Comments on: How to be stopped by the Traffic Police in Saigon http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/ A Japanese Amerasian, Former US Marine, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Entrepreneur, IT Consultant, Weightlifter, and Linux Tech Blogger residing in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Tenobliss. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:30:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: riina http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33136 riina Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:46:26 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33136 and what a coincidence that I was just forwarded this article... check it out! http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1887317,00.html?xid=rss-world-cnn and what a coincidence that I was just forwarded this article… check it out!
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1887317,00.html?xid=rss-world-cnn

]]> By: riina http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33134 riina Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:29:21 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33134 thanks, kevin! the advice to write down the name of the police man is simple and apparently too obvious for me to think about. well, I am a natural blonde, can't help it ;-) thanks, kevin! the advice to write down the name of the police man is simple and apparently too obvious for me to think about. well, I am a natural blonde, can’t help it ;-)

]]> By: SaigonNezumi (Kevin) http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33133 SaigonNezumi (Kevin) Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:15:05 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33133 @Dave: That normally happens in the outlying districts but in Q. 1, 3, 5, and 10, they will bring someone who can speak English :-) @riina: If the traffic police do not give you a ticket, have them contact somebody or call your Consulate. They supposed to bring an English speaker. For me, I have learned to always take down the name of the policeman pulling you over. I learned this in Kazakhstan. Look at their badge and write down their names with them looking. They will get a little nervous. I always keep a pen and paper in my motorbike. This actually works with policemen around the world. If they do not mind, then it may mean you actually broke the law :-) By the way, the Saigon Bridge is good for the traffic police since people have a tendency to ride on the left lane to avoid the turn off. Stick to the right... @Dave: That normally happens in the outlying districts but in Q. 1, 3, 5, and 10, they will bring someone who can speak English :-)

@riina: If the traffic police do not give you a ticket, have them contact somebody or call your Consulate. They supposed to bring an English speaker. For me, I have learned to always take down the name of the policeman pulling you over. I learned this in Kazakhstan. Look at their badge and write down their names with them looking. They will get a little nervous. I always keep a pen and paper in my motorbike. This actually works with policemen around the world. If they do not mind, then it may mean you actually broke the law :-)

By the way, the Saigon Bridge is good for the traffic police since people have a tendency to ride on the left lane to avoid the turn off. Stick to the right…

]]> By: riina http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33131 riina Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:21:58 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33131 well, even if you are dressed in a work outfit (closed shoes, long trousers and shirt without tie) the police takes out foreigners nowadays. the spot at saigon bridge is particularly known for that and my boyfriend got pulled over several times with ridiculous fines like 20 USD. so far it could be settled with paying much much less (AND NOT GETTING AN OFFICIAL TICKET THOUGH INSISTING ON IT!!! which makes me believe expats are a welcomed source of income that is not declared). we both have our VN driver's license to avoid troubles with the police and to be on the safe side for insurance purposes. safe trip everyone! well, even if you are dressed in a work outfit (closed shoes, long trousers and shirt without tie) the police takes out foreigners nowadays. the spot at saigon bridge is particularly known for that and my boyfriend got pulled over several times with ridiculous fines like 20 USD. so far it could be settled with paying much much less (AND NOT GETTING AN OFFICIAL TICKET THOUGH INSISTING ON IT!!! which makes me believe expats are a welcomed source of income that is not declared). we both have our VN driver’s license to avoid troubles with the police and to be on the safe side for insurance purposes.
safe trip everyone!

]]> By: Dave http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33122 Dave Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:03:38 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33122 Hmmmmm, how do you know he was a Frenchman? I got pulled over for speeding out on the open road out in Nhon Trach Industrial area, east of D2. I don't have my license yet so I smiled and pretty much played ignorant and he let me go. Hmmmmm, how do you know he was a Frenchman?

I got pulled over for speeding out on the open road out in Nhon Trach Industrial area, east of D2. I don’t have my license yet so I smiled and pretty much played ignorant and he let me go.

]]> By: SaigonNezumi (Kevin) http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33120 SaigonNezumi (Kevin) Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:55:51 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33120 @dfcraniac: Shirt does make a difference. A nice smile too if you are stopped. Page Rank is still a 4. @dfcraniac: Shirt does make a difference. A nice smile too if you are stopped.

Page Rank is still a 4.

]]> By: dfcraniac http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33118 dfcraniac Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:46:55 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33118 Forgot to say: glad you got your site back up. What happened to your pagerank? Maybe my toolbar is not reading it correctly it says zero :( Forgot to say: glad you got your site back up. What happened to your pagerank? Maybe my toolbar is not reading it correctly it says zero :(

]]> By: dfcraniac http://www.saigonnezumi.com/2009/03/22/how-to-be-stopped-by-the-traffic-police-in-saigon/comment-page-1/#comment-33117 dfcraniac Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:42:26 +0000 http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=1501#comment-33117 A shirt and tie seems to keep the police away- yea I can see how this would be the case, even just culturally, maybe personally by particular policemen. Folks here don't like "backpackers" at all. That's a funny story. There's so much happening in so little space here that sometimes these whole little dramas get played out in a few seconds in front of you as you drive down the street. A shirt and tie seems to keep the police away- yea I can see how this would be the case, even just culturally, maybe personally by particular policemen. Folks here don’t like “backpackers” at all.

That’s a funny story. There’s so much happening in so little space here that sometimes these whole little dramas get played out in a few seconds in front of you as you drive down the street.

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