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earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
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 Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:25 am Post subject: the expressway again, on my bike |
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So I'm riding along just minding my own business when I look up from the maze or wizzing traffic to see a sign that says "Expressway".....I look around for an exit, too late, I am on the express way. O-well, nothing can be done now. I whip through traffic, glad that I can exercise my little beast the way she was meant to be.....fast. I hum along in traffic at a cool 120, no red lights, no traffic making blind turns onto the road. I'm riding peacefully along on a beautiful fall day. Then the toll booth....ahh crap, I'm in trouble now. I'm getting a ticket and getting kicked off, back to the mean streets for me, back to the maze of weaving streets and an endless number of traffic lights. Didn't Korean engineers get bored of drawing so many damn traffic lights on a map?, I mean with all this traffic, they can think of nothing better to do than slow traffic down more red lights?....."relax, relax man, you're killing the buzz, enjoy this moment" I tell myself. I pull up and grab a ticket from the machine, no attendant to kick me off....and I'm off again, I'm legit, I have a ticket.....AAssah! I whip along for a time that feels all too short. Traffic slows again, the toll booth looms, threatening to end my ride and have someone yell at me. I sheepishly pull up to the window, trying desperately to remember the Korean word for sign (as in I didn't see the sign, I'm sorry, I missed my turn off). Luckily for me she laughs and say ' AHHH Michigetta" "Ahh crazy!!!", I grin back and hand her my ticket. She smiles and says "900 won".....I can't believe it, I put down my Chon won and ride off leaving her a bek (100) won tip (nothing special I know, but in a world of no tipping its sure to have meant somethin). Then as if by magic the only road worth riding in my area greats me at the end of the Express way. I get one last rip down the mountain road, through twisties and fall coloured trees before home.
The gods were smiling today.
Can't wait for the expressways to be open for bikes!!!! But now, it's time for skiing and boarding!! The new season is starting!!!! If I could only ride my bike to the ski resort without freezing my hands off!!! |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:07 am Post subject: |
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Damn earthbound, you feel like my personal friend right now. It didn't quite happen until the end when you mentioned going to snowboard on a bike without freezing. That would be bliss.
I've ended up in the same predicament with the expressways when I first got my bike. The sign pointed to an area I wanted to go to, so I took it. Yes, the "no motorbike" signs are too late to do anything. I got off at the next exit and didn't have the fun tollbooth experience you had.
You are lucky you got to ride at 120. I find anywhere in the city, except over some bridges on the Han, it is impossible.
You have now inspired me to start using the expressways just so find out what will happen. The fine can't be that much. I haven't seen it on the traffic offenses website and I'd be surprised to actually get caught.
Once the expressways open up to bikes (that can maintain a 120 speed minimum), Korea will have taken one step to being a Global Country and the Hub of Asia. |
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earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Bibbitybop wrote: |
Damn earthbound, you feel like my personal friend right now. It didn't quite happen until the end when you mentioned going to snowboard on a bike without freezing. That would be bliss.
I've ended up in the same predicament with the expressways when I first got my bike. The sign pointed to an area I wanted to go to, so I took it. Yes, the "no motorbike" signs are too late to do anything. I got off at the next exit and didn't have the fun tollbooth experience you had.
You are lucky you got to ride at 120. I find anywhere in the city, except over some bridges on the Han, it is impossible.
You have now inspired me to start using the expressways just so find out what will happen. The fine can't be that much. I haven't seen it on the traffic offenses website and I'd be surprised to actually get caught.
Once the expressways open up to bikes (that can maintain a 120 speed minimum), Korea will have taken one step to being a Global Country and the Hub of Asia. |
Ya, Ive' actually been on the expresways a lot. Some times it was intentional, most of the time it was an accident. The no motorcycle signs are often posted on the expressway ramp (in Seoul there is the none toll expressway, it's not 100% part of the national system, so it's not a clearly marked....has a different marking on maps even) sometimes a common route simply turns into an expressway Highway 39, turns into Expressway 50. I ride rout 39 every bloody week!!! But still once every few months I miss the turn off and end up on the expressway. They would come running out and try to stop me. After a few times of having them show me to some less than desirable exit into god knows where and explaining that I was very very wrong to be there (if they had proper signs I would not have been) I just got so frustrated that I would blow all the toll booths as fast as possible. They would be yelling at me as I flew past...but really WTF, there are not enough signs and it happens from time to time, and for crist sake, could they even catch me? Am I slowing traffic down? And it is a fact that its actually safer to ride the expressway than regular road (US Facts). But, I've decided that now I will take a toll ticket and pay every time I'm on the Expressway by accident, and I will tell the police in Korean that I didn't see the sign and I didn't want to be on the expressway in the most polite tone that I can. I figure if they see us as good guys instead of crazy rebels and law breakers they will eventually put up better signs and even let bikes on the expressway just like in real countries.
What bike do you ride? Don't tackle to expressway on a 125. 250's rock, though, no worries on a 250 Comet. |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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I ride a 250 Hyosung Mirage. I end up going 120 on the 80kph national highways since I can't take the expressway.
There was talk earlier in the year of opening up the expressways to motorcycles. They really should. |
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earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| Bibbitybop wrote: |
I ride a 250 Hyosung Mirage. I end up going 120 on the 80kph national highways since I can't take the expressway.
There was talk earlier in the year of opening up the expressways to motorcycles. They really should. |
zippy little bike. I ride a CB400, as big as I need. I ski at Phoenix, so if you're ever there, look me up and drop me a line. We can hang.
later
k |
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