Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dairyairy]

You had to wonder how much longer this freebie would last. The way that many of them behave on the subway you shouldn't expect them to have many allies in this fight.


http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2980237&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist1

[Captain Corea]

If they're going with the "can't afford it because they have no income", I'm cool with that. But I think they should also include kids under 15 in that category.

[alongway]

it should be trivial for them to take last years tax income to the gu/dong office and get a 1 year card printed for a pro-rated amount based on their income.

[sendittheemail]

1. I've noticed lots of young people using "senior" subway cards -thanks grandma!

2. I've also noticed young people using special passes for disabled people (they also get a discount, or free ride).

When you swipe these cards, there is an audio blurb that announces the type of card being used.

Anyhow, riding the subway is a privilege and not a "right". Korea has one of the cheapest subway fares in the world. The elderly take up nearly all of the seats during my morning commute. I hardly see any office workers or other working stiffs sitting.

The Korean government needs to stop passing the social welfare buck onto the public/private companies. In essence, the government isn't subsidizing senior subway passengers; they are simply forcing Korail (or whoever) to let them ride for free. Passing the buck, getting private companies to front the bill the minor fringe benefits received by the elderly. "Hmm gee, we need to offer some type of benefits to the elderly.....hmmmm.....I know....instead of subsidies, let's force companies to give them free services!"

Seniors used to ride the bus for free as well. The problem? They'd ride, and ride, and ride it all day, and nobody else could get on or sit down. Now they've cancelled that program and the buses have fewer passengers. The subway in Korea acts as a kind of homeless shelter for the elderly, where they can stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A lot of them don't even get off; they just ride in a circle, or from one side of the city to the other all day. During peak hours, they occupy many of the seats that could be used by exhausted company workers. I'm not saying that the elderly should be banned from using the subway, but I think it might make sense to allow free use during non-peak hours, and make them pay if they want to use the subway during peak hours. Taking out the seats all together would also help solve the problem.

Taxis too, by the way, are a kind of Korean public subsidized social service, whereby farmers and others lacking education and skills (and retirement funds) are given a special license, and let loose on the streets for the public to subsidize. When they raise a stink about their living conditions and welfare? No problem, the government just forces the public to pay more for taxi services.

[coralreefer_1]

Ive said the same thing on this topic before, and I will say it again.

Although I do think seniors should be paying "something", its not really fair for the subway companies to say they are "losing" money because of free senior rides.

There is a vast difference between money lost, and money not gained. It sounds more like the companies are charging too little to begin with for the service, and rather than raise the price for everyone else, they are trying to make up for that bad pricing decision by targeting the elderly. I repeat, I believe the elderly should pay something as well, but to target them as the reasons for the debt boggles the mind.


Until the subways are SO crowded that people who otherwise would pay are not riding the subway (in short, lost customers) then I dont see how seniors are causing the deficits in their budgets. Sure, they "could" get that money from them, but the paying ridership doesn't seem to be affected by seniors.

Its like saying, "I'm in debt because I'm not making enough money"....rather than saying "Im in debt because I cant/dont/wont be more prudent with my current income"



All of that said, considering all of the accommodations for seniors and disabled that have come to the subways in recent years (here in daegu there used to be no elevators or escalators on the whole of the original line until seniors complained and they were retrofitted in later) I agree they should be paying at least the discounted fare that students get.

[alongway]

[Popocatepetl]

[Died By Bear]

[dairyairy]

[alongway]

[cabeza]

There are lines in central Tokyo (I think it's the Marunouchi line or the Chiyoda) where they run every 1-2 minutes in rush hour.

[coralreefer_1]

[wishfullthinkng]

everyone should pay the same fare regardless. ornery entitled older folk riding subways for fun at no cost defeats the purpose of public transportation.

[alongway]

[Captain Corea]

Here's my proposal - keep the free tickets for political purposes, but make them invalid during rush hour (maybe 8-9:00am or something).