As a traveller, the first thing that hits you about Hanoi is the frenetic pace of the traffic; roads are difficult to cross and the roar of mopeds and cars is heard 24/7.
Now in a bid to ease congestion in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi’s Transport Association has proposed that tuk tuks, so commonplace in Thailand, India and Sri Lanka of course, should be imported and used on the streets in place of cars.
The hope is that locals will leave their motorbikes and cars at home and take a public tuk tuk instead for short trips around the capital. The tuk tuks would be allowed to travel on inner city streets but not on national highways. Quality and availability will now be looked into by the Transport Association and a final decision will be made. This is in addition to the recent news that Hanoi will invest millions in tourism and entertainment facilities.
What do you think; would you be happy to switch your car, moped or motorbike for a tuk tuk instead? Or as a traveller would you like to see tuk tuks appear on the streets of Hanoi, after all we’re more than used to the sight of the wacky vehicles in other parts of Southeast Asia.
