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Tom Briggs | all galleries >> Galleries >> 1966 Vietnam > The Ride of a Lifetime ...
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1966 Tom Briggs

The Ride of a Lifetime ...

Vietnam

... to ride on one of these Cyclos in the chaotic Saigon traffic was to leave one breathless and terrorized. Not only was the Saigon traffic hectic but the fumes from these Cyclos linger with me yet ... the noise and pollution was unbelievable. They're still in use today (but hopefully not as pollutant) and are a modern-day takeoff on the venerable rickshaw.

HP HP Scanjet G4050

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Tang Wino 19-Jan-2018 21:13
I worked as a yeoman at the NAVFORV headquarters -- 1970-71 -- and cyclos were my prime mode of transportation to and from the Capital Hotel BEQ in Cholon to downtown Saigon. When it rained the driver would attach a protective tarp in front that had a small plastic window so old and faded one couldn't see through it, which made for a hot, humid, claustrophobic ride. More interesting still was riding in a cyclo at night, since they didn't have headlights. Some cyclos had tall plastic rods attached to each fender with a tiny colored bulb, similar to running lights on a boat. Two cyclos approaching a four-way intersection at a 45-degree angle to each other would simply slow down slightly and try to avoid a collision as they met in the junction's center. A lot of close calls, but never any contact. Looking at the photo an observer can easily see that in a collision with, say, the back of a bus, the first thing that's going to make contact is the passenger. Or, if the cyclo were to stop behind one of those old, colorful Vietnamese long-haul buses, you were guaranteed an incredibly thick black cloud of diesel smoke would engulf you when it accelerated. The photo brings back a lot of interesting memories!
Russ 11-Sep-2013 23:33
Rode these many, many times in Saigon, 1966 - 1967 and loved every minute of it.
Long Bach Nguyen22-Apr-2011 14:21
I remembered riding on these but not the gas powered only human...loved at a kid. great shot and panning tom
XiaoBernard9924-May-2009 16:33
Old shoot.Full of the mood of another time,although today it is not far as transportation vehicule.V
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