Motorbike Survival

Considering my recent brush with danger, I think it is appropriate to comment on the absurdity of motorbike survival. First, let me begin with the affect of the growing number of automobiles frequenting Viet Nam's roads. With the newfound protection of steel and twice as much rubber, automobiles have taken up the sick sport of herding motorbike drivers into the most dangerous parts of the road possible. Since a motorbike is obviously no match for a car, truck, or bus, the automobiles have the power of literally pushing motorbikes to wherever they want. Almost all drivers seem to derive an alarming amount of pleasure when forcing a motorbike into a very large pothole. For those of you who drive anything with two wheels, then you are sure to understand just how dangerous it is to drive into a pothole at a high speed. Even worse (and more personal since this happened to me on Saturday), automobiles very much enjoy edging motorbikes precariously close to the side of the road. Since a majority of roads here are lined by ditches littered with rocks and other unrecognizable large things, being pushed into one of these valleys is extremely hazardous. Plus, the "gutters" are just big enough to make you lose all balance and veer into something even more dangerous. Being white, I am even more of a target, so my driving skills have had to improve a lot... and quickly. When my friends and I are driving to or from somewhere, almost every time there is some jerk in a Lexus that tries to drive us off the road. My own experience happened when an SUV literally forced me into a ditch on the side of the road. Luckily, I was able to avoid a brick and gun my engine to get myself back onto the road (and to deliver some far-from-friendly words towards the driver). After narrowly avoiding disaster, the same SUV tried to force me off the road YET AGAIN barely two minutes later. Now, thanks to my Vespa training from home, I can usually dodge such aggressive maneuvers, but I was simply in an unfortunate position. I'm not sure what makes people driving automobiles so intent on injuring others, but it is a problem that affects almost all drivers throughout the country. The writer Peter Moore can attest to this trend (please note page 10). Copy and paste the link below...
http://www.petermoore.net/books/ssbd/ssbd-ebook.pdf
Equally as absurd is the fact that most people remove their side mirrors since they tend to get hit in heavy traffic. I haven't had the nerve to make such a move just yet, although my mirrors have been knocked around a little bit. Also, expecting anyone to use turn signals when they are turning... way too much to ask.
The city has been making strides by installing traffic lights. These are really great and all, until the power is cut.... which tends to happen quite frequently... during rush hour. Just this afternoon heading home from work one of the busiest intersections had no traffic lights; the streets were in complete chaos. It was like some sort of jig-saw puzzle with interlocking cars and motorbikes. Luckily, some policemen drove up next to me on a very dated Vespa sporting a side car, and after noticing I was white (and a young woman), quickly started pushing people aside to let me through. Without pulling the white card, I would have been stuck there for at least another 20 minutes. The only way to make it through a jam like this is to literally nudge your way between vehicles. Many a toe get run over during these intersection power cuts...
Well, I don't mean to worry anyone reading this from home. Considering the amount of times I'm driving my motorbike on the road, I've had very few instances of actual, imminent danger. It's all rather exciting, and I just take it as enjoying part of the Vietnamese culture. I think that convincing my mother to get on the back of my bike once she arrives will be much harder than navigating rush hour traffic.