Throughout this field note, I will spend some time talking about various forms of transportation that can be seen throughout Vietnam. Planes, trains and bicycles are seen in Vietnam. They are viewed and used in the same way as in the United States so I will not spend much time talking about them. The main types of transportation I will be talking about in this field note are motorbikes, cars, buses and grab.
The most common method of transportation in Vietnam is the motorbike. If you have never seen a motorbike before, they are like mopeds. Actual motorcycles are very rare. Over the last three months, I believe I have only seen four or five motorcycles. While wealthier people have cars and automotive dealerships are starting to become more common throughout Vietnam. Cars are still far from a common mode of transportation for three main reasons. Primarily, cars are expensive and a considerable portion of the Vietnamese population still engages in laborious activities for modest incomes such as farming, working as a street vendor, and local construction. Secondly, Vietnam's population is very large compared to the geographical size of the country. Paired with small roads and occasionally suspect infrastructure, a massive increase in the presence of cars would cause gridlock throughout the nation.
