| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
E_athlete
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Location: Korea sparkling
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: Car accidents in Korea? |
 |
|
I live in jeon-ju and I'm kind of surprised to see so many car accidents. I've only lived here a month but I've witnessed about 4 accidents on the streets take place. 3 K-teachers at my school have been in serious car accidents in the last month. I'm starting to wonder if this a problem in Korea or if it's just coincidence.
Anyone have any articles about this? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Jack Manworth
Joined: 11 Aug 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I don't have the articles handy because it's been a few years since I read anything on the matter, but yes, Korea has a lot of car accidents. I seem to recall that they were number 1 in the OECD in this category.
The reasons for this are, and take your pick: 1) Korea hasn't been a driving culture for very long or 2) there are simply too many cars on the road at any given time or 3) 1 and 2. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Jack Manworth wrote: |
I don't have the articles handy because it's been a few years since I read anything on the matter, but yes, Korea has a lot of car accidents. I seem to recall that they were number 1 in the OECD in this category.
The reasons for this are, and take your pick: 1) Korea hasn't been a driving culture for very long or 2) there are simply too many cars on the road at any given time or 3) 1 and 2. |
3) Korea is all balli balli - so many people are in a rush, driving too fast, too close and with little consideration for others or any law that might slow them down.
4) Korea is corrupt - so many people don't think the laws apply to them and that they can buy their way out of anything. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GwangjuParents
Joined: 31 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
As someone who drives everyday, I would say the problems are narrow, congested roads... sometimes you get these lanes that "vanish" once you go through an intersection, so you can be left scrambling to find your lane... taxi drivers are very aggressive.
Most accidents though are low speed. If people get hurt it's because they're not wearing seat belts. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thurst
Joined: 08 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| earthbound14 wrote: |
| 4) Korea is corrupt - so many people don't think the laws apply to them and that they can buy their way out of anything. |
idk about the corrupt and buying their way out of stuff part, but people run lights, make u-turns and just generally disobey simple traffic procedures liek crazy here. i've yet to see a car accident here though, which blows my mind everytime i think about it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
asmith
Joined: 18 Jun 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm an everyday driver, also. I own a Santa Fe. I fear my brand new Santa Fe will soon be my coffin. Driving here scares the crap out of me. In fact, driving scares me more than the upcoming global financial meltdown. But that's just me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gakduki
Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Location: Passed out on line 2 going in circles
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Apparently they have 3 chances before they get in trouble for not pulling over when a cop is around.
There are few motorcyclists who obey the rules. The only police with authority are the ones on motorcycles.
Beisdes, every been to North America, I hate to perpetuate the sterotype, but the Asian parking lots are not a safe place especially under non ideal conditions.
We can play on our cellphones while on the subway, but while drivings its a different story.
Besides, if its okay to bump people while walking down the road, why not while driving down it too? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm toying with the theory that Koreans 'drive by sound'.
I've never seen so many cars with dings, scratches, paint scrubs etc as in Korea.
I'm not sure why Korean cars are so beat up. Perhaps it's because the dings are a source of pride, bad driving, driving by sound, the K nobody-exists-but-me mindset.
I've also wondered why Koreans don't fix these dings (too poor to panel beat them?) - and if Korean cars are made of tinfoil???
Anyone else notice this? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| thurst wrote: |
| earthbound14 wrote: |
| 4) Korea is corrupt - so many people don't think the laws apply to them and that they can buy their way out of anything. |
idk about the corrupt and buying their way out of stuff part, but people run lights, make u-turns and just generally disobey simple traffic procedures liek crazy here. i've yet to see a car accident here though, which blows my mind everytime i think about it. |
Korea is considered a corrupt country, this isn't news. People can pay money to victims rather than face jail time. So many wealthy drivers feel that they are above many laws and drive accordingly. Watch to see what cars run lights, they aren't the cheap ones. On top of that there is a sort of tough guy (gangster image) thing going on in the country, the type of guys who do what ever and expect to get away with it with a light slap on the wrist, whether we're talking about VPs at Samsung or the guy running the brothel next to my house. Again, these guys drive expensive cars and drive like asses.
Then there is the might makes right rule, if your car is better, bigger, or faster you can make others yield to you. Some drivers feel that because of their position as drivers (and that they are thus better drivers), they can do what they want and not give way to other drivers, buses, taxis, motorcycle couriers, tow truck drivers...and generally they have to drive aggresively because so many others will not yield to them. This is more lawlessness than corruption, but without rules, withought police enforcement, all these sorts of things exist.
Koreans aren't really bad drivers, actually many, if not most, are very aware drivers. I snuck up on a van today and somehow he saw me and gave me room, in Canada it would have been me slamming on the brakes (as it was I who was driving a little too fast) and stopping for him. They of course need to be like this because the other drivers in the country drive like everyone else will accomodate them.
My friends wife doesn't use her mirrors or shoulder check. When asked why she does this, she says the other drivers will see her and simply move for her.....one day she's going to get nailed by another dim wit doing the same thing as her. But that is Korea, the land of contradiction.
Perhaps I should just say Korea is lawless. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
madoka
Joined: 27 Mar 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| asmith wrote: |
| I'm an everyday driver, also. I own a Santa Fe. I fear my brand new Santa Fe will soon be my coffin. Driving here scares the crap out of me. In fact, driving scares me more than the upcoming global financial meltdown. But that's just me. |
Hey, I was wondering how you were going to work the impending economic doomsday into this thread.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
earthbound14
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Location: seoul
|
| Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| gakduki wrote: |
| Apparently they have 3 chances before they get in trouble for not pulling over when a cop is around. |
I tested the theory that the police won't pull you over for running a red light. Pulled in front of a police car, made sure they were looking then ran the light...nothing, didn't even blink.
Another time I ran a light in front of a police car and they did a u-turn to follow me. In Canada I would have just pulled over for my mistake, but in Korea I wanted to see what they would do. I booked off on them. Then decided that wasn't the nicest thing to do, so I stopped and waited for them. The officer just told me not to do that. I don't really get it. What's the point of a law if it isn't enforced or if police simply seem to deal with them on a whim. To this day I don't know why this particualr officer actually stopped me for doing what everyone does. I've never seen a ticket being given or gotten one myself. One police officer actually appologised because my bike was better than his and then let me go (he was under orders to pull people over at a new light that everyone was ignoring). I kind of understand because in the crush of Seoul traffic and the prolific use of lights, many rules are bent just to keep things moving. But it does lead to some people going welll beyond what is safe and being complete retards. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
