Word: road
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...Pristina, where preparations for independence day are under way, Thaci is putting the finishing touches to a personal makeover from irascible rebel leader to buttoned-down politico. In Kosovo's recent election campaign, he focused not on questions of independence but instead on energy supplies (those power outages), road-building and economic development. "I made mistakes in the past. But I've changed," Thaci says. After all the blood that's been shed there, let's hope that's true of his native land...
...there's one traditional biker accessory Van and her stylish friends avoid: crash helmets. They aren't alone: Less than 10% of riders wear helmets in a country where motorbikes make up 90% of road traffic. "For us, helmets aren't fashionable," admits Van's friend Ha, 19, during a roadside chat. Van reluctantly agrees: "If girls have to wear helmets, no one will see their beautiful hairstyles and makeup...
...Soon, though, Vietnam's motorcyclists won't have a choice. A new law is to take effect on Dec. 15 that requires motorbike riders and passengers to wear helmets on the road. The law marks a new attempt by the communist authorities to effect a huge societal change - a similar effort failed five years ago. But with 13,000 Vietnamese having died in traffic accidents last year alone, 80% of them from head injuries, the purpose of the new law is to save lives...
...trouble enforcing its most basic traffic laws - motorcyclists regularly ignore red lights and pull into traffic without so much as a glance around. Not only do teenagers talk on mobile phones while driving, they can increasingly be seen sending text messages, eyes darting back and forth between the road ahead and their fast-tapping fingers...
...just doesn't want to be the only one. "After the new law, when everyone else is wearing helmets, then I guess I will too," she says. On Vietnam's mean streets, saving lives may depend as much on the fashion police as the new rules of the road...