Vietnam's traffic jams aren't a motorbike problem, they're a human problem

"There are too many motorbikes," they say. Or, "Private cars drive recklessly." Some blame trucks and buses for being too aggressive.

But the truth is, the problem is not motorbikes or cars. It is us.

Bad driving habits, not vehicle types, are the real cause of traffic jams and accidents. People jostle for position, cut each other off, refuse to give way and treat the roads like a race track. These are not flaws of the machines we drive. They are flaws in human behavior.

Over time, this toxic behavior spreads. People see others driving selfishly and copy them, thinking, "I'm not the only one." When enough people break the rules, those rules stop mattering. What's wrong becomes normal.

Competition is not the problem. It is where we choose to compete. Competing over who can overtake more vehicles, who drinks more at a party, or whose children get higher grades only leads to stress, harm, and sometimes tragedy.

When someone's ego is challenged on the road, things escalate fast. People use violence to settle petty disputes: from road rage incidents to smashing a neighbor's house for asking them to turn down loud karaoke. In today's environment, laws and basic respect are often ignored.

But it does not have to stay this way.

If more people chose patience over aggression and kindness over ego, Vietnam's roads could be safer for everyone. The solution is not banning motorbikes or cracking down on cars. The solution is fixing ourselves.

Fortunately, authorities are stepping up. New laws and stricter enforcement aim to bring back order and protect those who follow the rules. And over time, that might push selfish drivers to change.

In the end, it’s not about what you drive. It is about how you behave.