Just 30 seconds at a red light, why the honking and inching forward, Vietnamese drivers?

Editor’s note: This piece was written by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reader Nguyen Ngoc Thi, highlighting the tendency of some Vietnamese drivers to honk at red lights. It has been translated and edited by Tuoi Tre News.

Many serious traffic accidents begin with moments of impatience. In a rush to save a few seconds, people run red lights and end up taking on huge risks.

At many intersections, the red light countdown often shows a familiar number: 30 seconds. Thirty seconds is not even enough to cook a packet of instant noodles.

Yet as the countdown reaches its final seconds, some drivers try to squeeze ahead, honking as if a few seconds’ delay would make them late for work or an appointment. So why not just leave earlier?

The story of 'waiting 30 seconds at a red light' reflects patience, one of the traits that show a person’s culture and awareness in traffic, and in community life more broadly.

First, it must be acknowledged that we are all moving faster than before.

Everything around us demands speed: news updates by the second, instant replies to messages, food delivered within minutes.

In such a fast-paced world, for some people, stopping for 30 seconds at an intersection becomes an unexpected 'challenge,' even though it is a basic rule for everyone on the road.

Many continue inching their vehicles forward so they can move first when the light turns green. Some even decide to run the red light altogether.

The scene can feel almost absurd. A whole line of vehicles is waiting, yet a few try to push ahead while horns blare behind them, as if urging others to move aside or to go before the light has even turned green.

Why is patience so difficult?

When one direction turns green, the cross traffic must stop to give way. Traffic flows in a steady, balanced rhythm under the coordination of traffic lights.

But when one vehicle cuts across the flow, others are forced to brake suddenly, sometimes causing congestion or even chaos.

A thoughtless action lasting just a few seconds can take hours to deal with afterward, or years if an accident occurs.

In reality, many serious traffic accidents start exactly this way. In an attempt to gain a few seconds, people may risk everything, even their lives.

Rushing rarely gets us to our destination faster. It only makes the journey more dangerous.

Thirty seconds at a red light can be seen as a small test of awareness and patience.

Stopping at the line and waiting for the green light is not just about obeying traffic laws, it is also about respecting others.

On the other hand, when someone tries to push ahead, they are not only breaking the rules but also putting their own interests above the safety of the community.

Building traffic culture starts with small actions

Building a proper traffic culture is not difficult. It starts with simple actions: stopping at red lights, staying in your lane, not cutting ahead, and not moving before your turn.

These small actions, when practiced by millions of people every day, can create a more civilized and safer traffic environment.

In many places, people can calmly wait at red lights even when the streets are empty and there are no traffic police around. They understand that rules exist to protect everyone.

If everyone shared that mindset, traffic would become far more orderly.

And such 30 seconds at a red light would no longer feel frustrating, but simply a brief moment to slow down and breathe amid a fast-moving life.

Sometimes, just slowing down a little and giving way to others can make not only our roads safer, but also our lives more civilized.