If You Think Seasonal Traffic In SWFL Is Bad

If you think seasonal traffic in SWFL is bad, I've got some perspective for you. I'll never look at traffic issues here the same again after spending time in Vietnam last week. I may've even found a life lesson in it.

One of the first things I was told by a guide in Saigon is that traffic rules are "just a suggestion." There are lanes, crosswalks and some traffic signals here and there. However, it is basically a free-for-all.

It was a chaotic, unchoreographed dance that still managed to find this amazing flow. A taxi driver told me he would "ring" or honk twice to let a scooter know he was going first. They had their own language on the road that allowed everyone to co-exist.

As a pedestrian, I was told to just raise my hand, step into the street, and go. There was only one important rule. Whatever came at me, I was NOT to stop. If I kept walking, it kept a flow and scooters could negotiate the space around me.

The first time I crossed a busy street in Saigon; I nearly peed my pants. By the time I left in Hanoi (there were more cars here, so it was a little different) I felt empowered and confident

Check out this video I posted. It doesn't even scratch the surface.

If people were angry by the traffic and how others drove, they didn't seem to show it. No middle fingers or clenched fists. They simply made adjustments and kept going. There was no "me first" mentality.

It was more like, we're all in this together so let's just work together.

It was a great lesson for me. Not just for driving, but for life.