Korean Job Discussion Forums

kermo · Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:59 pm Post subject: Mute taxi drivers

I've found that in Seoul, when I jump in a cab and ask the driver politely to take me somewhere, e.g., "Gangnam, kajuseyo?" I'll get where I want to go, but I'll get no response at all. Not even a grunt or a "neehhhh." He'll just pull out into traffic and I'll have to assume he knows where we're going.

I used to quite enjoy little taxi chats, actually, despite their repetive nature. I don't need anyone's life story, but what's the harm in saying "Hello/Welcome/Where would you like to go?/Okay, I understand/Goodbye," etc.
I never used to experience this, but maybe it was because I was spending more time outside Seoul, or because my pronunciation was less conscise so drivers would at least repeat what I said to confirm that they understood.

I worry that I'm doing something rude to piss them off, but as it is, I feel like I'm being way more polite than I need to be.

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

If you want to talk to them, make conversation..
Most of the time I'd rather sit there with my own
thoughts or listen to music, so I'm glad most of
them are not all chatty.

The chatterbox cabbies back home kind of bug me
to be honest. It's like they want you to relieve their
boredom and pay your fare as well.

Sod_em_and_begorrah · Joined: 20 Nov 2006

formerflautist · Joined: 30 May 2006

I actually met a taxi driver with a New York accent. He was cool. We had a nice conversation.

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

mute=the best..Don't bother me, just drive, just drive, thank you!

piscin · Joined: 25 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

Agreed, and it's usually a prelude to a rant against 'dem fuggin Nigeeeeeeeeeeriens' in Dublin as well.[/quote]

Yeah, but you've gotta miss, "Ah, jaysus, howya looove?"

kermo · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:33 am Post subject:

I do enjoy a little rant now and then, but I also thought I'd add that I'm aware that on the Great List of Things That Are A Big Deal, this would not be real high up there. Just a pet peeve.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Doesn't happen to me too much. I wish it would. Most of the time, the driver wants to have a conversation with me. It's usually quite tedious and annoying for me, but there have been some times when I've had interesting chats with the drivers. This one guy started imitating foreigners who speak bad Korean and the Korean listeners' true reactions (as in, not to the person's face). He had me in stitches with his overboard antics. Sat in the car with him a good two or three minutes after arriving home just to hear him go on. Very funny.

Typically I just get the same old boring biography routine. Bleh. Leave me to my magazine, iPod, or blank staring out the window, plz.