HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Sometimes crossing the street safely in Utah is a matter of vigilance, trust and dumb luck. But in some other places in the world, every safe street crossing is a bona fide miracle that closely resembles the classic game Frogger.

Being a pedestrian is never for the faint of heart. All other modes of transportation pedestrians have to navigate are bigger, faster and made of harder materials than human flesh. Us humans are vulnerable with our tender skin and fragile bones.

Salt Lake may seem crowded and busy on the streets, but there are tools and laws in place that help pedestrians get where they need to go. This includes the general rule that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk.

But in the context of the world, Salt Lake isn’t all that big, and us pedestrians are fairly safe.

In 2010, Ho Chi Minh City had an approximate population of 7.4 million people in the 8.09-square-mile area of the city, according to the Vietnam General Statistics Office. That’s over 900,000 people per square mile.

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Have You Seen This? Chaotic intersection

A massive intersection in Ethiopia is a chaotic site with no traffic signs or signals to help guide traffic.

It’s difficult to imagine how that many people live in that space, let alone how they get around the city. As you can see, a lot of scooters are involved.

In the video, a tourist gives us a small glimpse into the sheer bravery and heightened vigilance it takes to navigate a crosswalk in a sea of scooters where pedestrians do not have the right of way.

It’s both exciting and terrifying, so it’s no wonder that she’s thrilled and proud of her accomplishment.

To more fully comprehend the experience, this video shows the pedestrian’s perspective while crossing an even more busy street in the same city.

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