Pump it up

Vietnam's ministry of health has prompted comment and bemusement in the country after saying that people with chests measuring less than 720mm will no longer be allowed to drive motorcycles. The proposal comes as part of health criteria requiring Vietnam's drivers to be in good physical health to try to improve safety on the roads in a country where motorcycles account for 90% of vehicle traffic. However many Vietnamese people are slight of stature and this particular proposal has generated considerable amu
July 6, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Vietnam's ministry of health has prompted comment and bemusement in the country after saying that people with chests measuring less than 720mm will no longer be allowed to drive motorcycles. The proposal comes as part of health criteria requiring Vietnam's drivers to be in good physical health to try to improve safety on the roads in a country where motorcycles account for 90% of vehicle traffic. However many Vietnamese people are slight of stature and this particular proposal has generated considerable amusement as well as negative comment. Many have suggested that such rules could be beaten by silicon implants, although these would only be an option for the minority of affluent city dwellers. Questions have also been asked as to whether police will employ tape measures to check on drivers who they suspect of having too small a chest.

Related Content

  • Cracking down on drug driving
    April 16, 2012
    New laws being established in the UK will crack down on those driving under the influence of illegal drugs. A panel of experts has been appointed by the UK Government to investigate the various issues involved. Existing laws in the UK have been described as inadequate to address the issue, prompting this move. There is a large body of research showing that illegal drug use presents a serious problem to road safety in the UK and other nations. Studies show links between drug use, criminal activity, varying v
    Read More
  • Get out of my way!
    May 1, 2018
    Paramedics responding to a serious medical emergency in the UK said that they were disgusted when they returned to their ambulance to find a note attached to the windscreen. The note complained that the vehicle had blocked a driveway, preventing a person from moving a car. The paramedics received praise for their efforts in saving the life of someone who had been taken seriously ill, while criticisms were aimed at the selfishness of the unnamed complainant who wrote the note. The writer later admitted his s
    Read More
  • Concerns for young drivers causing crashes
    May 24, 2016
    Concern is being expressed for the safety of young drivers. Statistics both from the US and the UK reveal the shockingly high risk of young drivers being involved in crashes. They also reveal that young drivers are a danger not only to themselves, but to other road users as well as the occupants of their own vehicles. The latest figures from the UK show that 2,088 young drivers and passengers aged from 17-24 were killed and seriously injured in just one year. Although the data shows that drivers aged fro
    Read More
  • India’s road to safety
    September 5, 2012
    India's growth rate is the envy of the world, and its infrastructure is rapidly improving, but its road safety record is the world's worst. Patrick Smith reports on a conference aimed at finding answers to the problems Ambling through the gardens and marble magnificence that is the Taj Mahal or gazing down on the city of Jaipur from the hilltop Jaigarh Fort is far removed from the world outside.
    Read More

Highlighted Content