Korean Job Discussion Forums

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

I have always touted the Seoul Met-u-ro as being very good, but I got another POV of it last Sunday that has certainly changed my tune. Here's the story.

We wanted to take our daughter out to meet some friends in Sheetaewon, so we opted to take the stroller. My wife's back hurts too much from carrying the baby, and we had some other baggage. So we loaded it up and went out the door.

The first obstacle was Bucheon station. We took an escalator up, but found no escalator going down to the landing platform. Unless we wanted to wait for that oh-so slow wheelchair platform. So strike 1.

We transferred at Singil, and had to go down 2 flights of stairs without an escalator. The first one, I didn't see an elevator, but it might have been there. We missed the 2nd elevator, but I know it's there. 1/2 a strike, let's say.

Then getting off at Noksapyeong, no problem. The elevator was nice.

After meeting our friends and going to Itaewon main road, we departed from there. The elevator ride down to the landing platform was good. But the turnstiles were not wide enough to let a baby carriage through, let alone a wheelchair. I'll call that 1/4 a strike. Another 1/4 for Noksapyeong, as it has none of those nice and wide turnstiles. Up to 2 strikes.

Coming home, Gongdeok was alright, but Singil had the 1 staircase without an escalator when transferring to Line 1.

On the way to Bucheon, we got the nice crowded train with the drunken grandfather who thinks he can stick his hand into a baby stroller and touch our daughter. I told him to *beep* off. But Seoul Metu-ro is not responsible for that.

The real kicker came at Bucheon station. We waited in line for the escalator as many able-bodied young people lined up and pushed others out of the way to get on it first. When we got to the front, there is some dipshit metal pole right in the middle of the escalator, making it too narrow to push the stroller through without lifting it over the top. 1 big strike.

Sorry Seoul Metu-ro, but you got 3 strikes. For a 'cosmopolitan' and 'modern' city, Seoul has a long way to go.

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

You will have a lot of problems in a lot of countries, when moving around in a stroller.

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

Interesting first-hand experience to read.

HapKi · Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Location: TALL BUILDING-SEOUL

Don't see a lot of strollers on the subway. Are they even allowed? On a crowded train, they take up about the same space as three standing men. And, of course, you probably park it right in front of the door, cause the lack of wheeling room. Nope, don't like it one bit. Leave them at home unless you know it's a half empty train.

RobinR · Joined: 18 Feb 2008

stroller access? are you kidding?

jeez, I lived in Mexico for 6 months and dont think I ever saw a stroller.

KumaraKitty · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Bucheon

Just to note, for safety reasons it is usually not recommended to take a stroller onto an escalator.
Do you and wifey take turns carrying baby? If her back hurts maybe you can carry the baby for a while.
Or, buy a small Matiz like we did. Good on gas, easy for running around, carries a good amount of stuff in the trunk, 1/2 priced tolls and parking everywhere we go. Used ones don't cost much and swapping my Canadian license was easy. Take us about 45 minutes to drive to Itaewon.
If you're planning on being here a while it could help a lot!
Cheers!

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

As far as wheelchair/stroller access to the turnstiles goes, there is (as far as I know) a gate next to the turnstiles. Isn't there?

Julius · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

Passions · Joined: 31 May 2006

cry me a river~~~ cry me a river~~~ cry me a river~~~

jessiaka · Joined: 07 Jan 2006

Um... Safety 101

"Do NOT bring a stroller, carts or large packages on escalators. Strollers do not belong on an escalator. Unsuspecting parents can easily lose an unfastened child in a stroller down an escalator before they realize the hazard exists. Most locations have nearby elevators, if you have a baby stroller, carts or large packages, use the elevator."

DCJames · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

I doubt you'll find any big city in any country "family friendly".

Maybe that's why most familes live in THE SUBURBS. duh Rolling Eyes

Ginormousaurus · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Location: 700 Ft. Pulpit

flakfizer · Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

About the legality of, I am not concerned. Are bible thumpers allowed? Beggars? Peddlers? Is it legal for a mom to tell her son to pee in a cup?

Car....this area has absolutely horrible parking. There is no way we can buy a car unless we move.

I agree the escalator is dangerous, but it's that or stairs. I would consider the escalator a lot safer than carrying a stroller down crooked, slippery stairs.

When we go out together, I usually carry the baby. But often they go out when I am at work. Hence the bad back.

The point of my post is that I am comparing a stroller to a wheelchair. A wheelchair is less versatile than a stroller, as no one can lift it up when they need to. And I am certainly not waiting for that little ramp thingie. It takes about 15 minutes each way for just 1 set of stairs. Many stations or transfers need 2-3 sets of stairs.

KumaraKitty · Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Location: Bucheon

If you take the baby out of the stroller and then use the escalator it is by far the safer choice. If you carry the stroller down hopefully wife can carry baby without hurting her back too much. Also, does she use the Korean style baby wrap? Maybe changing the type of baby carrier could help with her back problems.
We have designated parking with our Apartel, underground and secured. If you live in a Villa, yeah, parking sucks. We lived in a Villa before we got our Apartel, and there were like 50 designated spots you rent from the city monthly for the whole area. The rest is street parking, but with our little car we got to park at the base of the villa stairs, our landlord told us to. Until one night some a$$hat parked there. He lived 2 blocks away, because we saw him SLOWLY walking to our Villa when we called him. We asked him to move so I could park. He looked at us, said it was free street parking. We asked him to move because we lived here and our Landlord told us to park here. He started smoking, popped his car in neutral and rolled it about 6 inches forward. Oh man, hubby was in his face after that. I had to sandwich myself between the 2 because he was so angry. He simply refused to move it, but he still walked all the way down the street to look at it and tell us no. There was some construction material laying by our Villa so hubby started hucking it out of the way when a$$hat left so we could park there. He sent his friend down the street to watch because it sounded like we were beating the crap out of his car. We started looking for a new place to live shortly after that. So yah, on parking, I feel ya. But most places have assigned parking and in a Matiz, it is pretty easy to find some small spot.
Anyways, I didn't realize you were comparing the stroller to Wheelchairs. Yes, the Wheelchair access is pretty miserable here. Hubby has carried a man and a woman up the stairs at Songnae while another stranger carried their chair because the wheelchair lift was out of order. I've always felt it was horrid. In Bucheon there is a van run by the city that picks up and takes wheelchair bound people around. I've seen it as I drive around. Some churches do as well. Also, most of the trains have a wheelchair section in the end of some of the cars where the seats are removed. That may be worth searching out for stroller placement next time.
Cheers!