Korean Job Discussion Forums

[D.D.]

I knew an English teacher last year who was a nice guy and he would ride a scooter between jobs. He passed away last week after an accident on his bike. I had a motorcycle in Canada and stopped riding it after many close calls.

I worry when I see people move to Asia who get excited the can buy a cheap scooter and ride around. One fall is all it takes.

Sorry to hear what happened to Geoff . He was a nice guy and was a great singer. Very humble guy who liked teaching in Korea and had been here for 8 years. Rest in peace Geoff.

[CentralCali]

The free-for-all that passes for driving in South Korea is the main reason I will never get onto a scooter or motorcycle, nor even ride a bicycle on the streets, here.

[Gibberish]

In Korea, driving is a deathwish. Scooters are especially dangerous.

[BoholDiver]

My brother died on the back of a motorcycle. I will never ride one.

[Moldy Rutabaga]

One of my co-workers, a good guy, died a few years ago in Cheongju on a motorcycle, killed by a taxi.

I used to ride a little scooter on the back roads in the countryside, but it's suicidal to ride on city streets here. It's just foolhardy in a developing country with high traffic density and poor enforcement of driving rules.

[Captain Corea]

Forgive my memory, but didn't a regular dave's poster just die last year as well?

[reactionary]

That would be JongnoGuru. Another fatal motorcycle accident, yes.

[dirving]

Geoff lived in Jinju City for many years.

[sharkey]

I was about 3 days away from buying a motorbike ( 125 cc ). That was until I was heading to Kimbap Cheon Guk one day and saw a taxi smash into a delivery guy. He had at least a broken arm, his head was split open and he couldn't move his back. That put me off bikes, Koreans are animals on the roads.

[Forward Observer]

I was hit by a distracted woman on a cell phone and I was only going 15km per hour on a back street in Seoul. Haven't ridden in Seoul since that. It's not for the weak hearted that's fo sho.

[djsmnc]

Korea or not, bike riders the world 'round are either really cool or really stupid, depending on your own perspective.

[Senior]

[pkang0202]

Geebus.

I was thinking of getting a scooter to go from work and back. My commute would take me from Sinsa Station to Seollung Station, through the heart of Gangnam/Nonhyeon/Hakdong/Gangnamguchong/Yeoksam traffic in the mornings and afternoons.

Probably the most congested area in Seoul. After reading this thread, I'm not so sure anymore.

[RufusW]

I've been commuting in Busan on my 125cc motorbike for a month now. No real close calls but Korean drivers keep you on your toes. I've got to mention the freedom it gives you though. I've been 100 miles up the coast and seen things I would never have seen without a bike.

I wear a full face helmet and give everyone 15+ meters in front of me. I'll also slow down if someone's looking to turn into the road. I really do think if I have an accident it'll be someone else's fault, and it's certainly true it only takes one crash...

You mention he was here for 8 years, he was probably confident in Korean traffic.

[peppermint]

Yeah Jongnoguru was in Korea since the late 80s so he was quite familiar with traffic too- familiarity means nothing.