Korean Job Discussion Forums

[teachingld2004]

I was reading a thread on Korean drivers, and laughing. But seriously, I wish something would be done about the driving habits in this country. In December 2003, a bus driver from my school was killed and so were 2 of our young female students. Our van and a city bus smashed into each other. No one in our van was wearing a seat belt. I dont know if that would have helped, but.... Next day I asked my supervisor why the students don't wear seat belts, and was told that they only go a short distance, there are many kids in the van, and there arent enough seat belts anyway. Not enough? Well, I counted the ones in the van, and found one. Nice, huh? Also, like many of you, I have seen children riding up front on mommys lap, jumping from front to back, hanging out windows, and lying on the ledge under the window. I see drivers taking on cell phones, and have even seen a driver with a baby on her lap. I see children run across the street without looking for cars, and I have seen cars speed up as they come to pedestrian crossings. I could go on and on, but even typing this post is making me sick. Why am I doing it then? Because I just can't believe how much I was laughing when I read other peoples posts on this topic. It's not funny, its sad.

[wylde]

yesterday, in front of carrefour, i watched 5 small kids and an adult get in the back of a taxi and another adult get in the front.

it was f*cking disgusting.

these people need to get a brain

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Worst drivers in the developed world. Combination of very poor space time judgement, and just not caring, lack of driving education, and lack of traffic law enforcement.

[Kristsoy]

totally agree with kiwiboy (go allblacks...Im canadian) I hate the drivers here and gotten in a few fights because of it. I hate it when they speed up when they come to crosswalks..Developed country my ass.

I heard China is way way worse, much more educationless people there I guess. It's mostly common sence once you learn how to drive a car. If they did most of these driving habits in the US or Canada, people would beat them with their own car doors

[jaebea]

I out and out refuse to get into a car if the rear seats do not have a seatbelt.

There are some things that don't work when it comes to the age old adage of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". Unless you have a penchant for sitting in deathtraps in one of the most unforgiving driving countries in the world. :)

jae.

[Homer]

Bad drivers indeed.

Dangerous to a point.

Car sales up too fast and infrastructure lagging behind = too many cars on underdevelopped car network with new drivers to boot.

This is a formula for danger....

Then again, in Italy and France (esp. Paris) where they have a longer history of massive car use its just as dangerous (if not more in Rome!).

[captain kirk]

I ride a motorcycle and it's very dangerous driving in Korea if you are not constantly aware of this 'line to live by' which I concocted after a few adrenaline surging almost-incidents one Sunday drive; 'ass right in front of you'. As in the behind of someone's car, not the driver as a clown. I looked to the front of the sudden-stopper ahead of me who I almost, as suddenly as he stopped, ran into the back of. Ahead of him was a good forty to fifty feet of space before the next car ahead. So he suddenly stopped to keep a safe distance between him and the car ahead while not looking behind. Make of it what you will! But this has happened alot. Or drivers, equally myopic is seems, suddenly veering into the traffic stream at a crawl. The traffic is flowing along at speed but suddenly there's a snail curling into the works, puttering along. At any time someone can do some driving with no thought of being part of a traffic flow and of their surroundings on the road! Four way stops with the blinking red or yellow light indicating stop and go first come first serve are equally unpredictable. I watched the antics and remembered what I'd heard of that if there is an accident, there's more of the settle on the spot here's some cash solution. So the driving is chaotic and impatient, rather 'me- oriented' (at its worst) and the solution is hand over some cash. And carry on driving badly.
Seriously, 'ass right in front of you' (anytime, anywhere).

[phaedrus]

Think about Korean driving in terms of how long there have been any amount of cars on the roads here. Not so long ago there was barely a car in Seoul or anywhere, and then all of a sudden the whole country is trying to drive around in a place the size of my closet in Canada.

[peppermint]

Yeah, usually I try not to apply phrases like common sense here, cause what seems like common sense isn't always applicable, but this case is too much!

Will anyone argue with me that it's dangerous to hang out in the middle of a busy street near a bar area? For the past week I've been watching a guy standing in the middle of the road- handing out samples of coffee and the little yougurt drinks to passing drivers. This guy is stopping traffic near a three way intersection, in a busy area of town, and so far he hasn't been hit- largely because drivers slow down to see what he will give them.

[goodfella]

what about motorcycle drivers?? their the crazy ones!! cant even walk on the sidewalk in peace. some guy beeping his scooter horn tellin me to get out of the way!! dont think so bud!!! roads are for bikes, not crosswalks!!!
but ill stick up for korea on this point ,,, everyone says taxi drivers are crazy here!! haven't had any bad experiences. my question is .. which country doesn't have crazy taxi drivers???
if you dont want to get in a car in korea.. take the subway! its ur choice
so why bitch about it.

[Tony Danza's Houseguest]

Goodfella: Are you related to Itaewonguy? You could be brothers.

I've said it before: I've been in a total of four car accidents in my 23 years on earth, and 2 of them happened in my first four months in Korea. I get panicky watching people walk across the road. Two of my students have been hit by cars, and my school is on a road that only lasts 150 meters/yards.

[the saint]

[bitter_hag]

It's called a learning curve. They haven't been driving as long folks have in Europe and the US. You have a lot of first generation drivers on the road.

They'll learn.

I don't think they're learning fast enough but they will.

[sadsac]

Having been driving here for three years now and there are no surprises left. Driving from Ulsan to Yang Yang on Route 7. Raining , come around a corner onto a bridge, 3 cars all with hazards going parked on the bridge. Only just missed cleaning them up. Stopped, look back and the people from the cars had their fishing rods hanging out over the bridge and were sitting drinking in between two of the cars. I don't bother with trying to understand their driving habits now, I just drive like them.

[helly]

When I first arrived in Korea, I was picked up at Kimpo by my new employers, 3 of them.

After cramming all our bags (I came with another teacher and we both had a lot) into one of those tiny little minivans, the five of us scooted along the road out of the airport on our way to Seoul.

As soon as we pulled out onto the main street, a car slammed into the side of our minivan.