Crossing the street in Vietnam: understanding the "organized chaos"

It's not traffic, it's history!

To understand modern streets, you have to go back in time:

• From village to city: For centuries, life in Vietnam took place in villages where space was shared between people, animals and markets. The streets were not empty or separated as one would expect today. Everyone was constantly adjusting to the others, without the need for written rules. It was an informal negotiation system of space, where flexibility and adaptation were essential to make everything work.

• The spirit of the market: When Hanoi (formerly Thăng Long) was created, the city was designed around exchange and trade, not around strict order. Space, especially that of the markets, belonged to no one. Everyone had to adapt so that traffic could continue, a bit like in a market where people move freely, but without creating chaos. This market logic, based on adaptation and sharing, was then extended to the streets of the city.

• An instinct to adapt: When scooters took over the streets in the 1990s, the Vietnamese didn't panic. Having been used to moving in dense spaces for generations, they quickly integrated this new dynamic. The increase in the number of scooters simply reinforced the idea that this sharing and adaptation system worked very well, even in more complex traffic conditions.

The two golden principles: Flexibility and Social Harmony

Vietnamese circulation is based on two fundamental philosophies of life that have shaped society:

• Flexibility

In Vietnam, the environment is constantly changing (floods, wars, dynasties). Adaptation is therefore considered an essential social skill.

• We are not looking for a perfectly straight or empty road.
• We accept barriers – including ourselves – as part of the system.
• We observe the flow and we integrate ourselves into it naturally.

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• Social harmony

This principle comes from life in villages and markets, where maintaining peace and balance is the key to proper functioning.

• The goal is not to "win" on the road, but to blend into the flow.
• It is this desire for harmony that keeps the whole movement coordinated.
• Without this, the system would collapse.

This is why vehicles always seem to "go around" pedestrians instantly, like a school of fish: each individual adjusts, but the group moves as a single organism.

The unwritten rule of the Vietnamese: Slow, steady and integrated

Today, Vietnamese streets are filled with scooters and cars, but the old habits remain intact. There are no separate lanes for pedestrians or vehicles. Everyone moves around freely, but there are unwritten rules that allow everyone to move around without any problem:

📌 Move slowly and steadily: It's important to walk at a leisurely and steady pace. This not only keeps your balance, but also helps drivers adjust their trajectory to avoid you. This gives a certain predictability to traffic, and everyone can move forward without getting in each other's way.

📌 Communicate through your eyes: When crossing, look drivers in the eye. It's a signal that means: "I'm going to cross, can you let me pass?" This little exchange of glances is essential for good circulation. By being attentive to these signals, everyone adapts easily. You can also raise your hand, a simple gesture to indicate your intention to cross.

📌 Don't stop suddenly or run: If you stop suddenly or run, you may disrupt the traffic around you. Stability is key. Everything must be done at a constant pace to avoid accidents.

📌 Traffic lights: In fact, there are almost always traffic lights on Vietnamese streets. But, sometimes, you can find yourself on a stretch of road where they are absent or poorly visible. This is where unwritten rules come into play, and people adapt to the lack of signage. But don't panic, it's part of the local experience! As long as you follow these basic behaviors, traffic flows smoothly and safely.

You'll be surprised to find that all the drivers around you, even in the most extreme density, know how to adjust their movement to avoid any accidents. Like a school of fish, each one follows its own direction while remaining synchronized with the group.

📌 You might like: How To Get Around Vietnam: Detailed Transport Options

In short: crossing a street in Vietnam is not conquering chaos, but entering a shared space governed by an implicit consensus.

Remember: move forward in a predictable, flexible way that is attentive to your surroundings. Scooters and motorcycles move without always slowing down, but they react to the gestures and rhythm of pedestrians. Raising your hand, making brief eye contact, or simply maintaining your trajectory can be enough to signal your intention and pass safely.

By taking this approach, you don't just cross the road: you immerse yourself in a unique facet of Vietnamese culture, where patience, observation and adaptation create what could be called a true "urban intelligence". Each passage then becomes a small lesson in local life, a sensory experience where the movement, sound and rhythm of the streets tell the daily history of the city. Have a good trip and enjoy this unique experience to the fullest.

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