Job Discussion Forums

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

I know this is a rather unimportant and silly question. My amigo and I both like driving with our headlights on at all times. We can more easily see each other in daytime traffic, in the west it is considered to add to your visibility, and we can think of nothing it hurts. But of course, the VN are CONSTANTLY pointing out that our lights are on, they even have an agreed upon gesture to show each other when their lights are on. When asked what it matters, they give various reasons, often it will be excess electrical use, some even think it uses more fuel. One VN even told me it might blind other people. They actually seem more worried about people having lights on during the day than the considerable number of operators who drive without lights on during the night. I have never been able to get an answer as to if this may be illegal and put you at risk for being pulled over. Anyone have the answer to this?

Oh My God · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 273

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

Great. Thanks for that info. We drive old classic Hondas, and when the key is off, the lights are off, so that is not an issue for us. I think you do not even need a battery to run one of those, but I know you do not need a good battery. We do not have electric starters on those, they will always kick off as long as there is not some other issue.

Charvo · Joined: 02 Feb 2010 Posts: 37

I always turn on the headlights when it is nearing dusk. I want to make sure the people going the wrong way on the street easily see me. However, I don't turn the lights on during the daytime because one Vietnamese man told me the police would pull me over because the lights would be a hazard for other people.

1st Sgt Welsh · Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:28 am Post subject:

Same thing happened to me Smile

. I tried to get into the habit of driving with my lights on during the day so other vehicles could see me more easily and hopefully avoid an accident. Figured every little bit helps. Anyway this lasted for less than a week. Just got sick of almost every time I pulled up at a traffic light having some old duck gesticulating at my headlights. I'm sure they meant well, but it just got too annoying.

Jbhughes · Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 254

1st Sgt Welsh

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

The International Symbol for "your lights are on" seems to be to make a fist, hold it about shoulder height, about a foot in front of your body. Then, unclose and close your fist in succession. I have driven past plenty of the cops and never been pulled over on this (or on anything), but did not want to push my luck on it. So I just wanted to be sure it was legal. Yeah, this place is so crazy, they will make a big deal out of driving with your lights on during the day, then no one seems to give a hoot about all the people driving without lights during the night. While this is amusing in the extreme, I think on a much deeper level it is educational, and a great metaphor for the challenges this nation faces. I don't want to say our efforts are wasted and it is all hopeless, but personally, my goals revolve around personal survival and happiness, as I just find their world view to be so profoundly........uhhhhhhhhhhh, different.

I cannot imagine how any gas savings from driving with your lights off (day or night) would amount to a hill of beans. If the issue is excess fuel use, there are countless other ways to save a heck of a lot more. I get the feeling a lot of the driving around out there is joyriding, a lot of mine sure is. We seem to have a lot more taxis in HCMC than logic would dictate. I am sure most of the private cars could do what they are doing with a moto, they sure did it in the past.

I would guess the motos with hand held torches no longer have functioning lights. Out in the boonies, some of the old supercubs have had all their lights bashed in over the years, and they run without the original lighting. Sometimes they have secondary lighting systems attached for the headlight, in place of the original headlight. There are some very rough looking supercubs running all over VN. Lots of them have no front brakes either. Perversely, they are one of my favorite photographic subjects, and I always get a special joy from riding one as well. Rather like going back in time.

Hey, if any of you folks are having problems with moto repair, I have found a very good one. Just pm me and I will let you know his location. They are almost all cheap, but their skill is pretty hit and miss. This one is an older guy who has quite a few workers, he speaks adequate English, he does not overcharge, (small stuff is like a dollar, big stuff like purchase and installation of a new chain and sprocket is about ten bucks), and he can get complex problems diagnosed and repaired. A lot of the places give you the negative hand signal for things that are out of the ordinary, this guy fixes everything. We are driving a bit out of our area just to use him, and joyfully getting ALL our little issues resolved.