(She has been absent from this blog for too long, but The MGB posts the following story for your enjoyment.)
There were rumors of it in November when we were here, and now it is official. You must wear a helmet when riding a motorbike in Viet Nam. Nearly everyone in Hûe is complying; we were surprised. Known as ‘rice cookers,’ helmets in this heat are really uncomfortable, and not at all stylish.
Men’s ‘brain buckets’ vary from soldier camouflage to construction worker. Yawn…. Our friend and Doug’s photography bud, Phan Cu, sports advertising on his, but it’s the same old helmet.
Chic Vietnamese women have given this ‘necessary evil’ their own stylish twist by adding a brim, or as we have been calling it, a ‘bucket ruffle.’ A random, three 
minute survey the other night over ca phe sin to’s indicated 5 out of every 30 Hûe women prefer a bucket ruffle to a plain helmet.
Purchased separately from the helmet and in a coordinating color, these have caused a public flurry, including questions concerning adequate peripheral vision.
Doug is concerned about the style which provides cloth in the hole of the ruffle which covers the entire helmet dome. Despite the wide, black rubber chin strap, he feels this style will lead the police to believe the disguised helmet is an ordinary hat, and 
girls will be pulled over right and left. Yeah, like cops detaining pretty girls for no reason ever happens!
But I’m all for fashion and function, and I definitely think these lovely accessories civilize motoring in Vi?t Nam. What do you think??
