I was thinking about it today, and I suppose that the reason why I've written so much about the traffic and streets of Vietnam is because what the metro is to DF, the streets and traffic are to Saigon. And so I bring you another aspect of traffic life which I've experienced twice this past week.
It's extremely common to see two people on a motorbike. In fact, you will never see a one-seater moto in the country - they are ALL made for 2 people. It's also common to see 3 people on a moto. Most often, it's 2 adults and one child with the child sitting or standing in the front. And every so often you'll see a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) pass by. This evening on my way to eat, I saw a family of 5 - Mom, Dad, and their 3 small children. It boggles the mind coming from an overly-safe country.
Since there is no seat belt system, obviously it isn't very safe to have a child on a moto. Twice this week, I was passed by 2 motorbikes which had an adult and a small child; the child was sitting in the space between the seat and the handlebar on a high chair. The first time I saw it, I thought it had been some kind of contraption made by the family for the kid. But then I saw it again. I had more time to inspect it since I was waiting at a light and saw that the legs of the "high chair" (it truly looks like a high chair a child would sit in at a restaurant) were sitting on the floor of the moto. It looked like it was made from bamboo and made specifically for a motorbike as it fit perfectly in the open space. I really don't know if it's any safer than having the child sit on the front of the seat.
