[sustran] Re: Information on 'Bike Taxi'

[Viet Hung Khuat]

Hallo John,
If you read the newspaper you will find out that Vietnamese government has
several time impose the Helmet Obligation (HO). However, that didn't work
well due to so many violences while limited number of polices.
So, recently, two City, HN and HCM City have been reapplied the HO with very
strong enforcement. I hope that It will work in some aspects.
You are right to mention about the quality of MC taxi in such country like
Vietnam. I think you may think broader to the manufacturing and maintaining
problems. However, the cases as yours in Phnompenh can be happened every
where, and it seem more dagnerous if you can not simple jump out from an
ordinary taxi. 
So, I understood your feelings, and I am feelings now who are you and where
is your point of view.  Please see one more the literature of Todd Liman,
mobility management, in which he mentioned that most of decision makers in
developing countries are rich and they love to have automobile favor
solution. 
I would like to add here my discussion that: some foreign consultants are
also rich and come from the automobile society, they must have the
automobile living style and car oriented thinking-format, even they alway
try to prove that automobile is bad solution for developing countries. So,
my discussion may not right in all cases, but at least for Bangkok with its
wonderfull urban elevated highway system. What is it for?
HUNG
> 
> One thing which is needed is some sort of regulation over safety. The
> motorbike drivers in Vietnam are even wilder than in Bangkok (and in
> Bangkok, helmets must be provided for passengers, while there seems to be
> no such requirement in Vietnam). Many of the bikes in Vietnam are in
> terrible shape and the driving is insane (quite apart from the fact that
> the drivers will do things like literally drive you across a mine field,
> merrily pointing out the scattered munitions along the way...).
> 
> I had one driver take me up a mountain behind Da Nang. About two thirds
> of the way up, we stopped. The bike could go no further with two bodies
> on board. I got off and inspected the tires, which were absolutely bald,
> and flagged down a bus...
> 
> There is also a crime issue. While nothing of the sort happened in
> Vietnam, I came close to getting mugged in Phnom Penh while riding a
> motorbike back to my hotel at night. The driver went away from the hotel
> district into a dark area and slowed down as we headed towards some
> sinister-looking guys hanging around in the street (I jumped off, ran like
> crazy, and jumped on another bike down the road). You are definitely
> vulnerable when traveling this way, compared to taking an ordinary taxi.
> 
>                                          --Jonathan
> 
>  -----
> 
> Jonathan E. D. Richmond                               02 524-5510 (office)
> Visiting Fellow                               Intl.: 662 524-5510
> Transportation Engineering program
> School of Civil Engineering, Room N260B               02 524-8257 (home)
> Asian Institute of Technology                 Intl.: 662 524-8257
> PO Box 4
> Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120                        02 524-5509 (fax)
> Thailand                                      Intl:  662 524-5509
> 
> e-mail: richmond at ait.ac.th               Secretary:  Ms. Nisarat Hansuksa
>         richmond at alum.mit.edu		              02 524-6051
> 					      Intl:  662 524-6051
> http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/
> 

-- 
****************************************
Khuat Viet Hung, M.Eng
(C/o: Prof. Manfred Boltze)
Institut fuer Verkehr, TU Darmstadt
Petersenstrasse 30, 64287 Darmstadt, Deutschland
Tel. : + 49-6151-16 2026
Fax:  + 49-6151-16 2045

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