Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Suwoner10]

[cheeseface]

Do you think that you are likely to hear anything true out of the South Korean government


Unless that Korea is sparkling

[Chris Kwon]

Although there is bad driving here, I think the average driver is more skilled than a typical American driver. Driving in the states was easy, and as far as here I will gladly wait a few years before getting my international drivers license. People can get through tight spots and weave through traffic jams and park in tight spots.

Running redlights and driving in the bus lane has more to do with attitude than skill.

[Suwoner10]

[Chris Kwon]

[thiophene]

[whatever]

[Suwoner10]

[bluelake]

I remember, back in the early to mid-80s, when most people in Korea didn't drive. If they wanted to get somewhere, they walked, biked, or took mass-transportation. The taxi, bus, and truck drivers were just as crazy then as they are now (maybe even more).

I also remember when driving started to catch on with the general population. When someone wanted to learn to drive, they went to a driving school, which was probably started by a taxi, bus, or truck driver. Their driving habits were undoubtedly passed on to their students, on and on, ad infinitum...

When my family and I moved back to Korea in '89, I took mass-transportation for the first two years. However, I realized it wasn't going to work, so I bought a car and have been driving here ever since. Whereas in the West driving tends to be defensive (drive carefully and watch out for the other guy), driving in Korea is pretty much the opposite (look out for #1). It used to be, when I would head back to the States for a break, it took me a couple days to shake off my Korean driving habits. It took a day or so, after returning, to shake off my US driving habits.

I would not say Koreans are more skilled at driving. I would say they have set up a 400km long obstacle course that they have gotten used to.

As mentioned above, back in the early 80s most people did not drive. In order to get somewhere, they relied either upon their own muscles or someone else's driving. Because of that, back then Koreans were never in a hurry; they knew if they were late, that's just the way things were. Nowadays, since so many people in Korea drive, they think that whether they are late or on time is up to their foot on the gas pedal. Today, Koreans seem to always be in a hurry. I think it is because of the above-mentioned change in transportation. Just a thought...

[laogaiguk]

I do think it takes more skill here. They are also much bigger a-holes too though. I found the Japanese to be the best drivers I have ever seen. What they can do with a bus...

[markhan]

Actually a writer residing in Korea wrote how American misses getting into accident by feet whereas Koreans by inches. He noted that Koreans are technically better driver given the tighter driving environment. I drove for ten years in New York and a few years in Korea and I could assure that driving in Korea is a lot more difficult. I am particularly in awe of those bus drivers who can drive a big bus in such a narrow lane. The distance between parked cars and cars on the other lane seems impossibly narrow and yet, somehow they manage to pass through.

As for safe driving, that is another matter.

[bassexpander]

I would argue that taxi drivers are most of the problem in Seoul. Sure, there are some pretty horrible ajumma drivers out there, but the taxi drivers are pretty scary. That and older guys driving more expensive cars. They feel the confuscian ass-kissing should also take place on the street.

I sometimes wonder if these guys travel overseas to the US, rent some cadillac, and end up shot dead for being an ass on the road and waving a finger at the wrong person.

[jackson7]

Koreans know how to parallel park alright...it just happens to be of the 25+ point variety. I've watched some Korean Jacka$$ holdup traffic in his nice shiny SUV while trying to get into a parking spot at least 50% bigger than his vehicle. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth...amazing. Sparkling, even.

Finally, there's no arguing the accident reports. Korea has some of the most (THE most?) accidents, deaths from car accidents, and deaths from DUIs (of course) of any OECD country. Sparkling indeed. If you want to see good drivers, look down upon the 16 converging laneless streets around the Arc de Triumph in Paris. Somehow the drivers use their magic ESP and incredibly small car size to slice through traffic at speeds that would make an adjumma flinch.

[Kevin3701]

Typical anti korean trolls. No offense but living in NY for the past 10 years in flushings which is the largest korean community outside of Korea 2nd after los angeles, alot of the wreckless drivers in this area were WHITE. Now, that doesnt mean its only whites but there are bad drivers everywhere, not just korea.

[indytrucks]