Many street vendors are encroaching on roadways to sell farm produce in front of Thu Duc Wholesale Market in Thu Duc City under Ho Chi Minh City, posing danger for buyers and causing traffic chaos in the area.

To access these street food stalls, many residents have ridden their motorcycles against the flow of traffic, entailing a high risk of traffic accidents.

According to complaints from locals, the road encroachment by street vendors who laid pieces of cardboard out to sell vegetables and fruits has been happening over the past several years.

A reporter from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper observed on Monday that dozens of roadside produce stalls mushroomed along a section of National Highway 1, stretching from Go Dua Overpass to the foot of another overpass at Binh Phuoc Intersection.

Lines of commuters rode their motorcycles on the wrong side of the road and stopped at these stalls to buy food, endangering those who were driving in the right direction, and leading to traffic chaos in front of the wholesale market.

This National Highway 1 section often sees dense traffic flow, so roadside vending obviously causes traffic congestion, especially during rush hour.

In less than two minutes, the Tuoi Tre reporter witnessed as many as 31 people riding their motorcycles on the wrong side of the road to purchase products at these roadside stalls.

“I am always tired of traveling on this section. There are many motorcyclists riding in the wrong direction to buy food, which scares me a lot,” Tran Duy Khang, a 50-year-old resident of Thu Duc City, shared his concern over traffic accidents there.

“Traffic police frequently handle and sanction those who drive in the wrong direction in front of the wholesale market,” said a traffic police officer.

He added that when no officers are present at the area, commuters disobey traffic rules and drive in the wrong way.

Market-goers ride their motorcycles on the wrong side of National Highway 1 to buy farm produce at street stalls in front of Thu Duc Wholesale Market. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre

The officer attributed the wrong-way driving to a three-kilometer median strip.

Many commuters are too lazy to ride for three kilometers to turn around and head to the wholesale market, so they drive on the wrong side.

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