Informal Urbanism
Ashley Arana
P & D #2
Juan Arbona
November 24, 2014
Motorbike Taxis in the Informal Economy
Anyone who has lived in or visited Hanoi would agree that transiting the city is a surreal experience. There is no escaping the countless motorbikes and riding on one while in Hanoi is almost inevitable. On almost every busy street there are men sitting on their motorbikes parked on the sidewalks yelling out, “motto, motto”, signaling that they’ll serve as taxis. Whether you are a foreigner or a local, if you are in a hurry or short in cash, a motorbike taxi is your best option. Once you approach one of the men, who for the most part speak no English, you will attempt to communicate the location you wish to reach. With the help of hand signals and Google maps you will make it to your final destination, more or less. Once the driver has an idea about where you attempt to go he will signal that you hop onto the motorbike. Now you are sitting extremely close to someone you met only a few minutes ago and trust him with your life, since you are riding through chaotic streets with no helmet or protective pads. These motorbike taxi drivers are not certified to provide their services, however they do so just like any other certified taxi driver, if not better. So how does one chose to classify them as informal if they provide an essential service? The issue is that they do not abide by all the laws therefore they are seen as unregulated and are unrecognized by the formal. Yet, those who cannot always afford the ‘formal’ benefit the most from the ‘informal’ economy and informalities such as motorbike taxis.
To some, motorbike taxis are seen as an informal mode of transportation. One of the reasons it is deemed as informal is because of its lack of safety regulations. The drivers do not carry any official license that makes it legal for them to taxi people around the city. Helmets are also not always provided when taking a motorbike taxi, which is against the law in Vietnam because
P & D #2
Juan Arbona
November 24, 2014
Motorbike Taxis in the Informal Economy
Anyone who has lived in or visited Hanoi would agree that transiting the city is a surreal experience. There is no escaping the countless motorbikes and riding on one while in Hanoi is almost inevitable. On almost every busy street there are men sitting on their motorbikes parked on the sidewalks yelling out, “motto, motto”, signaling that they’ll serve as taxis. Whether you are a foreigner or a local, if you are in a hurry or short in cash, a motorbike taxi is your best option. Once you approach one of the men, who for the most part speak no English, you will attempt to communicate the location you wish to reach. With the help of hand signals and Google maps you will make it to your final destination, more or less. Once the driver has an idea about where you attempt to go he will signal that you hop onto the motorbike. Now you are sitting extremely close to someone you met only a few minutes ago and trust him with your life, since you are riding through chaotic streets with no helmet or protective pads. These motorbike taxi drivers are not certified to provide their services, however they do so just like any other certified taxi driver, if not better. So how does one chose to classify them as informal if they provide an essential service? The issue is that they do not abide by all the laws therefore they are seen as unregulated and are unrecognized by the formal. Yet, those who cannot always afford the ‘formal’ benefit the most from the ‘informal’ economy and informalities such as motorbike taxis.
To some, motorbike taxis are seen as an informal mode of transportation. One of the reasons it is deemed as informal is because of its lack of safety regulations. The drivers do not carry any official license that makes it legal for them to taxi people around the city. Helmets are also not always provided when taking a motorbike taxi, which is against the law in Vietnam because