Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lille]

I am getting the TAR beaten out of me on the sidewalks! I'm not only catching errant elbows and dangling shopping bags, but also shoulders and full-on body-checks.

I walk in a predictable straight line, often as far over to the right as I can get. Before the wildly unsuccessful "everybody walk on the right" poster campaign, I was walking on the left since I thought that was the protocol but folks bumped into me over there, too.

When someone veers into my path, I move further to the right. If there's no further place to go, I stand and wait for them to pass. I'm tall, I walk with purpose, and I'm wearing a red scarf and hat, so I can't be invisible. For every ninety seconds I'm on a busy sidewalk, I'm averaging one to two shoulders or full-on checks. So what's the deal? Surely I can't be the only one this is happening to. I know that pedestrians are more unpredictable here, but is this the norm?

When Koreans bump into you, do you say anything? I used to be satisfied to parry a bonk with a raised eyebrow, but some folks really check hard and I need something to say to them.

How do you respond when someone bumps into you? How do you cool it after getting jostled?

[Radius]

i might look back at them or mumble something if i get knocked into, but i don't call them out. They're notorious for this type of behavior. Im like you, if there's not enough room, ill stop and let the adjumma walk past like a polite human being. But sometimes, if you think they do it intentionally (I don't think I've been bumped into intentionally yet) then yea man, speak up and say something!

[lille]

Ah, but say what? Little exclamations like "aigo" and more confrontational "ya"s get a smirk and little else, regardless of whether they've actually hurt me. What would be ideal is something along the lines of "Are you blind?" "Watch it!" or even "What kind of a jerk are you? Why did you hit me?" but I don't know how these (in Korean) would fare on the street.

[Savant]

Koreans can't walk in a straight line: whether this is due to some genetic defect; some opposite magnetic pull they invisibly possess; lack of respect for personal space; or just general ignorance, it's anyone's guess.

I always give a little room when I walk around Seoul out of sheer courtesy.

However, if a Korean still intrudes into my line of walking then I slightly dip the shoulder and let that Korean know that they shouldn't be walking in my space.

[AsiaESLbound]

I noticed those who walk with their toes pointing outward like the how the Buddha guards at the Bangkok royal palace stand as to avoid pointing them at Buddha, are the one who can't go the flow where they constantly change from left to right to left. Walking is supposed to be on the left, but 49% still don't get it. I see Korean people enduring the confusion every day too; not just us. It does get annoying how oncoming pedestrians will change left/right on you many times as you approach them. Sometimes I wonder if it's a nonverbal way people communicate to say, "I'm here too," to acknowledge them just like who we would say something like, "Wassup man?" Strangers act a bit too impersonal and inconsiderate manner for my taste of what defines a fun interaction and relations with people locally. It's not hard to say, "hi," and give people a little room.

Even when there is plenty of space, you are still a magnet. This can also be true for motor bikes coming at you too. I was in Namdaemun market on an early Saturday morning where the path was void of people, yet this huge motorcycles came barreling right at me. I stayed my straight line and he veered to his right at the last second. I like to stand my predictable straight line. Now if we all decided on a side to walk on and kept straight lines, it's one small step to becoming a civilized people living modern lifestyles. Please step aside to read your phone or receipt as a common courtesy of letting others behind you get around you.

The rules of people movement unclear to most so you just negotiate your path which way you can without getting hit. I can't understand why no one is scanning their surroundings to watch for traffic like we do. They just walk assuming it's other people's responsibility to not hit you. And it is there responsibility to not hit you, but also yours to watch out for accidents such as when motorbikes are trying to get around a large SUV taking up the whole street at the same time you are walking around it.

[chellovek]

Seoul drives me nuts for that type of thing. It's one of the handful of reasons I'm glad to be in the darkest countryside. Nobody to bump into.

In Seoul I usually let fly the occasional cuss word.

[redaxe]

I weigh about 200 pounds so when Koreans bump into me, it's they that go flying, not me.

[machoman]

i've never been shoulder checked as the OP describes. but i hate it because *I'M* always the one moving my shoulder, other people don't at all. so now i don't move it at all, i keep it stiff, and if u do that, i notice that koreans WILL move at the very last second. some will still bump into you. i don't say anything though.

one drunk guy stared at me after he bumped into me and i stared back and we almost got into it, but nothing happened.

[chellovek]

[keflyn]

Is any worse then most out City's though? I've not been to Seoul but it can't be any worse then most large cities where people think its there right not to have to move on the sidewalk.

[hostness]

Happens to me all the time. It's the norm it seems. There's hardly a day I don't get angry when it happens. Not only that, but a lot of people do shoulder check which means they're consciously thinking of hitting you. That's what pisses me off the most because the force it takes to actually check someone is a conscious effort. Otherwise it'd be just a bump.

The worst is when punk guys do it. I've turned around many times and seen them stare back at me as if they wanted to fight. Believe me they don't want to fight. They just want to save face and act macho.

I haven't found a solution for this. Please tell me because it's driving me insane.

[hostness]

[chellovek]

[Vagabundo]

[excaza]