Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ernie]

i don't consider seoul to be bicycle friendly at all. it's hilly, congested, and the drivers are maniacs.

[kiwiduncan]

[OneWayTraffic]

[ernie]

i guess it all depends on why you cycle: for exercise or for transportation.

i cycle in order to get from a to b, so for me hilly means more difficult and less bicycle friendly. i don't find seoul to be too big (especially compared to other major cities) but rather that the sheer volume of traffic (cars, motos, bikes, pedestrians, old dudes pulling carts, people crossing the street not looking in the direction of oncoming cars, etc) is chaos.

add to that AWFUL driving habits: constantly running red lights, never using turn signals or mirrors, darting across 4 lanes of traffic, turning right from the left lane, talking on cellphones, and using gps while driving. yes, all of these things happen in my country. however, in korea it seems EVERY cabbie, bus driver, SCHOOL bus driver, and moto delivery dude somehow manage to commit all of these violations between each and every intersection. if you cycle on the streets of seoul, be VERY careful. or just use the sidewalks like everybody else. make sure to ring your bell every 3 seconds.