[Vnbiz] Vietnam is getting richer

[Tran Dinh Hoanh]

Dear Craig & CACC,

Obviously reducing the number of cars available (by making it very
expensive) is the first solution many people think of when talking about
traffic.  The next thing ito think about is building a public transportation
system (buses, trains, etc.).

These two things are totally separate.  Whatever the policy about cars is, a
good public transportation system is a must.  I assume that no one would
argue about this point, including Craig.

The point that may raise argument is the policy on cars.  Singapore makes
car so expensive that you probably have to be a millionaire (or almost a
millionaire) to own a car in Singapore.  Everyone uses buses and subway.
This makes Singapore street fairly empty and pleasant.  Very attractive
solution.

Except that it create a class of car drivers that are completely different
from the populate, because they are sit in cars.  The rich and powerful, so
to speak.  These are probably the ruling class that is so distant from the
populate (because they are in cars).

This may not be a big issue in Singapore, because Singapore is a tiny
city .  But for a large country like Vietnam, if we have a noticeable ruling
class that everyone can spot out on the street (because they are in the
cars), we may have serious governing issues, generating from the tension
between the powerful and the powerless.

[Notice:  Even with such a high level of economic development, Singapore is
still very much a one-party dictatorship, although in theories it has more
than one party. The ruling group is too powerful over the populace.  Is that
the car driving class versus the general populace?].

We need to make cars affordable to many in the population (though, of
course, not everyone can buy a car) to avoid creating that exclusive ruling
class.  Cars should gradually be available to upper middle class, so to
speak.

Car is such an important status symbol that it is more than traffic.  It is
social and political.  The more cars people have, the less of a status
symbol the car plays, the better for the governance process.

Have a great day!

Hoanh
___________

On 12/6/06, Craig Stevenson <cstevenson2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
>
>
>
> All,
>
> London, Amsterdam and other cities employ a policy where cars with license
> plates ending in an even number can drive on city streets on certain days of
> the week, those ending with odd on other days.  Some, Venice I believe do
> not allow cars at all within the city.  Others restrict areas of cities.  I
> wasn't implying the HCMC, or Vietnam which I love, is in a situation
> different than any other city, or country for that matter, in the world
> which was built before the advent of automobiles.  Like other cities in the
> world it is very compact.  HCMC is massive in population, filled with
> people, buildings, and many streets are too small as the city is old.
> Normal.
>
> Creative solutions will need to be made.  Short of knocking down whole
> streets of houses to create roads and parking lots what could be done but to
> advance public transportattion above and below ground, and I agree, NOW.
>
> It's a lovely city and when I return I'd love to still be able to drive
> around the thousands of streets I never got to see.  It really needs to be
> thought of.  The countryside of course is different and there is much more
> room to accomodate vehicles.  Anyway, I love my bike.  I have two cars but
> would gladly give them both up for a bike if the weather would permit
> yearround.  It was even a pleasure to be rained on.
>
> Just my little thought on the subject.
>
>
> Craig
> --
> Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
> Attorney of Law
> Washington DC
>
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