Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1

Is it really illegal to drive a 49.5 CC scooter here without a drivers license? I read and we all read that you don't need a DL to drive a small scooter.

A friend was pulled over a few days ago by K police, taken to the cop shop for a couple hours, questioned, and threatened with a 3 million Won fine, but let go since he had a clean record and was respectful. The police are keeping his scooter until he shows that he has a drivers license and he will probably have to pay a fine or fee to get the bike back. Now a few other teachers here are scared about this and keeping their scooters parked. This is really strange to us.

What's the deal? Anyone else know of this happening or it being illegal to drive a 49.5 cc scooter?

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

Check out the third post by the kingofdisco:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=89083&highlight=motorcycle+license

It seems your friend was confusing the license for the vehicle, which we call tags in the US, with the license for the driver.

GoldMember · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

Whenever Koreans say you can't do this or that, or you are breaking the law, the best thing to do is get them to show you the relevant law/regulation.
Most of the time they won't want to to this as the relevent law/regualtion does not in fact exist.
If they can't show you the law, call their bluff.
Get a copy of the regulation and then find someone to translate it for you.
Also call your embassy!

ChopChaeJoe · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul

Why would anyone think they don't ned a license to drive a motor vehicle??

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Back in the days when I was riding a scooter, I was told that you need a (car) driver's license for a scooter, but a motorcycle license for....well, motorcycles.

Maybe that is the discrepancy.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I got pulled over and was almost busted for the same thing the other day. My wife told the cops we just bought the scooter, we were on our way home from the store, and we didn't have a licence yet. They let us off.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 1:17 am Post subject:

Yep, I would venture it is actually illegal though scooters and motor cycles were typically always ignored here while they broke every traffic law in the books. Scooters and motorcycles are usually ignored and viewed the same as pedestrian traffic as they often drive like they are pedestrians such as waiting for pedestrian walk lights to cross the street with all the walkers.

This law had not been enforced much until now which gave many of us the idea that it is legal to drive a 49.5 cc scooter without a DL just like at home. It's very possible the law is enforced more so on foreigners. This might have to do with when the police reported about 2 months ago in an English newspaper they would be enforcing the law on motorcyclist using sidewalks and crosswalks. It appears that was the warning though it didn't mention anything about driving a scooter without a license.

SeoulFinn · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Location: 1h from Seoul

I think it's a good thing that the cops are stopping people on scoots and bikes. I just hope that they'd stop and fine every mofo out there, Korean and foreign alike, who's not wearing a helmet. That's just plain stupid. While at it, fine everyone who's not using their seatbelts as well. No mercy!

I've seen a ton of 125+ cc bikes, some of them even bigger than 400 cc, driving without license plates in front of a cop car. What's with that? It shouldn't be that difficult to spot a bike you actually need to have a license and plate to operate.

Here's a suggestion. Police department should mobilize young men who are doing their military service in the police force (will need at least 10 000 of them), give all of them couple sturdy chain locks and send them on the streets and parking lots to lock down every 125+ cc bike without a plate. Even better, give them trucks and take those bikes and scooters out of the streets completely. Melt them for iron or something. Very Happy

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

You got pulled over for that and yet the cops say nothing about folks driving the things on the crowded sidewalks. Truly amazing.

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Well, I went through a red light.

diver · Joined: 16 Jun 2003

I was always under the impression that for under 50cc you didn't need a license.

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

uberscheisse · Joined: 02 Dec 2003 Location: japan is better than korea.

SeoulFinn · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Location: 1h from Seoul

Uberscheisse, I don't actually rank the the local police force that high. You could almost say that I was day dreaming that the local cops would actually do their jobs and enforce the laws. After all, isn't that what they are paid to do?

For someone coming from as law abiding country as Finland is (some may say even too law abiding), the local Korean law enforcement and the stories related to it leave me speechless. Ever heard of rule of law? What about efficient, reliable and impartial law enforcement? *sigh* Corruption, bribes, connections... lock them all up and throw away the key.

Vote me for Police Commissioner!