Red-light saga in Vietnamese traffic: Faster by a second, slower by a lifetime

Editor’s Note: Written by Darren Chua, who has lived in Ho Chi Minh City for over a decade, this piece reflects on the culture of rushing in urban traffic and the hidden cost behind those extra seconds we try to gain.

The piece comes at a time when the habit of honking at red lights has drawn growing attention, including from foreigners, prompting a closer look at how everyday traffic behaviors are perceived and understood in Vietnam's urban areas.

Since living in Ho Chi Minh City for more than a decade since 2013, I’ve traded Singapore’s sterile MRT for the seat of a Honda Lead.

Every morning on Cong Hoa Street, I join a sea of riders pulse-checking a society in a hurry. 

In the peak hours, a 30-second red light feels like an eternity, and we eye the countdown as if those seconds dictate our day’s success.

As I watch riders inch forward at "03," I’m often reminded of a lesson from my student days at Deakin University in 2007.

After I clipped an SUV while weaving frantically through Melbourne traffic, the other driver didn't yell at me. 

He simply walked over and asked: “Where are you rushing to, mate? The other cars ain’t going anywhere.”

That question changed me. 

Whether in Melbourne or Ho Chi Minh City, the "math" of the rush is a catastrophic trade: we risk our entire lives to gain a microscopic sliver of time. It’s a gamble that never adds up.

Our impatience actually slows everyone down, turning orderly intersections into gridlock and making the journey longer. 

We are so busy trying to "win" the intersection that we forget the only rule that matters: the destination only exists if you actually arrive.

A red light isn't an obstacle; it’s a 30-second insurance policy. No meeting is worth the ultimate price. 

As the English proverb says: "Better to arrive late in this world than early in the next."

In Vietnam, we say: "Nhanh một giây, chậm cả đời" (Faster by a second, slower by a lifetime).

Let’s respect the rush, but don't let it blind us. 

That red light is a moment to breathe and ensure we all get home to our families.