The Diplomat Magazine (Japan) recently published his article Arve Hansen, a researcher at the Centre for Development and Environment- University of Oslo (Norway), the traffic situation in Hanoi worrying.
In an urban rapid development of Hanoi, with very little public transportation, motorcycles play an important role in the circulation.
However, compared to the new cars, of motorcycles is constantly increasing as a means of outdated and dangerous. And Hanoi streets seem inevitable become a nightmare of traffic jams.
Of course, some people may think, Hanoi has suffered traffic nightmare already. Anyone who has ever set foot in Vietnam's capital knows that motorcycles chaotic sea can quickly turn into a challenge, especially if you're trying to walk around the streets.
Although many risk, traveling in Hanoi today quite well in this condition is one of the cities with dense population density in the world. The circulation mainly relied on motorcycles, not cars.
The number of motorcycles in Vietnam has increased with astonishing speed, thanks to economic growth. According to official statistics, Vietnam only about 4 million units in 1996.
Today, only motorcycle in Hanoi by that number. Currently, there are over 39 million motorcycles across the country, that is except the elderly and young children, almost everyone owns their own Vietnam a motorcycle.
But this has become a major challenge in urban areas. Despite government measures such as high tariffs and so many different types of fees, the number of private cars is still rising rapidly. Car owners dream of becoming middle class Hanoi.
Automobiles allowed people to stay in cool places and hidden under the scorching sun and dry when it rained heavily and clean away dust or pollution. And it was a clear symbol of the success of economic reforms.
Doing worth living in Hanoi
Not long ago, many also famous Hanoi bicycle. But after the revolution motor, only the new poor economy continue to use bicycles as primary transportation.
However, recently, cycling fad back in vogue as a way of practicing middle class sport. They can walk around West Lake bike ride on the bike even more expensive motorcycles.
Bicycles have other obvious benefit is environmental friendly. Bike is certainly not the most perfect solution, but a transition to the faster cars would make the traffic situation worse, since the level of congestion becomes severe.
It would be naive to think that can hold the entire automobile. Vietnam should draw lessons from the experience of the urban sacrificed a victim of nightmarish traffic jams as Bangkok, Jakarta ...
If Hanoi wanted to avoid that nightmare, bike certainly needed as part of the solution. The public transport plan ambitious is far from a reality, and in any case would only meet about 20% of total traffic demand of capital.
How to Hanoi became worth living will require some serious policymaking. Now Hanoi is extremely unfriendly cyclists and pedestrians, the rare lanes for bikes are usually occupied for parking cars.
Is Hanoi has witnessed a revolutionary new bicycle, or Vietnam revolution goes further push to encourage the use of greener motorcycles? Only time can answer. For now, the only way the people of Hanoi veiled, to the number and hold your breath while trying to avoid from getting a new BMW car to wipe irritated.
