Tu and Amir discuss the trafficc woes in their countries.

Tu: So, Amir, I heard … I was really surprised to hear that Iran traffic is so bad.

Amir: Iran, yeah, Iran is actually very much famous for it’s traffic. Traffic is so horrible. People have to just wait in cars for ages just to get to their places which is just by walking maybe forty minutes, thirty minutes far from the place you are.

Tu: So there are a lot of traffic jams?

Amir: Yeah, yeah. The capacity of the streets and the amount of car just doesn’t match, so people have to wait for many hours.

Tu: Well, actually, you know what, Vietnamese traffic is also very terrible.

Amir: Oh, OK, now you tell me about Vietnam?

Tu: Yeah, especially Ho Chi Min City. I still remember it was so scary for me, for the first time I go to Ho Chi Min City. Well, you know, everyone seems to be moving, and we travel mostly by bikes, so you know, there are a lot of bikes on the streets and it seems like you get to move with them. If you stop, you’re gonna get hit.

Amir: Oh, so you just have to flow with them.

Tu: Yes, and there seems to be no rules at all. Like, actually they used to be a lot of people who just go when it is red light, and it’s pretty common. It was. It’s getting better now but still, you I think it’s because there are a lot of bikes. Too many of them.

Amir: OK, I am sure there are reasons for this traffic, but before that, before telling me why this is happening in your city, tell me, how you get used to it? How do you overcome this craziness, this
anarchy you talk about?

Tu: Yeah, actually, you know, foreigners complain about it a lot, all the time, but we actually, we Vietnamese people, we actually not … we don’t think it’s a matter. It’s kind of a natural thing for us, to just get out of your house and go with the flow and it’s just … it is something normal, like every day life, and I think it’s because we get to go by bicycle and motorbike pretty soon, pretty early, since we were primary school, and you know, one thing is, the bicycle in Vietnam … we go on the same road with the cars and bikes, so everyone moves at the same time.