Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DanseurVertical]

I know that Korean people value quickness and industriousness. And riding your motorbike on the sidewalk can mean you get somewhere faster, especially if you are working as a delivery rider.

So, after one suddenly rushed onto the sidewalk as we were walking by, I asked my Korean friend what Korean people think of motorbikes driven on the sidewalk. She said they don't like it. I said explained that Korean people value everything being fast, so I wasn't sure. And I mentioned that in Japan, they don't do this, and she replied that Korean people working that job are lazy but also value being fast.

I don't know. I have only visited one city in Japan, Fukuoka, and motorists there are very respectful of pedestrians.

Any ideas of why there is such a difference in the Seoul area? How does it compare to Tokyo? I am thankful we have nice brick sidewalks, but is there no law here against riding a motorized vehicle on a sidewalk?

[yodanole]

Notions of legal and illegal are subject to "fuzzy logic", and appear to be negotiable in Korea, particularly in the area of "surviving the day".

[Nester Noodlemon]

The reasoning for motorbikes on the sidewalks in Korea is the same reasoning for kimchi vomit, human feces, cigarette butts, trash, spit, and all the other things that typically are found on the sidewalks on a daily basis.

By the way, Japanese sidewalks are usually spotless.

[Savant]

[Ocalmy]

Korea and Japan are different countries with very different histories that affect how they treat strangers and public space.

In my experience, most Koreans are respectful, courteous, and polite if they're dealing with people that they are somehow connected to ---that is... they went to the same university, play tennis together, cousins, family friend, bosses nephew, etc.

With strangers, there is no obligation to be courteous and respectful. Public space = stranger space, and is therefore subject to whatever kind of vomiting, spitting, motorcycle riding, push and shove, microphone blaring nonsense that random people choose to inflict upon it.

I lived in Dongdaemun for two years so maybe my perspective is skewed. Before that I lived in Songpa-gu and I found the people there to be generally more courteous.

[andrewchon]

What's next for you selfish pedestrians? No bicycles on sidewalks? No skateboards? No roller skates? No elderly on scooters? I used to live in a city where even dragging (not riding) your bicycle on sidewalks were illegal. Protect the kids, well fair enough I thought. Where do you ride then, on the road? On the road, car drivers hunt you down: "Get off the road! (it's for cars)". Motorcycles are parked on sidewalks because they've been bullied off the parking spaces. Car drivers pick up and dump your motorcycle anywhere and takeover your parking space. Now they don't bother and park on the sidewalks. Are you in favour of the powerless oppressed and violated of their rights?

[byrddogs]

[Captain Corea]

[furtakk]

As far as I know, it's illegal, but the police are absolutely useless here. With the exception of those DUI stops, I have never once seen police pull over a motorbike or car for a traffic violation. Even when some violation is clearly being committed in their presence. I did once see a police officer try to stop a motorbike. The guy on the motorbike did the 'I'm sorry wave' and kept driving like nothing happened. The officer was too lazy to chase him down.

This nonsense would be stomped out in a few months if they started issuing out hefty tickets or suspending licenses. Until that happens, you'll see these morons using the sidewalks.

[fermentation]

Of course it's illegal. Remember they had a "crackdown" earlier this year? It changed nothing.

[Squire]

I can see instances where you'd need to ride on the pavement (especially for a delivery guy), but I think it's a problem if you go any faster than walking speed.

[DanseurVertical]

[CentralCali]

[CentralCali]

[Who's Your Daddy?]