Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mindmetoo]

Another one of those "but if you spent half an extra second to work it out, are you really, really saving any time?" MENSA problems that seems to confound Koreans is motorcycles on the sidewalk. Some roads in Seoul can get crowded. And sidewalks, from a motorcyclist's perspective, are wonderfully devoid of cars and trucks. Since I guess there are no laws against motorcyclists blasting along sidewalks (or if such laws do exist, there's no manifest social impetus to get the police to enforce such laws), motorcyclists view as their domain the narrow strip of cement the English speaking world curiously named sidewalk.

I've been in Korea long enough to accept that this society places more value on getting your ja jang myeun order on time than the lives of small children and elderly who might be run down on a sidewalk by time challenged delivery drivers. Despite recent evidence to the contrary, I'm not here for life and my taxes won't go to support wards full of crippled children.

Now, here's the problem. On several occasions, I've seen motorcyclists trying to spear their way through thick crowds of people moving slowly and, as is the custom here, unpredictably on the sidewalk while the larger motor vehicles on the actual road are blissfully zipping along. If you were a motorcyclist, wouldn't you jump back onto the roadway?

So what are we to conclude by motorcyclists who ignore what traffic engineers would characterize as "green" roadway conditions?

1) For motorcyclists it's not a time saving thing. They're, not unreasonably, scared of Korean car, truck, and bus drivers. It's much better, from the cyclist perspective, to be run into by a grandmother than a bus.

2) Motorcyclists simply like putting children and elderly at risk and are willing to delay their trip in hopes of crippling a human being.

[coffeeman]

Koreans love to push their weight around whenever they get the chance. They'd never give up a chance to bully someone. "Hey, I have a motorbike and you don't, so get outta my way!"

In this country ,becoming a company boss or just becoming old gives one other chances to treat other people disrespectfully.

[jacl]

Who cares? If someone is beeping their horn at you trying to get through on the sidewalk, just turn around, point to the road, pick up his front wheel and help him along.

Closelining works good too. Really, what can they do?

[Captain Corea]

They honk at me, I stop dead in my tracks. There is no bloody way I am moving for them.

I've been meaning to write the Korean Herald on this.. you know in the cultural tip section. I'd like to see if they print it.

[nautilus]

[nautilus]

Causing potentially lethal motorbike accidents in korea. Fun and recommended. They'll probably be dead, so..."What can they do?"

[denverdeath]

Actually, clotheslining them may not be the best thing to do, especially if they're coming fast...due to the laws of physics, motion, and what not. Better to give them a well-placed kick from the side...a push works as well. Works on cars that come a bit close, too. I was rather amazed how easily the side-view mirror came off of one of the cars that came too close to me one day.

[rapier]

I clotheslined a guy running past me once when I was 15. It was fun at the time, he did a 180 backflip and cut his head on the pavement. Got into a bit of trouble over it... so I'd probably be careful about doing it in Korea.

[Manner of Speaking]

In Korea you need speed bumps for sidewalks.

[rapier]

Talking of annoying korean habits, perhaps "Playing your music full blast in the PC bang " is being phased out. I found a nice PC bang here in Jongno where the sound is disabled, nice and pleasant!

[goodluck]

[denverdeath]

[rapier]

[denverdeath]

[Satori]

Back to the OP. Yes, its one of those shockingly idiotic behaviours that one just has to grin and bear. Hope they may one day grow out of it. Now, just watch Homer swoop in and somehow pull a defense of motorbiking on the footpatch out his fundamental canal.