The Haynes manual in question – for the 1976-83 Ford Fiesta
– was originally brought to Vietnam by an intrepid backpacker from Scunthorpe
in the years shortly after the country was liberated. Coinciding with the rapid
importation of cheap motorcycles, and a dearth of automotive expertise, ad-hoc
mechanics began springing up along the capital city’s growing road network.
In a fit of generosity following an excessive “bia hoi sesh”, the owner of the Haynes
manual offered to translate the document relying on his rudimentary Vietnamese.
In doing so, the young man inadvertently confused the word
‘brake’ for ‘horn’, leading to a generation of Vietnamese mechanics wiring the
two together.
This unfortunate error meant that not only do most of
Hanoi’s motorcycles beep when they brake, but newer road users have adopted
this style of driving, understanding it as completely normal.
In addition to the mistranslation, approximately one third
of the original manual – covering road safety and routine maintenance – was used
to start a roadside fire and cook chicken.
Larry Lancaster, a long-term resident of Hanoi’s Backpacker
Hostel, said he realised the fault after purchasing an alleged Honda Win for
$20 and half a bottle of chili sauce.
“I bought the bike so I could get to Quest Festival, but
once I was out of the noisy city I realised it was honking every two minutes.
Nobody else seemed to notice.” Larry explained.
The Durian is a
satirical news outlet, all of our stories are completely fictional, designed
only to amuse and entertain. Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely
coincidental and in no way intended to hurt your feelings. Sorry for pointing
out the obvious, but there’s an abundance of humourless morons out there.
No comments:
Post a Comment