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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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 Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| Died By Bear wrote: |
| I've never seen the handbag thing. I would love to tease someone about it though. Is it common? |
I've never seen a handbag on a seat in a crowded bus. Anytime a bag has been on a seat when the bus fills up, someone asks for it to be moved, and it is. |
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orosee
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| transmogrifier wrote: |
| Died By Bear wrote: |
| I've never seen the handbag thing. I would love to tease someone about it though. Is it common? |
I've never seen a handbag on a seat in a crowded bus. Anytime a bag has been on a seat when the bus fills up, someone asks for it to be moved, and it is. |
I've seen that many, many times on regional buses (e.g. Seoul-Bundang). The most annoying thing is that the owner is usually asleep (considering that many people ride 30-60 minutes to their destination) or pretends to be. 90% of the time it's a woman but laptop bags or urban bagpacks are also used. I'm pretty sure it's a "keep your distance" thing.
I've learnt to do what Koreans do: Grab the bag and put it on my lap (if I'm feeling polite), or drop it on their lap (if I'm not). The owners are obliged to make a happy face whatever they may be thinking inside.
On local buses (blue, green) it's usually bags of groceries. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Grab the bag and put it on my lap |
Why would you pick up a stranger's bag and put it on your own lap?
Koreans only do that for friends, not random strangers. |
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optik404
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Grab the bag and put it on my lap |
Why would you pick up a stranger's bag and put it on your own lap?
Koreans only do that for friends, not random strangers. |
Whenever I offer up my seat to a older lady, she always grabs my bag and offers to hold it for me. |
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Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 9:12 am Post subject: |
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Half the time these grumpy ajossis are just making up 'rules' as they go along. Try it next time and he probably won't say a thing. If it's a real rule or not, you'll probably never know.
Or, get your Korean wife to hold it while you get on. If he lets her slide, you'll know the deal. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 3:12 am Post subject: |
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Nice experiment idea Mix1.
However I would suggest before automatically drawing the conclusion of "you know the deal" that the person running this little social experiment consider possible variables such as the time of day (rush hour), if the bus is crowded, what kind of bus and perhaps know the rules for that bus company (do they allow stollers on board as a rule or only at certain times of the day).
If refused then there are also a few options: the driver is a bigot or and this may shock you, the driver is just in a bad mood or feels pressure at keeping up the pace to pick up more passengers. |
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Scorpion
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| There are still prejudiced Koreans out there. |
Sorry, I don't believe you. |
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Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
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| Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
Nice experiment idea Mix1.
However I would suggest before automatically drawing the conclusion of "you know the deal" that the person running this little social experiment consider possible variables such as the time of day (rush hour), if the bus is crowded, what kind of bus and perhaps know the rules for that bus company (do they allow stollers on board as a rule or only at certain times of the day).
If refused then there are also a few options: the driver is a bigot or and this may shock you, the driver is just in a bad mood or feels pressure at keeping up the pace to pick up more passengers. |
"You'll know the deal" means his 'rule' is probably BS. Even if it isn't, they are often VERY inconsistent about enforcing rules here. Of course, the bigotry factor can never be ruled out here, even IF you wear rose colored glasses.
(I don't care if he's a bigot or not, I care about getting on the bus.) The bus drivers have to go through all sorts of crap, one foreigner with a stroller probably doesn't affect them much.
...Although I have seen foreigners "shushed" by a bus driver before for speaking English at a moderate level, meanwhile some Koreans got on and the shrill decibels were double that of the foreigners, and of course nothing was said.
Which brings up another factor, sometimes the locals feel they can take liberties with foreigners that they would rarely take with Koreans. I'd like to see that driver shush the average Korean man. Wouldn't likely happen without an argument or confrontation. How dare a BUS DRIVER shush ME? But it also shows the level he thought the foreigners were on... below him!
Try another 'social experiment'; related to levels (so important here)... wear a nice suit, put on an expression like you just smelled dog poop, and then disregard the driver completely and walk on with the stroller anyway. This will show that you are 'above' him and he'll almost for sure let you on. Silly, but I bet it'd work.  |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 4:37 am Post subject: |
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| Mix1 wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
Nice experiment idea Mix1.
However I would suggest before automatically drawing the conclusion of "you know the deal" that the person running this little social experiment consider possible variables such as the time of day (rush hour), if the bus is crowded, what kind of bus and perhaps know the rules for that bus company (do they allow stollers on board as a rule or only at certain times of the day).
If refused then there are also a few options: the driver is a bigot or and this may shock you, the driver is just in a bad mood or feels pressure at keeping up the pace to pick up more passengers. |
"You'll know the deal" means his 'rule' is probably BS. Even if it isn't, they are often VERY inconsistent about enforcing rules here. Of course, the bigotry factor can never be ruled out here, even IF you wear rose colored glasses.
(I don't care if he's a bigot or not, I care about getting on the bus.) The bus drivers have to go through all sorts of crap, one foreigner with a stroller probably doesn't affect them much.
...Although I have seen foreigners "shushed" by a bus driver before for speaking English at a moderate level, meanwhile some Koreans got on and the shrill decibels were double that of the foreigners, and of course nothing was said.
Which brings up another factor, sometimes the locals feel they can take liberties with foreigners that they would rarely take with Koreans. I'd like to see that driver shush the average Korean man. Wouldn't likely happen without an argument or confrontation. How dare a BUS DRIVER shush ME? But it also shows the level he thought the foreigners were on... below him!
Try another 'social experiment'; related to levels (so important here)... wear a nice suit, put on an expression like you just smelled dog poop, and then disregard the driver completely and walk on with the stroller anyway. This will show that you are 'above' him and he'll almost for sure let you on. Silly, but I bet it'd work. |
Oh that last tactic (no suit required) actually worked well a few times. 
I did it when I was alone with our daughter and had the stroller. Just walked in without letting the driver say anything, said thank you very politely in Korean and the deal was done.
Locals who take liberties with foreigners happen, we have all experienced this. Speaking Korean will help you a ton in such a situation however.
As for rules, they are applied unevenly! That is for sure. For example, try stopping an ajuma from boarding the bus with her gigantic bags of veggies as she returns from the market. Just try. It is the wise driver that does not try. |
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tardisrider
Joined: 13 Mar 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 4:56 am Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Grab the bag and put it on my lap |
Why would you pick up a stranger's bag and put it on your own lap?
Koreans only do that for friends, not random strangers. |
I think it's a little different these days, but I remember in the mid/late 90s it was very common to hold bags and things for random strangers on the subway and bus.
(Yes, I'm old.) |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 5:02 am Post subject: |
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| tardisrider wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Grab the bag and put it on my lap |
Why would you pick up a stranger's bag and put it on your own lap?
Koreans only do that for friends, not random strangers. |
I think it's a little different these days, but I remember in the mid/late 90s it was very common to hold bags and things for random strangers on the subway and bus.
(Yes, I'm old.) |
It was indeed very common. As was giving your seat up for older folks or young kids. |
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