HCMC sidewalks are for everyone except pedestrians
A recent survey put Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi among Asia’s best cities for tourists to explore on foot, but readers strongly disagreed.
« Too bad the sidewalks are unusable for pedestrians. »
mcbmghome
« This survey should take air and land pollution into consideration. »
Tay Zheng
« Crazy motorcycles on the pavement, cars that do not stop at road crossings to allow pedestrians to cross, that is if you can find a safe route through and streetfood vendors. »
Scooter
« You can enjoy a unique walking experience of having to share the road with all kinds of motor vehicles while admiring the street vendors and motorbikes parked on the pavement. »
treklam
« Ho Chi Minh City is beautiful in its own way but it’s not a walkable city. Footpaths are over run by motorbikes and there is clearly a danger every time you try to cross the roads. »
blackoffi88
« Is HCMC walkable in terms of distance? Sure. Is it walkable in terms of safe spaces for pedestrians? Not at all! The sidewalks in HCMC are for everyone except pedestrians who are constantly forced to walk on the road because of coffee stalls/shops, food stalls, motorbike and car parking, signs, lottery ticket sellers, clothing racks, etc., and people driving their motorbikes (which is illegal) that make the sidewalks impassable and dangerous. Let’s be clear, 70-80% of the time « walking on the road » is not stepping 1/2 meter off the curb because that space is often taken by parked cars. Instead, people often have to step out from between two vehicles and walk a full lane out in traffic which is dangerous for both pedestrians and drivers. I have lived in HCMC for 12.5 years. In that time, I have never owned or driven a bicycle, a motorbike, or a car but have gotten around by either walking or taking public transportation. Therefore, I can say unequivocally that not only is HCMC the least walkable city I have ever visited or lived in, but also that the situation for pedestrians gets worse and worse every year. »
vn
VnExpress.net – August 22, 2024