Vietnam and Motorcycles: Dialectics and Commensurate Adaptations

Abstract

Due to rapid urbanisation, mixed traffic in Vietnam’s megacities is getting worse. Dialectics remain unsolved as communities persist with their two-wheel figurehead while the government frames taxonomy and substitution. Driven by the need for reconciliations, the proposed empirical research aims to fill the knowledge gap and to contribute to the Sustainable Path to 2030 Agenda.

The study explored values and threats in relation to motorcycle, proposed solutions to the dialectic, probed for community readiness, and weighted predictors against adaptation. Sequential Exploratory Mixed Methodology was followed to develop a new theory. System data input was collected from three sources: documentary review, qualitative expert interviews, and quantitative survey using questionnaires of 100 variables. More than 700 responses from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City facilitated the analytics threading four techniques of: Ordinal Logistic Regression with Factors Input, Generalised Linear Models with Ordinal Logistic Response, Spearman’s correlations, and Exploratory Factor Analysis.

Benchmarking between four analytical methods resulted in more than 80 coinciding associations between community acceptance and its determinants that enable a better understanding of the issues related to motorcycles. Emerging determinants include propaganda/education, public bus operation, infrastructure/travel patterns, and regulations change.

The original version of this chapter was revised: This chapter was inadvertently published with incorrect author’s name “Tasya Aspiranti” instead of “Dyen Thanh My Nguyen” which has been corrected now. The correction to this chapter is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5260-8_39

Appendices

Appendices

1.1 Appendix A

Table 4 87 correlations between the readiness of communities for sustainable public transport and its determinants

1.2 Appendix B

Table 5 High-priority recommendations to policymakers and the transport industry

1.3 Appendix C

List of 100 variables with full descriptions

Variables	Code	Questions
A1: COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY AND CULTURE The following questions involve the psychological and cultural behavior of the Vietnamese community towards specific vehicles below:
Perceived usefulness(PU)	PU. How do you agree/disagree with the following statements about the usefulness of using a motorcycle:
	PU1	Using motorcycles helps me save my time.
	PU2	Using motorcycles helps me save my money.
	PU3	Motorcycles bring a lot of benefits to my life.
	PU4	The motorcycle is the transportation I mostly use.
	PU5	Motorcycles can help me make with some earnings (e.g., Grab, Gojek, etc.)
Culture-bound Comfort (CBC)	CBC. How do you agree/disagree with the following statements about Vietnamese behavior:
	CBC1	I usually walk to the destination just within a few hundred meters away.
	CBC2	I do not get used to using other transport modes except motorcycles.
	CBC3	I find it is difficult to use other transport modes.
	CBC4	I prioritise riding a motorbike over walking.
	CBC5	Motorcycles also express personal property ownership.
Perceive Ease of Use (PEU)	PEU. How do you agree/disagree with the following statements related to ease of use of motorcycles:
	PEU1	It is easy to learn how to ride a motorcycle.
	PEU2	It is easy to have a motorcycle maintained.
	PEU3	It is easy to own a motorcycle rather than other vehicles.
	PEU4	It is easy to use my motorcycle for riding to alleys or crowded places.
Reasons Against Substitution (by Community) (RAS)	RAS. How do you agree/disagree with the following reasons for not choosing other transport modes?
	RAS1	Using a motorbike is more useful than other transport modes.
	RAS2	Motorbikes are easier to use than other vehicles.
	RAS3	I always encourage family and friends to use motorbikes.
	RAS4	I cannot give up my motorbike riding habit.
	RAS5	Other transport modes cannot meet my needs.
A2: GOVERNMENT/INSTITUTIONAL CONCERN
Congestion (CG)	CG. How do you agree about the current traffic jam?
	CG1	The transport infrastructure cannot meet all the needs of using motorbikes.
	CG2	Traffic jams harm the health as well as the daily life of the residents.
	CG3	Traffic jam causes physical damage and transport infrastructure.
	CG4	The increasing number and volume of motorcycles is the primary cause of traffic jams.
	CG5	Insufficient traffic area (roads, bridges, tunnels, etc.) is the cause of traffic jams.
	CG6	Traffic jams do harm to socio-economic development.
	CG7	The traffic jam is getting to an uncontrollable level.
	CG8	Traffic laws play a decisive role in decreasing traffic congestion.
	CG9	The self-awareness of traffic participants will significantly reduce traffic jams.
	CG10	Macro investment solutions (metro line, subway, MRT, etc.) will completely reduce traffic jams.
	CG11	The above macro investment solutions can partly reduce traffic congestion, if there are no networks and connectivity solutions.
Environmental Pollution (EP)	EP. How do you think about the current environmental pollution?
	EP1	The number and volume of motorcycles are increasing, which lead to do harm to the living environment (air pollution).
	EP2	High traffic density in big cities causes noise pollution.
	EP3	The current legal framework’s sanctions are not strong enough to solve the environmental pollution caused by traffic.
	EP4	Traffic participants’ self-awareness is not good enough, which affects environmental pollution.
Accident and Safety (AS)	AS. How do you feel about the following statements related to traffic accidents and traffic safety?
	AS1	The increase in motorbike leads to a higher rate of traffic accidents.
	AS2	Many motorcycles pass the traffic light, break the speed limit, occupy the roadside… affecting traffic safety.
	AS3	Using mobile phones while riding a motorcycle is the direct cause of traffic accident.
	AS4	A number of participants lack traffic awareness while riding a motorbike, affect other traffic and adversely impact traffic safety.
	AS5	Drinking alcohol and being drunk while riding a motorbike is directly related to traffic safety.
	AS6	Two-wheel motorised vehicles (and other vehicles) encroach or go in the opposite direction related to traffic safety.
Other Transport Modes (OTM)	OTM. How do you agree/disagree with the following statements regarding other transport modes?
	OTM1	Public transport is not supported by the residents.
	OTM2	Public transport does not completely meet the needs of the people.
	OTM3	The residents have not been widely propagated about the benefits of other means of transport (bus, metro...)
Policies (PO)	PO. How do you agree/disagree with the following statements regarding the policies?
	PO1	Responsibility assignment to authorities is not clear.
	PO2	The policies ensuring traffic safety are still lacking.
	PO3	The policies ensuring traffic safety are not appropriate.
	PO4	The legality of road traffic safety policies is low.
A3: TENTATIVE SOLUTIONS Here are a number of tentative solutions, how do you agree/disagree with the followings:
Public Bus Operation improvement (PBO)	PBO. How do you agree/disagree with the solutions to improve the current public bus system?
	PBO1	I would like to have more bus lines to serve more routes.
	PBO2	I want to have more buses to shorten bus waiting times.
	PBO3	I want the bus to improve the quality of the seats and its smell.
	PBO4	I would like the bus to operate on time.
	PBO5	I want the bus to be equipped with WiFi, a clock, surveillance cameras for higher security.
	PBO6	I would like to have more automated information about bus stops and bus positioning.
	PBO7	I want the bus drivers to become friendlier to the bus passengers and with the motorbike community.
	PBO8	The bus should be equipped with additional equipment to assist the disabilities.
	PBO9	It is necessary to expand and improve the quality of bus stops (add roofs, seats, maps...)
	PBO10	It is necessary to improve the appearance of the bus.
	PBO11	Buses should avoid abuse running into the roadway for two-wheel vehicles and pinching them.
	PBO12	Buses should limit honking and reduce the emission into the environment.
	PBO13	Smaller buses should be mobilised to avoid unused seats on the bus.
Infrastructure/Travel Patterns Improvement (ITP)	ITP. How do you agree with the solutions to improve the current transport infrastructure?
	ITP1	Synchronise with urban planning and land-use orientation.
	ITP2	It is crucial to allocate lanes and routes properly during peak hours in the city. Avoid overcrowding in one lane and empty flow in the other lane.
	ITP3	Adding many automatic movable smart road dividers on some main city routes.
	ITP4	Limiting some unsuitable means of transport during peak hours.
	ITP5	Adding intermodal travel patterns for the traffic participants (park-and-ride, bike-and-ride)
	ITP6	Researching and installing smart traffic light systems (can increase/decrease the traffic signal timing depending on the presence of vehicles at that time).
Regulation change (RGL)	RGL. How do you agree with the policy change below?
	RGL1	It is necessary to have policies for restricting new motorcycle registration.
	RGL2	Limiting the traffic time for motorcycles.
	RGL3	Restricting some routes against motorcycles.
	RGL4	Seriously punish motorcyclists who do not have licenses.
	RGL5	Increasing motorbike ownership tax.
	RGL6	Changing the motorbike price.
	RGL7	Reducing urbanisation. Distancing between urban zones.
	RGL8	Eliminating the old, low-quality motorbikes and tricycles.
	RGL9	Installing additional transportation networks along the main route of MRT.
	RGL10	Encourage businesses and schools to apply flexible work hours.
	RGL11	Controlling the increase in the number of cars (some studies indicate that if you reduce motorbikes but increase cars, traffic jams will get even worse).
Propaganda/Education Implementation (PEI)	PEI. How do you agree with the implementation of communication/education sessions for traffic participants?
	PEI1	Improve the self-awareness of riding a motorbike.
	PEI2	Propagating some sanction levels for traffic violations.
	PEI3	Propagating about the adverse effects of using alcohol in traffic.
	PEI4	It is necessary to educate about the traffic law as long as is suitable for each individual (the traditions, culture, religion, and customs).
	PEI5	Setting up feedback systems from residents; listen and seriously deal with each traffic problem.
	PEI6	Traffic demand management: Propaganda to avoid riding motorbikes as an unnecessary habit, providing motivation for the young generation to live at home.
	PEI7	Propagating/educating bus drivers (and bus assistants) to make them more friendly with residents, especially motorcycle communities.
A4: COMMUNITY ADAPTED BEHAVIOR If those changes are applied (or a majority of them will be applied), how will you have new perspectives on the use of public transport instead of motorcycles?
Reconciliation Perceived Ease of Use (RPEU)	RPEU. How do you think about the ease of use of other transport modes after making the changes above?
	RPEU1	Improving infrastructure (especially roads) will make it easier for me to use public transport.
	RPEU2	Changing the quality and adding more buses will make it easier for me to find out the means to get to my destination.
	RPEU3	The change of the bus system will make it easier for the disabilities to use.
	RPEU4	I am able to adapt immediately to these changes.
	RPEU5	In general, after the change, the use/selection of other means will become much easier than before.
Reconciliation Perceived Usefulness (RPU)	RPU. How do you think about the usefulness of other transport modes after making the changes above?
	RPU1	Using other transportation (especially public transport) will save time compared to using a motorbike.
	RPU2	Using other transportation (especially public transport) will save more money than using a motorbike.
	RPU3	These changes in the bus operating system give me more motivation to use this type of service.
	RPU4	With the benefits of the above changes, we are able to adjust individual/family behavior in order to adapt to public transport.
Community Actual Usage (CAU)	CAU. Do you intend to use other transport modes instead of motorcycles after the changes as above?
	CAU1	I will prefer to use other transport modes (bus, metro...) instead of motorbikes.
	CAU2	I will recommend and encourage my relatives and friends to use other transport modes.
	CAU3	I agree with the usage restriction of motorcycles on the road.
	CAU4	I agree with the aforementioned changes to the bus system.
	CAU5	I agree with the above-mentioned changes relating to transport infrastructure.
	CAU6	I encourage the government to promote the benefits of using other transport modes.
	CAU7	I encourage positive changes in traffic laws, ensuring traffic safety as mentioned above.