Random observations

The love of life, the yearning... They all want to be somewhere, every second counts (on the road). HONK - and you will be okay racing through a dark intersection at night.

Flash the headlights, honk and you may pull into the opposite lane. Focing some hapless biker to get the hell outta my way - or get killed.

Well, I honked so I have been entitled to do as I please...

Jim-Minh wrote:

There are a number of things that strike me unusual about Vietnam, and I thought I might comment and possibly petition your observations.

You don't need a wallet in Vietnam, you need a filing cabinet.

Vietnamese LOVE their soccer and remind me of 1970s American football. I find it refreshing it hasn't been spoiled by all the PC and agenda-driven nonsense.

Am I crazy or are the horns becoming more civilized?

So many people wearing jackets while riding motorcycles in 90-degree weather.

A drop-dead gorgeous woman dressed to the nines sitting in the pharmacy area of the hospital, not one bit interested in the pharmacy but on prominent display to the whole area.

Most everyone everywhere is polite.

One-hour shampoo, facial, shave, manicure, pedicure, and haircut, done by a beautiful woman for $7.50.

The incredible traffic.

Very weird around that. The national team understandably gets a lot of attention but the domestic league is ridiculously under supported. It was rife with match fixing many moons ago but on the whole its relatively OK now.

Average attendance is 1,000-2,500 for both teams in Sai Gon yet over 250,000 will watch highlights on YouTube.

Vietnamese mentality blows my mind at times

1312j wrote:

Average attendance is 1,000-2,500 for both teams in Sai Gon yet over 250,000 will watch highlights on YouTube.

Remember that those YouTube numbers are worldwide.  My wife watches VN highlights while I watch Premier League games.  What blows my mind is how the British can fill stadiums for football teams that don't even represent cities, but neighborhoods within cities.  Manchester has a population less than Haiphong, yet supports two world contenders.  Burnley has only 81.5K people, far less than many of Vietnam's minor cities, but fills a stadium designed for 21,401 while close to relegation.  That's 25% of the city. 

" close to relegation "..?    ..perhaps closer to a (closed) religion...   

1312j wrote:

Jim-Minh wrote:

There are a number of things that strike me unusual about Vietnam, and I thought I might comment and possibly petition your observations.

You don't need a wallet in Vietnam, you need a filing cabinet.

Vietnamese LOVE their soccer and remind me of 1970s American football. I find it refreshing it hasn't been spoiled by all the PC and agenda-driven nonsense.

Am I crazy or are the horns becoming more civilized?

So many people wearing jackets while riding motorcycles in 90-degree weather.

A drop-dead gorgeous woman dressed to the nines sitting in the pharmacy area of the hospital, not one bit interested in the pharmacy but on prominent display to the whole area.

Most everyone everywhere is polite.

One-hour shampoo, facial, shave, manicure, pedicure, and haircut, done by a beautiful woman for $7.50.

The incredible traffic.

Very weird around that. The national team understandably gets a lot of attention but the domestic league is ridiculously under supported. It was rife with match fixing many moons ago but on the whole its relatively OK now.

Average attendance is 1,000-2,500 for both teams in Sai Gon yet over 250,000 will watch highlights on YouTube.

Vietnamese mentality blows my mind at times

I have wondered about this myself. They go balistic over the national team, but don't support the local competition.

cafengocmy wrote:

I thought I could never drive in that traffic, then in Đồng Nai my host asked me to pick up his motorbike at the fixit-it shop and drive it back to him. I did that. It was amazingly easier than i had a thought it would be. Everyone signals every move, every change, that's what all the tooting is about. There is much much less inattention displayed by VN scoot drivers than drivers in the USA.

I totally agree. Much of that is a function of being on a motorbike, motorcycle, accidents hurt, unlike in cars.

Also, I have figured out the horns to a certain degree. Horns are used to say, "I'm here and coming thru, do watch out".
There is less horn blowing than in NY because people are not using at as a road rage statement.
In two years, driving around virtually every day, I've only seen one serious accidents and only half dozen minor ones that are fixed once everyone gets their moto up.
A couple of months ago, I did have an accident, I was looking down at Google maps, at  the same time, someone sliced in front of me, so I hit him without braking at about 20 kph.
After we picked each other up, I apologized as best I could, as did he.
One rule I have figured out is that no matter what anyone does in front of you, don't hit them.!

I felt really guilty, but he was OK and I probably didn't have anything broken, though I could hardly walk for a week and it took two months for the pain to disappear in my foot.

The only other casualty was my phone, while it is in a hard case, since it was in my hand has I did the somersault, it slammed into the pavement, shattering the screen.
I figured I'd have to buy new phone and was bummed because prices are not good here compared to Amazon in USA.
GF took it to repair man and because it was an Samsung S7, it took three days because repairman said he wanted to get authentic Samsung display since it as an S7. Only cost 3M VND. I was happy.

While people may be rude, they don't seem rude to me and I have been places where even though I did not understand a single word of the language, I understood rude.  I'll take it.

I also find the people extremely conscientious.

I'll be moving back to USA this spring, followed by GF this summer. I will miss it very much.

THIGV wrote:

1312j wrote:

Average attendance is 1,000-2,500 for both teams in Sai Gon yet over 250,000 will watch highlights on YouTube.

Remember that those YouTube numbers are worldwide.  My wife watches VN highlights while I watch Premier League games.  What blows my mind is how the British can fill stadiums for football teams that don't even represent cities, but neighborhoods within cities.  Manchester has a population less than Haiphong, yet supports two world contenders.  Burnley has only 81.5K people, far less than many of Vietnam's minor cities, but fills a stadium designed for 21,401 while close to relegation.  That's 25% of the city. 

Noted regarding the Worldwide comment, but how many people will honestly sit down and go, ok, so today I'm going to watch Sai Gon vs Can Tho on YouTube.

I can understand teams like Ha Noi and HAGL to a certain respect because they've both got a lot of national team representatives, the rest just doesn't add up.

Kick off times in VN don't help, I guess

Perhaps Vietnam will come to recognize the value of farm teams and their superstars. At the same time, I hope it doesn't lead to the commercialization that has poisoned American sports.

" I hope it doesn't..."   

     Keep hoping...   ..Viet Nam is catching up quicker than you think...

.

Unconsciousness. inattention  self absorbation
eyes wide open. no body home, all issues faced while driving in Asian countries. cultural narcissim is another contendre. I know I have driven car and motorbike, survived.. and diddent even get a Tee shirt as reward!
sigh
..

VN tend to leave the stickers on appliances to show off the brand (if Japaese) and to show product is new.

GuidoVN wrote:

VN tend to leave the stickers on appliances to show off the brand (if Japaese) and to show product is new.

Although it exhibits an incredibly shallow materialism by Vietnamese, that explanation is probably valid for the "brand" part.  I am not sure about the "new" part when the stickers on my mother-in-law's refrigerator and others I have seen are held in place by clear packing tape.   

GuidoVN wrote:

VN tend to leave the stickers on appliances to show off the brand (if Japaese) and to show product is new.

Yes, "Japan quality" sells particularly well here in Vietnam.

It can be equated with the word "whitening" on cosmetic products or "sweetened" on dairy products. 

My nephew said the large stickers stay on the appliances to prevent scratches.

blinddonkey wrote:

Unconsciousness. inattention  self absorbation
eyes wide open. no body home, all issues faced while driving in Asian countries. cultural narcissim is another contendre. I know I have driven car and motorbike, survived.. and diddent even get a Tee shirt as reward!
sigh
..

Not judgemental...

Ciambella wrote:

My nephew said the large stickers stay on the appliances to prevent scratches.

Sorry but that sounds like a rationalization on his part which would only be valid if they covered 100%.  It seems to me that most refrigerator stickers cover only about 50% forming a triangle on the lower part.  I'm sticking with the status symbol hypothesis.

THIGV wrote:

It seems to me that most refrigerator stickers cover only about 50% forming a triangle on the lower part.  I'm sticking with the status symbol hypothesis.

Our bathroom mirrors each has a round sticker on the top right, almost the size of my palm.  I couldn't peel them off completely, so now they look kinda tacky up there, and I couldn't reach the top to clean off the rest.  I should've left well enough alone.

THIGV wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

My nephew said the large stickers stay on the appliances to prevent scratches.

Sorry but that sounds like a rationalization on his part which would only be valid if they covered 100%.  It seems to me that most refrigerator stickers cover only about 50% forming a triangle on the lower part.  I'm sticking with the status symbol hypothesis.

Agreed.

Definitely 'Form Over Function'

Use paint thinner or petrol or nail varnish remover that,l get it off, must look a right mess!! Kkk

Ciambella wrote:

Our bathroom mirrors each have a round sticker on the top right, almost the size of my palm.  I couldn't peel them off completely, so now they look kinda tacky up there, and I couldn't reach the top to clean off the rest.  I should've left well enough alone.

Use WD-40  or cooking oil. Let soak overnight. Scrape off with a single-edge razor blade.

Jim-Minh wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

Our bathroom mirrors each have a round sticker on the top right, almost the size of my palm.  I couldn't peel them off completely, so now they look kinda tacky up there, and I couldn't reach the top to clean off the rest.  I should've left well enough alone.

Use WD-40  or cooking oil. Let soak overnight. Scrape off with a single-edge razor blade.

Or acetone to get it off immediately...and a step ladder 🤣🤣🤣

this is my sliding door, this goes too far, but with appliances it helps resale value as well , 2 refridgerators, identical, one with new -ish stickers is surely worth more on chotot than one without

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Jim-Minh wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

Our bathroom mirrors each have a round sticker on the top right, almost the size of my palm.  I couldn't peel them off completely, so now they look kinda tacky up there, and I couldn't reach the top to clean off the rest.  I should've left well enough alone.

Use WD-40  or cooking oil. Let soak overnight. Scrape off with a single-edge razor blade.

Or acetone to get it off immediately...and a step ladder 🤣🤣🤣

It depends on the adhesive - it might take ten applications of acetone to get it off, especially if the label has a glossy finish. Acetone also evaporates so fast, it is often gone before the job is done. Break the glossy finish with a non-abrasive buffing pad, apply the oil - it won't evaporate, let it work all night while you are doing something worthwhile, and peel the label off the next day. Then you can use the acetone to clean off the residual adhesive - it is good for that.

You can spend ten minutes total using the oil or thirty minutes total using acetone. I've used acetone, MEK, naphtha, lighter fluid, and Goof-Off. Nothing works as well as WD-40 or as inexpensively as plain old cooking oil.

BTW... acetone, MEK, and Goof-Off will destroy many plastics whereas WD-40 is completely benign and safe to use. AND if you drip the acetone on anything in the process, you can craze the surface if it is plastic or has a varnished finish.

You will need to use your step ladder. There's another checkmark in the Viet column of attributes.

Another random observation.

If you live in Da Lat, go to Saigon during Tet - the sidewalks have been rolled up in Saigon for several days now.
I saw two-way motorbike traffic on the sidewalks of Da Lat today for the first time ever. I saw drivers get out of their cars to work as traffic cops clearing traffic jams. It was crazy. If I lived in Da Lat I would go somewhere else during Tet.

Jim-Minh wrote:

You will need to use your step ladder. There's another checkmark in the Viet column of attributes.

Oh, I'll need something higher than a step ladder.  I almost sprained my ankles, severed my arms, and broke my neck climbing on the counter trying to peel off that sticker.  Being 5'1" (when standing straight) and a major klutz is a huge limitation.

To our dearest Ciambella,
You are anything but a klutz upstairs.
I am sure that any of us would be ecstatic just to lick that nasty old label off of your mirror.

Just keep doing what you do so well and keep educating us in the finer aspects of Vietnamese culture.

.

Jim-Minh wrote:

Another random observation.

If you live in Da Lat, go to Saigon during Tet - the sidewalks have been rolled up in Saigon for several days now.
I saw two-way motorbike traffic on the sidewalks of Da Lat today for the first time ever. I saw drivers get out of their cars to work as traffic cops clearing traffic jams. It was crazy. If I lived in Da Lat I would go somewhere else during Tet.

.
Don't bother, Jim...

    ..everywhere else is suffering from too much Tet travel traffic...     

     Not me!   ..now I know where to hide...     
.

The best thing about a thread named "Random observations" is that we can never be 

THIGV wrote:

The best thing about a thread named "Random observations" is that we can never be 

There is method in my madness....

.

         Damn!!   ..there goes my fav. method...     

SteinNebraska wrote:

Riding a moto.

I've been riding motorcycles for 40 years and I can't believe I've been doing it all wrong all this time.  I now know that the standard procedure for a right turn is to not stop, not even slow down and darn well better not even sneak a look at the oncoming traffic but to just barrel into the lane.  Just hug the shoulder and you will be (hopefully) fine. 

For a left turn it's just as easy - simply turn short and start down the oncoming lane, weaving through the oncoming traffic until it is reasonably safe to merge into the correct lane.  Why didn't I ever think of this before?

That said, when I first got here I thought it was a total disaster.  Now I view it as "organized chaos".  I've yet to see even the slightest of mishaps . And while there is a lot of honking it now somehow seems appropriate.  Most to let someone know you are coming behind or a warning.  Yes, some are obsessed with the horn but it's actually funny now instead of irritating. 

I also haven't seen even the slightest road rage even when a truck or car completely cuts off the entire lane of motos when turning left or a u-turn.  They just slow, stop and let it pass.

I was in HCM for 3 weeks, on about week 2 a taxi smashed into the concrete island in the middle of one of the main streets near the river ……about ten feet from me while I was crossing the street  before that I thought it was organized chaos also....but mistakes are made and im sure its worse then we think


But one thing forsure, they are more civilized in traffic then here in Canada, no yelling, giving the middle finger, threats , purposely tailgating and being an asshole like I see all the time here in Toronto.


They are in traffic, and they don't seem to take anything traffic related to heart or take it personally.

SteinNebraska wrote:

Riding a moto.

I've been riding motorcycles for 40 years and I can't believe I've been doing it all wrong all this time.  I now know that the standard procedure for a right turn is to not stop, not even slow down and darn well better not even sneak a look at the oncoming traffic but to just barrel into the lane.  Just hug the shoulder and you will be (hopefully) fine.

I just noticed this when 1willy1 quoted it. 

Are you talking about where there is a red light or not?  People in HCMC commonly only slow down while turning right on red lights but be careful about those right turns outside of HCMC.  Once when traveling to her hometown without me, my wife was stopped in My Tho for not coming to a full stop turning right at a red.  When she objected, the policemen said that it was OK in HCMC but not elsewhere.  I have no idea if what he said is true but there was no sense in arguing.  She always tries but it never works.  I just pay up and go.

1willy1 wrote:

But one thing forsure, they are more civilized in traffic then here in Canada, no yelling, giving the middle finger, threats , purposely tailgating and being an asshole like I see all the time here in Toronto.

Why drive a car in a city with a good subway network? 

I love cities with a good subway network, like Montreal or Toronto. I generally like subway/metro riding.

There is no such thing as "organised chaos" regarding driving in HCMC there is just chaos, bad manners & a dog eat dog culture.

alanjohnconnon wrote:

There is no such thing as "organised chaos" regarding driving in HCMC there is just chaos, bad manners & a dog eat dog culture.

Oh no!

That's sure to drive up the cost of dog meat...

Lucky old dogs are not in demand at the markets then

This year there was barely any incense and smoke in the air in my part of Saigon...I'm happy with the improvement.

Jim-Minh wrote:

One of the strangest observations - I completely don't understand.
Why do Viets leave the manufacturers advertising stickers on the products they buy ???
I knew a Viet family in the U.S. that watched TV for years through the label still glued to the screen.

There was a fella on here years ago that wrote a very humous book on the unique things like you mention. Their reply " the manufacture put those stickers on for a purpose....so they must stay" My wife leaves them on the bowls, glasses etc. Even when they are on the inside. I just grab the WD-40 and take them all off. They swear I must be out of my mine for ruining a perfect washing machine or refrigerator. But it my house they go. I even take them off the windows when they installed them. Then the kicker is when the store delivers the sticker up stuff they add more stickers. It is a hoot for sure.

cafengocmy wrote:

I thought I could never drive in that traffic, then in Đồng Nai my host asked me to pick up his motorbike at the fixit-it shop and drive it back to him. I did that. It was amazingly easier than i had a thought it would be. Everyone signals every move, every change, that's what all the tooting is about. There is much much less inattention displayed by VN scoot drivers than drivers in the USA.

I agree with much of what you have said.
As to the above "signals" of intentions, yes, if you mean that they look where they are turning, no matter what the signal light is doing.