I am often amazed at the variety of cycling situations I come across. The world is truly incredible. My Step-Mother spent a few months in Asia this year. I had forgotten that her Brother had filmed bicycles and scooters in Asia. The following video was taken at a busy intersection in Hanoi.
Note the way bicycles, scooters, and some cars just “flow”. There are no stop lights or any signage. Just a symphony of machines flowing through town.
Lots of honking and surgical masks for the pollution!
Along the same lines.....
- August 9, 2008 -- Olympic Cycling – Barry Michael places 9th in men’s road race
- August 4, 2008 -- Cycling – The Beijing Olympics are just around the corner
- July 26, 2008 -- Cycling to China – Brit Pete Jones shows us the way
- August 29, 2010 -- Bicycle Portraits – Everyday South Africans and their Bicycles. A Photographic Book.
- April 17, 2010 -- Philanthropic Pedaling – Cyclists to Bike Through Italy to Aid a Rural Village in Namibia
- March 31, 2010 -- A Bicycle Odyssey with Dogs – A Certain Kind of Cycling Madness
- November 7, 2009 -- Japanese Bicycle Garage – Wait Until You See This
- September 30, 2009 -- Spinning in Ottawa – It’s a Blast When You have a Great Instructor
- September 4, 2009 -- Vermont Cycling – Mad River Valley Century Ride – 2009 Edition
- July 21, 2009 -- Ottawa Cyclists Injured by Hit and Run Driver While Cycling in Kanata
Posted by Les Faber in 
First, I love the sight of that Cycle Chic lady with the hat up front. Second, thanks for posting this, love it! I’ve seen similar videos of Bangkok traffic, where you think at one point somebody is going to get killed, but no. It’s organic. I’m 100% for it.
It reminds me of what Marie from copenhagencyclechic said when she visited: far less traffic lights for cyclists in Amsterdam, although it’s at least as busy as Copenhagen. She loved the ‘intermingling’ dynamics. I said, yeah, why install them when people show they don’t need them, just go with the flow. So this video hits home more than you’d expect. (Don’t worry, Les, Amsterdam is much more mellow)
There’s also this internationally acclaimed Dutch city planner (forgot his name) who focusses on the total absence of traffic lights or signs, just giving room to people. The cities that asked for his help have faired pretty well so far.
Not a template for all cultures, but certainly interesting as a ‘less is more’ concept.
Ya she was neat. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I found the video. I get a kick out of all the surgical masks too.
I was on Marie’s site this morning and noted the great “blue routes”.
Can you believe how they just “flow”? and the horns…. And nobody seems stressed at all. Just part of everyday life. My Step-Mom told me that it was like that throughout Asia.
Hanoi is special as they are still in the 1940s – somewhat like Cuba.
That’s really something. Wow! *going to have to watch that again*
I’m trying to picture myself making a left turn – it wouldn’t be pretty!