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Why do Korean crosswalks even exist?
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PatrickGHBusan



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Savant wrote:
PatrickGHBusan wrote:
Savant wrote:
PatrickGHBusan wrote:
This is all really simple folks: in Korea look both sides before crossing the road.


You're assuming that the action of crossing a road in Korea is simple when in fact, it's not.

Even looking both ways and crossing at a safe moment does not guarantee that a Korean driver will actually stop for you unless you are fully prepared to be knocked over.


Oh come on now....this is still crossing the street! I have two kids and I simply was extra careful when crossing the streets in Busan. People down there drive like madmen (less so than 10 years ago but still) and I was never knocked down or hit.

Keep your head on a swivel and be extra careful. That is basic pedestrian rules 101 in Korea.


There have been numerous occasions (read as every time) when I've been using specific crosswalks in Seoul where I've given plenty of notice to a driver that I'm crossing and he/she had plenty of time to slow down or stop but yet those drivers think that they can pass me before I've fully crossed their path.

I've had to check my stride in mid motion to stop myself from hitting cars that pass by me by a matter of inches. Back home I could do this without worrying but here sometimes it's a game of chicken with the drivers.


That does happen in Korea, no debate from me..hence the "keep your head on a swivel" advice!

We went to Montreal last weekend and what you just described happened at a crosswalk downtown as a car decided to force its way through the crosswalk. Head, meet swivel.
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shinyismyfavecolor



Joined: 23 Jun 2012

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After two years I am no longer surprised by cars barely avoiding pedestrians... I am more surprised by the lack of pedestrians acknowledging these cars. If these situations happened back in Jersey, then... I'm sure you can imagine the gestures and comments. Here, if anyone shows any reaction, its an ajoshi who giggles about the high schoolers almost being hit by a car or bus.

I know most Korean people hate these same driving behaviors people have been expressing on this thread. It's not culturally acceptable behavior. It is enabled because there is no consequence by law enforcement or fear of other people screaming their heads off or beating the crap out of them.

Alas, my indignant responses to these drivers have also dwindled as of late. I save myself the stress by not being the first one in the crosswalk when the light turns green. If I'm the only one there, I wait three seconds, then look both ways, twice, before crossing. I might get trampled when I go home for the holidays...
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Smithington



Joined: 14 Dec 2011

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I almost got run over by a police car last week.Shocked

I was walking on the sidewalk near Anguk immigration office. I was approaching the entrance of the police station there on the sidewalk when a cop car comes flying out of the entrance. I had to stop abruptly to avoid being hit. And, as I said, this was a friggin cop car. The police are supposed to enforce the law and ensure public safety, but I guess not in Korea. And it's not as if he was called to an emergency. He simply joined the traffic and settled into his slow moving K-cop driving style.

For my part I started yelling at him after his flew past me. "You're a &%$# cop you *&%@ idiot. You'll supposed to uphold the law, not endanger people's lives" He didn't even acknowledge what he'd done, or do the "oh, sorry, sorry" Korean phoney thing. If anyone knows that area you are aware how busy that sidewalk can get. And yet here comes this uniformed clown flying out onto the sidewalk from behind a 'blind' wall. If I had been running for the subway rather than walking he would have hit me and done serious damage.

And these are the clowns we're expecting to enforce traffic safety laws in Korea.Confused
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atwood



Joined: 26 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smithington wrote:
I almost got run over by a police car last week.Shocked

I was walking on the sidewalk near Anguk immigration office. I was approaching the entrance of the police station there on the sidewalk when a cop car comes flying out of the entrance. I had to stop abruptly to avoid being hit. And, as I said, this was a friggin cop car. The police are supposed to enforce the law and ensure public safety, but I guess not in Korea. And it's not as if he was called to an emergency. He simply joined the traffic and settled into his slow moving K-cop driving style.

For my part I started yelling at him after his flew past me. "You're a &%$# cop you *&%@ idiot. You'll supposed to uphold the law, not endanger people's lives" He didn't even acknowledge what he'd done, or do the "oh, sorry, sorry" Korean phoney thing. If anyone knows that area you are aware how busy that sidewalk can get. And yet here comes this uniformed clown flying out onto the sidewalk from behind a 'blind' wall. If I had been running for the subway rather than walking he would have hit me and done serious damage.

And these are the clowns we're expecting to enforce traffic safety laws in Korea.Confused

That's what the cameras are for. The police are all show and no go.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

atwood wrote:
Smithington wrote:
I almost got run over by a police car last week.Shocked

I was walking on the sidewalk near Anguk immigration office. I was approaching the entrance of the police station there on the sidewalk when a cop car comes flying out of the entrance. I had to stop abruptly to avoid being hit. And, as I said, this was a friggin cop car. The police are supposed to enforce the law and ensure public safety, but I guess not in Korea. And it's not as if he was called to an emergency. He simply joined the traffic and settled into his slow moving K-cop driving style.

For my part I started yelling at him after his flew past me. "You're a &%$# cop you *&%@ idiot. You'll supposed to uphold the law, not endanger people's lives" He didn't even acknowledge what he'd done, or do the "oh, sorry, sorry" Korean phoney thing. If anyone knows that area you are aware how busy that sidewalk can get. And yet here comes this uniformed clown flying out onto the sidewalk from behind a 'blind' wall. If I had been running for the subway rather than walking he would have hit me and done serious damage.

And these are the clowns we're expecting to enforce traffic safety laws in Korea.Confused

That's what the cameras are for. The police are all show and no go.


absolutely agree! look at the jeju incident. instead of trying to take more positive action ( like educating people to respect women and not think its ok to rape them/security/educating women not to take lonely, midnight walks/ addressing the social issues), the answer is 'put up cctv cameras!'.
f@&�ing genius these koreans...
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Smithington



Joined: 14 Dec 2011

PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like when you stop at the edge of a sidewalk to let a car pass, and she pulls up in front of you and parks - right across the sidewalk you're waiting to cross. They get out of the car and you indicate to them that you're annoyed, and they give you the "what, what?" gesture.

Different planet, different species I guess.
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World Traveler



Joined: 29 May 2009

PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.sisa-news.com/news/article.html?no=45551

Quote:
A 26 year-old American native speaking teacher was killed when he was hit by a bus crossing the street at a crosswalk at Dongmak intersection in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu at 2:30pm on Saturday. The driver was apparently making a left turn towards the industrial complex there and was surprised to see the teacher walking across the crosswalk. The teacher arrived in Korea last May and was working at an elementary school in Paju. Police informed his family via the US Embassy and are investigating the 58 year-old driver and trying to determine the exact series of events which occurred.
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Scorpion



Joined: 15 Apr 2012

PostPosted: Wed May 15, 2013 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

World Traveler wrote:
http://www.sisa-news.com/news/article.html?no=45551

Quote:
A 26 year-old American native speaking teacher was killed when he was hit by a bus crossing the street at a crosswalk at Dongmak intersection in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu at 2:30pm on Saturday. The driver was apparently making a left turn towards the industrial complex there and was surprised to see the teacher walking across the crosswalk. The teacher arrived in Korea last May and was working at an elementary school in Paju. Police informed his family via the US Embassy and are investigating the 58 year-old driver and trying to determine the exact series of events which occurred.


That just happened yesterday? That's really tragic. Really sad to hear that. Unfortunately nothing will change.
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darkjedidave



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Shanghai/Seoul

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I act like a pissed old man in this situation now. I will spit in an open car window if I'm in a crosswalk and a car decides to speed in front and nearly hit me.
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Seoulman69



Joined: 14 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2013 11:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

World Traveler wrote:
http://www.sisa-news.com/news/article.html?no=45551

Quote:
A 26 year-old American native speaking teacher was killed when he was hit by a bus crossing the street at a crosswalk at Dongmak intersection in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu at 2:30pm on Saturday. The driver was apparently making a left turn towards the industrial complex there and was surprised to see the teacher walking across the crosswalk. The teacher arrived in Korea last May and was working at an elementary school in Paju. Police informed his family via the US Embassy and are investigating the 58 year-old driver and trying to determine the exact series of events which occurred.


Tragic. I'll keep his family in my prayers.
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