as to what is truly inappropriate driving behavior.

I have seen a lot of people stopped and I can almost never understand why. I am fairly sure that when the police stop the (private) buses and trucks on the highways, the stops are random and the violations are what I would call status violations. That is, are all the papers in order. Then for the driver, the bribe is just part of the cost of doing business.

I'm With Stupid · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 432

Yeah, the 4 cops will be quietly "suspended" until it all blows over. Meanwhile, the people who run the online newspaper that recorded this will no doubt be dealt with a lot more harshly.

Gotta say that I'm definitely a fan of the linked news site, Thanh Nien. One of the only news organisations in the country that isn't brown-nosing the government (and slagging off China) at every opportunity.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Yeah, everyone knows the deal. They work in big groups and generate income. If you spread them out over the city they would have 6 times the visibility, but as they are not respected (because of the way they operate), they have to work in packs or they will be ignored. Really, their whole point is not to patrol the streets and control traffic, their mission is to pull over easy targets for money. Notice they especially target girls on nice motorbikes, not tough men on old beaters. Who is going to stop, who is going to have money, who is more fun to mess with? They have a process, and it is going according to plan. The fact that traffic is basically uncontrolled is a small price to pay.

I'm With Stupid · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 432

Yeah, we all know that cars get pulled over far too much considering how many there are on the road and how law-abiding they usually are compared to motorbikes. But who has the money? Rolling Eyes

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Plus, they really cannot get away like a motorbike can. They have a lot more to lose when they finally do get busted. Hero boys can drive with impunity, much easier for them to twist and turn thru the traffic and get away.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Ahh, official confirmation?

http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/men-account-for-most-of-vietnam-citys-road-traffic-deaths-24430.html