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camp0400
Joined: 26 Mar 2009
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 Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject: children and babies without seatbelts!!!! |
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Does anyone notice how there are a large number of Korean parents that allow their children to roam freely in their vehicles while speeding down the freeway? I see it so often! A small child standing up in the front seat or on the floor as the car speeds by my bus. It is terrifying to see. Recently, the girls from SNSD took a baby to a clinic on their tv show where they take care of a baby. Althoug they sat in the back seat, the girl simply cradled the baby in her arms. Shouldn't it be in a baby seat?!
I once saw a outdoor advertisement in MONGOLIA warning the people about the possible dangers. It was also one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen. It was a before and after. 1st picture is of two parents and a youngster in the middle standing/leaning foward from the backseat. 2nd picture is mom and dad after the accident looking dumbfounded at the hole in the windshield...minus the girl.
Sorry, I had to vent. I love living but sometimes I can't comprehend some things regarding even the slightest common sense that some Korean people seem to lack. I should also say I've seen plenty of Koreans with their kids firmly strapped in as well.
Whew. |
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Elvis Gratton
Joined: 12 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Wow what a shocking experience you're having here. What will you do when you visit rural Canada and see kids riding around in the back of a pick-up? |
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The evil penguin
Joined: 24 May 2003
Location: Doing something naughty near you.....
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Actually in some ways I like the korean way of allowing people to choose to behave stupidly without excessive government interference.
Its nice to be able to ride a bicycle without having some dickhead on a power trip straight out from the academy handing me a traffic fine because i'm not wearing some dorky useless helmet....
The relative freedom from excessive regulation in korea is one of the few things here i do like... |
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BigBuds
Joined: 15 Sep 2005
Location: Changwon
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:39 am Post subject: |
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| I'm surprised there aren't more Koreans in the Darwin Awards. |
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Stones1962
Joined: 26 Nov 2008
Location: Europe/Asia
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:50 am Post subject: |
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| Saw a family once; kids, grandma, and parents having a picnic in the freeway median...and the kids were kicking a soccer ball around as traffic was zipping by not more than 2 meters either side.... |
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iammac2002
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Location: 'n Beter plek.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:09 am Post subject: |
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| I guess they run around swimming pools too. And leaving pots so the handles stick out over the counter. |
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iammac2002
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Location: 'n Beter plek.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:11 am Post subject: |
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| In Oman people like to run across the highway instead of going down the stairs and walking through the tunnel in the ground. I've seen heads and legs strewn around the highway because of their laziness. |
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Richard Krainium
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:20 am Post subject: Re: children and babies without seatbelts!!!! |
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| camp0400 wrote: |
Does anyone notice how there are a large number of Korean parents that allow their children to roam freely in their vehicles while speeding down the freeway? I see it so often! A small child standing up in the front seat or on the floor as the car speeds by my bus. It is terrifying to see. Recently, the girls from SNSD took a baby to a clinic on their tv show where they take care of a baby. Althoug they sat in the back seat, the girl simply cradled the baby in her arms. Shouldn't it be in a baby seat?!
I once saw a outdoor advertisement in MONGOLIA warning the people about the possible dangers. It was also one of the funniest pictures I've ever seen. It was a before and after. 1st picture is of two parents and a youngster in the middle standing/leaning foward from the backseat. 2nd picture is mom and dad after the accident looking dumbfounded at the hole in the windshield...minus the girl.
Sorry, I had to vent. I love living but sometimes I can't comprehend some things regarding even the slightest common sense that some Korean people seem to lack. I should also say I've seen plenty of Koreans with their kids firmly strapped in as well.
Whew. |
Do you think American kids were strapped in with baby seats and seatbelts up until the mid 80's? Your parents survived somehow. Relax! |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:25 am Post subject: Re: children and babies without seatbelts!!!! |
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| Quote: |
| Do you think American kids were strapped in with baby seats and seatbelts up until the mid 80's? Your parents survived somehow. Relax |
Bingo. Thats what happens when you judge something through a snapshot. Take a step back, get some perspective.... |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:30 am Post subject: |
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Korean people are excellent drivers. They don't need to take the same precautions as westerners with kids in cars because they never crash. World's best drivers......... 
There was a story linked a few years ago here on Dave's about the Korean governments proposals to make rear seatbelts and carseats for infants mandatory.
A lot of Korean parents were for it. But the majority were against it. One Mom said she didn't need the government to tell her how to take care of her kids.
Anyway, the government soon dropped the proposal.
Notes on road safety in Korea from the US embassy site.......
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: The Republic of Korea�s roads are well paved, traffic lights are functional, and most drivers comply with basic traffic laws. However, Korea has a significantly higher traffic fatality rate than does the United States. Causes of accidents include excessive speed, frequent lane changes, running of red lights, aggressive bus drivers, and weaving motorcyclists. Pedestrians should be aware that motorcyclists sometimes drive on the sidewalks and drivers of all types of vehicles do not always yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. It is safer to use pedestrian underpasses and overpasses where available.
Traffic laws in the Republic of Korea differ from traffic laws in the United States in some respects. Left-hand turns are generally prohibited except where a green arrow indicates otherwise. Drivers may turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop. Seat belts are mandatory. Children riding in the front seat of vehicles must wear a seat belt or use an appropriate child car seat. Passengers on motorcycles must wear protective helmets. An international driving permit issued in the U.S. by the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) is required of short-term visitors who drive in Korea. Otherwise, drivers must have a Korean driver's license.
In all accidents involving an automobile and a pedestrian or motorcycle, the driver of the automobile, regardless of citizenship, is presumed to be at fault. Police investigations of traffic accidents usually involve long waits at police stations. Police may request to hold the passport of a foreigner involved in a traffic accident if there is any personal injury or a dispute about the cause of the accident. Criminal charges and heavy penalties are common in accidents involving injury, even if negligence is not proven. Persons arrested in accidents involving serious injury or death may be detained until the conclusion of the police investigation and legal process. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious offense. Drivers in the Republic of Korea may wish to carry a disposable camera to document any traffic accidents, even minor ones.
For specific information concerning Korean driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and mandatory insurance, please contact the Korea Tourism Organization office in Fort Lee, N.J., (telephone 1-800-868-7567) or check http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/intro.html. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1018.html |
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tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:30 am Post subject: Re: children and babies without seatbelts!!!! |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Do you think American kids were strapped in with baby seats and seatbelts up until the mid 80's? Your parents survived somehow. Relax |
Bingo. Thats what happens when you judge something through a snapshot. Take a step back, get some perspective.... |
The only difference is, of course, that there were fewer cars back in the 80s, and the cars were smaller and slower.
Now there are more cars, the cars are gigantic, gas guzzlers and they zoom from 0-100m in matters of seconds.
Plus people have less respect for traffic laws these day. |
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Richard Krainium
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:38 am Post subject: Re: children and babies without seatbelts!!!! |
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| tzechuk wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Do you think American kids were strapped in with baby seats and seatbelts up until the mid 80's? Your parents survived somehow. Relax |
Bingo. Thats what happens when you judge something through a snapshot. Take a step back, get some perspective.... |
The only difference is, of course, that there were fewer cars back in the 80s, and the cars were smaller and slower.
Now there are more cars, the cars are gigantic, gas guzzlers and they zoom from 0-100m in matters of seconds.
Plus people have less respect for traffic laws these day. |
Well not only were there fewer cars, but there were fewer people. I could go on, but I'll be nice and stop here.  |
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Real Reality
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:48 am Post subject: |
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Car Seat Requirement in Korea Is Short-lived
by Kim Soe-jung, JoongAng Daily (August 07, 2006)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2795135
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... Now that he is 3, Ms. Jeong, 33, a middle school teacher in Seoul, buckles him up next to her in the back.
".... My friends also don't use one because it is difficult to set up and the car seat takes a lot of space," she said.
In Korea, just 12 percent of drivers with children said they used car seats last year, according to a National Police Agency survey. More children in Korea are killed by vehicles -- in traffic accidents or on the street -- than in any other of the 29 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In 2003, four out of 100,000 children died in traffic accidents in Korea, about four times the rate of Sweden, which had the lowest rate...
New transportation laws required children under the age of 6 to use a car seat with the seat belt on. Failure to do so meant a fine of 30,000 won ($31), the National Police Agency announced. Parents complained and the next day, the police agency dropped the plan....
"We don't have to do what foreigners do in their countries. We have our own way to take care of babies," another posting at the agency's Web site said.... |
S. Korea Ranks 3rd in Accident-related Deaths Among OECD Nations: Report
Yonhap News (May 6, 2009)
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2009/05/06/76/0302000000AEN20090506005200320F.HTML
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South Korea ranked third among the member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in terms of accident-linked deaths for children, a report showed Wednesday....
Traffic accidents accounted for 42.7 percent of the total deaths, followed by drowning with 20 percent. Falls made up 7.9 percent of deaths, while murder and suicides took up 8.7 percent and 5.3 percent, the report showed.... |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:56 am Post subject: |
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Cars when I grew up were huge (much bigger than nowadays), plenty fast, & there were lots of them. Seatbelts were largely unheard of. Life went on for the vast majority of us.
Not to say seatbelts arent a good thing but if a country lags a bit by western standards, its not like a death sentence on every unrestrained child. |
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Richard Krainium
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:02 am Post subject: |
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| schwa wrote: |
Cars when I grew up were huge (much bigger than nowadays), plenty fast, & there were lots of them. Seatbelts were largely unheard of. Life went on for the vast majority of us.
Not to say seatbelts arent a good thing but if a country lags a bit by western standards, its not like a death sentence on every unrestrained child. |
You are correct, sir! Maybe there was a little more steel in the cars back then, but safety wise, cars today are better. Not to mention the mindset about drinking and driving back then.  |
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