this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2026
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Mildly Interesting
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Reminder that 2-wheelers are significantly resistant to traffic jams.
Not immune, but you need like 10x more bikes than cars to create a traffic jam, and even when the cars create one on their own, the bikes are able to flow around, at reduced speed.
The whole becoming a meat crayon issue is a deterrent though.
Given that the majority of motorcycle crashes are single vehicle incidents, you can drastically reduce or even eliminate your potential for becoming said meat crayon by not riding like an idiot. Protective gear is also a must for situations beyond tootling around the inner city at ~25 MPH, which seems to be the majority of southeast Asian riding, for instance.
Your second biggest risk is being hit by some blissninny in their massive SUV, either rear ending you at a stop or blithely turning left (or right, depending on your country) across your lane of travel right in front of you. These possibilities are mitigated by everyone else being on a bike, too.
Sounds good. Let me know when you've convinced everyone on my commute to do that.
That's what I'm working on right now!
Wear protective gear. I have a leather jacket when I'm going fast and on cool days, but sneakers, jeans, and a rain jacket have saved me from minor injuries a few times riding around town at <60kph.
I know people are going to yell at me for not wearing a full tracksuit and boots you literally cannot walk in, but it's Vietnam, anything more than crocs, shorts, a t-shirt, and a plastic baseball cap is pretty heavy gear here.
I have been meaning to buy some sturdy boots I can wear both on and off the bike tho, maybe I'll pick some up next time I'm in China.
Two wheels are far more common in SE Asia, people know how to behave with them in traffic. Not so much in the US.
True, but the insane injury rate for bikes in the US is overwhelmingly a skill issue; almost half of deaths have alcohol in their blood, most are single-vehicle from bikes taking a turn too fast.
2 wheels includes bicycles and ebikes on sidewalks, though thats not always feasible.
Oh absolutely, a large proportion of motorcycle injuries in the US are with unlicensed riders, too - we're talking about people who make bad decisions. it's no surprise that extends to riding skill.
What made you move to Vietnam? (I assume you aren't Vietnamese)
I didn't move here, I bounce around Asia while working remotely, though I usually spend a little over half the year here.
The food, prices, and people/culture make up for the language being literally impossible for me and the weather being pretty tough outside the highlands and some mountains north of Hanoi. Some rain gear and I can deal with 4+ hour motorcycle trips in pouring rain, but there's nothing I can do about walking outside and instantly sweating through my shirt.
Interesting. What made you start a nomadic lifestyle like this? Do you do it alone? Do you think you'll ever settle down?
Living in America was killing me.
I travel alone, but I make acquaintances everywhere.
Maybe I'll settle down some day. The longer I stay in software engineering the more I long to leave it and become a mushroom farmer in northern Japan.