#i know it works by slowing and stabilizing the tire losing traction but like it feels like that works against you if youre turning bc then

[bunnyb34r]

Snooooooooow

[supercunninglinguist]

Tips For Driving In Ha Noi

living and driving here in Ha Noi is certainly an experience.. so here are some tips for surviving a drive in Ha Noi if you’re ever here, and hopefully these are also good tips for driving a 2-wheeled vehicle - scooter, motorbike, motorcycle, whatever - in nearly any urban area of the world.

always be ready to brake. keep 1 or 2 fingers resting on the brake handles. you can stop pretty quickly when necessary (if your scooter has disc-braking), but dont kid yourself: every second still counts.

don’t be afraid to accelerate. being prepared to accelerate can prevent an accident every bit as much as braking.

Don’t drive dangerously and you won’t die stupidly. In particular, this means NO DRIVING DRUNK!! NO LOOKING AT YOUR CELL PHONE!!!

However, sensible aggressive driving can potentially save you a lot of driving time, especially during traffic.

Avoid driving during rush hour. For Ha Noi, that means 08h30-10h30, and 04h30-18h30. the “h30″ might seem arbitrary, but traffic really does seem to drop off a lot if you wait that extra half hour, but it can still be manageable during that time in some areas.

Because of the narrow roads in many places, there is basically always traffic. all it takes is 1 car trying to make a turn and the entire street can be blocked.

wear a filter mask! yes, its a pain in the ass. yes it’s because Viet Nam basically has no real environmental protection enforcement. The only thing that really matters is the effect it’ll have on you if you don’t wear one regularly, and trust me, you feel the pollution in your lungs. a good real filter mask really does work. save your lungs and your body the trouble, and just pay the 650,000 VND for a good one, and don’t forget to replace or wash the filter after 72-120 hours of use.

keep your tires inflated - this maintains good traction with the road, and you need it on the roads in and surround Ha Noi. It only costs 5,000 VND at a scooter repair shop and it will help you avoid a collision.

When traffic is dense, keep your eyes forward, you need to respond quickly.

Always use your turn signal, check your mirrors, and visually confirm - LOOK - that there is no other vehicle besides you when you’re changing lanes, or sublanes.

Always accelerate ahead of buses if you can. They put out a lot of noxious fumes, at least in Ha Noi.

If you’re trying to squeeze through a narrow space, slow down, and use your mirrors as a judge for the boundaries of your vehicle. the last thing you want to do is crash by clipping a wall or the side of a car.

If you should make contact with another scooter or car, don’t panic! really. with rotational energy comes stability, so contacting an external body is not necessarily going to make you crash. your front tire might just rub it.

wear a full helmet. Losing your face is a positive sign function: if its any number other than 0, it’s basically automatically 100%. yeah, you might look a little silly, but at least your brainbox will be safe. they’re expensive and can be hard to find, but it’s worth it. keeping yourself safe is worth it, and beware of counterfeits. personally, I also recommend kevlar gloves and wearing boots when you drive.

if it’s cold and you need to wear winter gloves, make sure they have good grip, otherwise you’ll strain your hands holding the accelerator.

if weather or road quality are poor, you should absolutely slow down. again, don’t drive stupidly.

Be ready to avoid potholes. seriously. most just feel like bumps or dips, but there are plenty of bike-destroying potholes around the roads of Ha Noi.

Navigating can be difficult. if you need to use your GPS, put in your earphones. Even if you know where you’re going, one should wear hearing protection anyway. traffic can be... deafening. even the sound of the wind if you’re driving fast enough can be very loud. protect your ears too folks!

follow the law! the police won’t hesitate to fine or arrest you just because you’re a foreign resident.

Keep your bike maintained, and it’ll keep you getting to where you need to go without injury or hesitation. if you’re renting, make sure it’s a reputable operation. a 1 month rental is usually around 1,000,000 VND for a newish, well-maintained motorbike.