Director Tran Anh Hung’s 1995 film Xích Lô is widely regarded as his masterpiece. It’s a seminal piece of filmmaking, presenting a lurid & picture of an under-documented stage in the country’s history, beauty and ugliness both in abundance in every oversaturated frame. Xích Lô follows the story of a young boy forced by poverty into driving a traditional Vietnamese rickshaw (the titular xich lô.) The film chronicles his descent into a criminal underworld filled with vice and violence, showing the poverty and brutality behind the stylish sheen Anh Hung paints over the đứng top of the city.
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Tram Anh Hung’s decision khổng lồ name and model his film around this Vietnamese mode of transport is inspired, and the story of the Xich Lo & it’s spiritual successor, the xe cộ ôm, reveal a great khuyến mãi about the last half century in Vietnam.
The few Xich Lo that remain are novelties for tourists, their drivers elderly men with teardrop calves, stoically steering between BMWs và 4x4s. Like gió mùa, the yearly monsoon rain, Honda Waves and Dreams washed the Xich Lo from the streets of Vietnam. The horsemen of the industrial age were the xe ôm drivers, astride sputtering motorbikes that outpaced and outshone the traditional rickshaw with ease.
Xe ôm (literally “motorbike hug”) are taxi drivers who operate independently, carrying paying customers who sit behind them, new arrivals often literally hugging for stability. The first xe ôm drivers were, at heart, venture capitalists with access to lớn the means of transportation, their position entwined with the arrival of the almighty American dollar.
“American civil servants usually hailed xe pháo ôm to go lớn bars or small alleys khổng lồ find acquaintances, girlfriends or drugs. Locals on the other hand usually took taxis, buses or cyclos…”
So began the xe ôm heyday, & the love affair between the drivers and their bikes – gleaming, well maintained and unique. The sight of a reclining xe cộ ôm driver, almost without exception male, middle aged, casually dressed, & in utter control of their surroundings, is one of the leitmotifs of the nation’s metropolitan spaces. Mr. Luan continues:
“…The new vehicles were Honda, Suzuki, Mobilette và Yamaha motorbike taxis. (One driver) wrote: “What a flourishing business it is, making much more money than other services; carrying the Americans in Saigon.”1
Whether the connection between the xe ôm drivers & vice industries was there since the start, as Mr. Luan suggests, or solidified through years of crafty extortion is a moot point. But the reputation of the xe ôm drivers has always had a slightly sour taste, a few unscrupulous individuals with desire for short term profit leaving many new arrivals with significantly lighter pockets. But for years, these profit margins & questionable connections have kept the xe ôm drivers in a position of relative monopoly in Vietnam’s large cities.
Change came suddenly. In May of 2015, just as the first drops of gió mùa monsoon rain began lớn fall, a hungry startup called Grab introduced a motorbike xe taxi service operated through smartphones. Grab were granted governmental permission to lớn operate, and soon Uber had joined the for-profit buổi tiệc nhỏ with Uber
Moto in Hanoi & HCMC.
Suddenly, young men and women in corporate uniforms were scooping up passengers left and right. Many were delighted to lớn be driven driven by a sober young driver with access to Google maps và accountable to a rating system. For some women especially, this new accountability was a paradigm shift, introducing new levels of safety khổng lồ a previously seedy process.
Just as Xich Lo’s protagonist is driven into the criminal underworld against his will, most Vietnam residents will have heard their nội dung of xe ôm horror stories, & the possibility of a ride trang chủ turning into something darker. While xe ôm drivers are still a trusting tourist’s first point of interaction with locals, the behaviour of a few may lead to prejudice and antagonism, exacerbated by falling profits.
Both Grab & Uber have driven prices to lớn remarkable lows in order to lớn gain market share, & the era of the xe ôm driver began to lớn look less unshakeable. Now a fifteen minute ride cost somewhere in the region of 20k, equivalent khổng lồ a morning coffee.
Grab now gets more customers than traditional xe ôms, with billboards over the city, green helmets splashed across streets & an easy to use interface with a range of transportation options. Tuoi Tre magazine estimates there being at least 20,000 motorbike drivers using apps such as Grab and Uber3.
The damage was done. Vietnamese news source Tuoi Tre quoted a 62 year old xe ôm driver named Minh, operating in Binh Thanh District. Mr. Minh states that he earned over VND100,000 per day before ride-hailing apps arrived. “Now with these new apps, I’ve only gathered VND10,000 this entire morning.” Saigon local Vu Tuan Anh refers to lớn the traditional xe cộ ôm drivers as “threatened by these modern platforms”, as many lack the technological nous or means to lớn take advantage of điện thoại cảm ứng technology. Such is the fate of comfortable monopoly.
While some traditional drivers have established unions in order to improve their professionalism và service, others have chosen violence. Last year, sixty-five HCMC Grab
Bike employees reported assaults from xe ôm drivers, a staggering number considering how many may have gone unreported. Of these attacks, almost half were committed at tung Son Nhat Airport, with many more around Pham gàn Lao and Bui Vien, the heartland of tourism, & prime xe ôm territory.
With around 200,000 unemployed graduates in Vietnam, services such as Grab và Uber provide a relatively lucrative income source with the benefits of freedom và self determination. Lớn quote one enthusiastic Grab xe đạp worker:
“I just need a motorbike in good condition, a smartphone, and after doing some administrative procedures, I can become a Grabbike driver. I can even make money from the first day of work.”
Astonishment at the low prices of a half hour journey by motorbike often leads lớn tipping, especially from the lucrative ex-pat market, at a rate that can almost double a driver’s income. Short waiting times between bookings mean that a well caffeinated & efficient driver can pull in over 300,000 VND ($15) a day. For comparison, the average monthly salary in today’s HCMC is $145.
The significance of this story is global. The story of the xe om driver is a paragraph in a book that is still being written, the book of the sharing economy and a paradigm shift in how labour is transformed. Airbnb revolutionised hospitality when people realised they could use their houses as hotels, và Grab & Uber turned family motorbikes into money making machines.
The consequences have been severe. In Britain, đen cab drivers rioted và blocked off streets4. In America, Uber & Lyft are fighting tooth and nail for market share. Violence & threats from the old guard are desperate solutions for industries that once relied on specialist knowledge, now outsourced lớn machines. London cab drivers spent years memorising every street in the city. Now everyone’s phone does the same trick better. The same rain that now threatens the xe ôm driver hangs heavy over the heads of truck drivers, factory workers and cửa hàng assistants across the globe.
From Xích Lô lớn xe ôm khổng lồ Grab
Bike, the story of Vietnam is being written. With the bizarre latest proclamation by Dr. Luong Hoai Nam, who argues that that a complete ban on motorcycles is the answer lớn Ho chi Minh’s traffic problems5 (cars, infrastructure, poor enforcement và cars are the real culprits) the future is impossible to lớn predict. Plans for the pedestrianisation of parts of District One may mean that the Xich Lo và other rickshaw style vehicles see a resurgence6. But the heyday has come và gone, và the future is rushing to fill the gap.
In one scene in Xích Lô, the protagonist violently grabs a lizard with his fist, causing it khổng lồ panic và lose its tail. But Vietnamese lizards regrow their tails, và for a country well used khổng lồ such stories, violence is simply a painful byproduct of metamorphosis.
It is not the role of a society to place the interests of the few over those of the many, whether those few are at the đứng đầu or bottom. And for a nation that must take care to lớn solidify its image as welcoming, the predatory xe ôm driver with an exhortative attitude can undo fifty positive interactions.
Perhaps the best that the xe ôm can hope is that they are immortalised with the same cấp độ of craft that Tram Anh Hung gave khổng lồ the Xích Lô driver, warts & all. For now, Grab và Uber have the streets. But nothing lasts forever, & no one can say with certainty when the next rain will fall.
<1> Translated from a chapter of the book “Saigon Chuyen Doi Cua Pho” (Saigon, Stories of a Metropolitan) by journalist Pham Cong Luan.<2> This piece would be incomplete without a nod lớn the trickle of courageous women, who have increasingly taken khổng lồ their bikes to provide a xe taxi service on regulated apps such as Grab & Uber.<3>http://tuoitre.vn/chu-de/grab/608548.html<4> http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/black-cab-drivers-to-bring-city-of-london-to-standstill-during-major-protest-a3438286.htm<5> http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/40631/experts-propose-complete-ban-on-motorbikes-in-ho-chi-minh-city-by-2030<6> http://saigoneer.com/saigon-news/9613-saigon-unveils-plan-to-turn-downtown-d1-into-pedestrian-zone-amid-sidewalk-clearance-effortsPhoto credit: Robert Paul Cohen
Vietnam transport: motorbikes & more motorbikes! In Hanoi, motorbikes have taken over the rules of the roads and dominated most of the transport in Vietnam. Around 80% of traffic is motorbike traffic & that is not set lớn change any time soon.Motorbikes are cheaper, faster, easier khổng lồ park & have access to lớn more roads than cars. As either a resident or a tourist you have several options lớn choose from when considering how lớn use a motorbike in Hanoi khổng lồ get around.
Traditionally, there was the cyclo/pedicab but now these are generally relegated lớn use as a tourist attraction around Hanoi’s old quarter. Then, with the introduction of motorbikes came the ‘Xe Om’ / motorbike taxi. This was simply someone with a motorbike that would heckle for your business and take you where you needed lớn go. Nowadays, with the introduction of technology, và ride-hailing (uber, grab bike, etc) services, the ‘xe om’, for better or worse, is not as popular because of Grab bike.
Our position
Rentabike feels that there is no better option than renting your own xe đạp to get around the city, except when you plan to have a drink or two. So, here are a few pros và cons, between your own bike, a xe-om, và a grab bike service. This information will hopefully help you make the choice between services and the màn chơi of responsibility.
Having your own motorbike or rental motorbike means you take more responsibility, however, that comes a greater level of freedom.
Rent A Bike’s Position
Naturally, we at Rent A xe đạp think that renting offers the perfect blend of safety và economy. However, we can understand why you might want to own your own bike. Taking a Grab / xe pháo Om is just too much hassle & once you have your own xe đạp it is hard to go back. Don’t forget there are strict rules about parking your xe đạp in Vietnam. Look at our article about parking in Vietnam lớn avoid any issues.
We can help you lớn manage all of the above aspects as the rental fee is low & we take care of maintenance and repairs. You are required lớn pay for punctures or anything you break but we cover all other maintenance costs. As well, we ask to see the bike regularly, so, we will spot any work that needs to lớn be done. This keeps the xe đạp as safe as possible for you.
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| Pros: | Cons: |
| Freedom: You can take your bike out at any time & you do not need lớn wait around for a driver khổng lồ arrive. | Cost: A motorbike could be from 200 to lớn 2,000 USD. If you have just arrived in Vietnam and are waiting for your first paycheck as well as being asked for deposits & rent on accommodation, this can be an unaffordable extra expense. |
| Avoid bad service: You are not at the mercy of Grab’s recruitment & do not have to accept a rude or impolite driver or one that does not know the way. | Repairs: You are responsible for all aspects of the xe đạp so if something gets broken, you will need to get it fixed. This can also eat into your day and be very stressful if there is a communication barrier. |
| Running costs are cheaper: Even with the cost of fueling & maintaining the motorbike, it is cheaper to run your own vehicle. You can find that a good second-hand bike so when you come to leave the country, you can easily sell the motorbike và have a small lump sum to lớn take with you. | Maintenance: It is not too costly lớn look after most bikes but it is something you need khổng lồ concern yourself with for both safety and economy. If you vì chưng not know anything about bikes, you may find that you are unaware that there is a problem until it is too late. |
| Lack of hassle: You bởi not need to khuyến mãi with different drivers or lack of drivers. There is no reliance on the knowledge of the driver and you don’t have to worry about being overcharged or harassed. | Socializing: You may want lớn go out for a few drinks and having your bike can hamper this. You are faced with the choice limiting what you drink, zero is the best option, or trying to lớn find a safe place to lớn leave your bike. The morning after will consist of you going lớn pick up your bike and this potentially means double Grab / taxi fare. |
| Destination freedom: You can change the destination mid-journey very easily và multi-stop routes are much less hassle. You can take trips out of the thành phố that a driver might not want to take or would be very costly by xe cộ om or grab. | Theft: This is the most serious problem that you may have to lớn face when owning/renting a motorbike. It is almost impossible for a non-Vietnamese person lớn get insurance & our company is unable to vị so. Buying or renting a cheaper bike is worth considering as the financial risk is lower. However, you must balance the cost against the roadworthiness of the bike. We bởi vì not feel that spending anything less than 500 khổng lồ 600 USD for a semi-auto or 1,000 to 1,500 USD for an automatic is a wise idea. Hence, the risk. |
Xe (vehicle) Om (hug) so ‘vehicle hug’ was the natural progression to the Cyclo, when the motorbike began to lớn populate the streets of Hanoi. The same revolution that has taken place with Grab taking over the streets took place back in the Nineties. Anyone with a motorbike & some không tính phí time could offer to take you where you wished khổng lồ go for an agreed price. These drivers still exist và you will see them hanging out of street corners, heckling for business.
| Pros: | Cons: |
Grab, & several other services similar lớn it, are on-demand, app-based ride-hailing services. They will show the location of a driver and via an ứng dụng on your phone và allow you khổng lồ hail a ride.
| Pros | Cons |
| Price transparency: The cost of the ride is fixed before both parties agree to lớn the ride. | Surge Pricing: prices will increase, sometimes astronomically, at peak traffic times. This is perhaps the better time to choose a traditional xe om over a grab. |
| Easy payment: You can choose to pay in cash or from a debit thẻ linked khổng lồ your account. You may also qualify for discounts even when using multiple varied drivers as your account is with Grab, not the individual driver. | Reliance on google maps: Drivers that are new to lớn town or have limited knowledge of the streets & traffic conditions can find themselves taking longer more complicated routes. This can result in longer wait times for you & also longer journey times. |
| GPS routing: Excellent for the tourist or new expat. There are fewer language barriers as the driver knows the pick-up & drop off locations and, can choose lớn use Google for directions. This also means that the ride is logged and tracked, which is a safety feature. | Cancellations: There is a penalty system for customers và drivers that consistently agree to a ride and then cancel. This can create a situation where you are unable lớn book a new driver. The original driver may call you và request you cancel so that they are not penalized, however, you also do not wish khổng lồ be penalized so refuse. |
| Availability: Working as a Grab driver is extremely easy và most locals can sign up to bởi vì this. It is popular with students as a way to lớn earn extra income. This means it is usually easy to spot a Grab driver, with their branded helmets & jacket và if not, one is never very far away. | Complaints: It is often commented that Grab has a complaints system but it does not work very efficiently and if there is an issue it will be swept aside. Therefore, the claims of drivers being vetted & accountable are unlikely. |
| The decline of traditional ‘xe oms’: This may or may not be a bad thing depending on your point of view. However, it remains a fact that some xe pháo om drivers, who are less familiar with technology will đại bại out. Furthermore, as they bởi so & large corporations gradually monopolize the market there may be less of a fallback option for customers. This has happened with the cyclo in a sense và anyone who may be nervous to use a ‘xe om’ can no longer fall back on the cyclo. A xe taxi is the only, more expensive, option. |
There are stark differences between all of the choices above. You are likely khổng lồ have occasion to lớn use more than one or all of them depending on the situation. You may be long term renting in Hanoi and then visiting another city. Did you know that we offer 5 days of a miễn phí holiday rental khổng lồ all of our long term customers when they visit one of our other shops? Hanoi, Danang, Ho chi Minh City.
So, think about your circumstances. Then, weigh up the pros & cons khổng lồ make the right decision for you.
