Lost license while traveling

3mo

How were you planning to ride in Vietnam? Even if you had your license, there’s no way for an American to legally drive a vehicle (including a motorbike) in Vietnam unless you obtain a Vietnamese license, which you can’t do without a residency permit.

So you’re pretty much in the same situation with or without your license. You can still choose to drive there illegally and worry about police fining you and insurance not covering you in the event of an accident, but having a US license doesn’t change any of that.

More info: https://vn.usembassy.gov/driving-in-vietnam/

3mo

They don't give a shit. I got waved through so many checkpoints... they see you are white, they see you as a huge economic boost to the country. Just don't start shit. Carry 50 bucks (usd/aus/pounds... whatever) cash. If they start giving you shit, just wordlessly hand it to them, and drive off. But I never even had to do that.

You are fine. You aren't going to end up in Vietnamese prison for seeing their country.

3mo

The bigger potential issue is insurance.

3mo

Many insurers don't care about you being licensed in the country you're riding in. Not least because those licenses are almost worthless.

And it's not really a practical concern, because the "fine" is a few USD. As long as you understand what's happening, pay without aggravation/causing anyone to lose face it's almost always not a big deal.

A lot of police in these places won't even recognise IDPs, because it's not that they actually care about you riding unlicensed - they hardly get paid, and care about making some side money. It's a weird idea when you're not used to being shaken down by (or, conversely, being able to bribe) the authorities.

So long as you're licensed in your home country, they will give you personal medical coverage. Liability coverage does seem trickier though.

3mo

We have given up on the original plan for our trip due to not being able to rent a bike in Ha Giang due to it being too touristy of bike trip. The local shops won’t rent me a bike due to the not having a physical license and supposedly the police know the Ha Giang loop is a motorcycle destination and plan accordingly. As I turns anyone with a US license isn’t allowed to ride or drive anyway due to the country not signing the right accord. We are still planning on risking it to be honest just not on that scale.

I do still have to figure something out for India though

3mo

Lol. They will rent you a bike. They rented me one and I even told them "I've never driven one before". They let me go around the block a few times to make sure I could do it, and said "the max repair cost for these things is like 200 bucks... so I don't care what happens to it as long as you get it towed back here."

3mo

Who did you use, asking for a friend

3mo

The police know, and all the tour operators know that the police know. It's a game (racket) with agreed rules, so everyone gets to make some money - if they catch you on the way out of Hà Giang, you pay a "fine". If not, you're good (I don't think I even saw a police officer after that).

Even if the police checkpoint is manned, based on what my tour group were told the guides will just take the time to relay you and your bikes past it. Or perhaps the operator just pays them off.

I've never personally been asked for a license for a bike rental here. Things do not work the way you're used to in VN - some money and polite deference to authority go a very long way. If you're not hurting anyone (and perhaps sometimes even if you are), rules are pretty flexible.

3mo

One problem we have is we aren’t really into riding with a tour. We’d be on our lonesome

3mo

Ah, that would make it a bit trickier. I'm confident it could be negotiated without problems but can't personally comment - if you didn't find that bloggers have said that, then yeah perhaps not 😕

CarryOnRTW

3mo

That's what me and my missus did. Rented from QT who told us which way to leave town to avoid check stop. Worked out great. Until we were run over on day 3. Luckily we had all the safety gear (glove, knee and elbow armor) and full face helmets. Damage to us was minor scrapes and bruises and I drove one of my canines through my lip where his bumper smashed my helmet's chin guard. Only reason we didn't die was we were going slow approaching a tight corner when crazy dude came flying around it in fancy SUV. No room to go around, so choice was over the edge, into the cliff wall or dump it. I dumped it and slid into his front end. They took off after getting us out the way. Called QT and some local mechanic helped us fix the bike as shifter was mangled. Had to get right back up and carry on which was freaky.

Assume a mad man is coming around every corner and wear all the safety gear. We had a blast but I still think about how that could have gone horribly wrong.

3mo

May be a big one but it’s the next issue. Can’t smell the roses if you don’t have a nose.

3mo

50bux is way, way more than is usually required.

3mo

Definitely would work then

3mo

Sure, but it'd probably get kind of expensive (especially if someone radios "Yo, stop this plate, they're giving out fifties!" down the road)

3mo

That’s a very valid point. Honestly just got off some expensive traveling and couldn’t justify it anyway

3mo

Usually. But id carry a couple fresh 50s around just in case. It will get the most anal cops off your back.

3mo

Honestly I had never heard about this everything I read stated that I needed a IDP along with my country’s license. But just found that the US never signed the updated convention. We are changing our Vietnam plans and still might rent some sub 50cc scoots but only maybe. We are going to continue with our India plans if possible though.

3mo

Yeah, if you were from a different country, it would be okay.

3mo

Given the history I really can’t fault them

3mo

It has nothing to do with history between the two countries. It’s just the US not signing the relevant convention. Other countries are similarly affected.

3mo

Ah well I still have to figure something out for India

3mo

Carry 50 bucks. You will be fine. They don't care. They let 5 people and propane tanks on them in flip flops. You are going to be the east of their worries.