Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lee Myung Bak]

So I rented a car on Jeju for the weekend. While I would rarely use or want one in Seoul, I thought it was nice to cruise around the island and the country roads.

HOWEVER, in only 4 days I encountered some ridiculous driving habits including, but not limited to: a dump-truck blowing a red light going approx 40KPH, numerous people changing lanes without looking or signaling, driving as though no one else exists, U-turns being the go-to way to get somewhere, 3-point turns on busy roads, only using mirrors while going in reverse, and(the worst) completely relying on dash navigation systems which makes it OK if you decide to brake or turn on a whim whenever you please.

Now, Ive seen bone-head moves in the states as well, but this stuff was mind boggling. I witnessed some horrible driving in Seoul, but only has a pedestrian. I know its not only on Jeju, because 90% of these violations were made by those driving rental cars.

So, those who drive, or have driven...whats the worst you've seen?

[ajuma]

Hahaha!! All of the above and more!

Tailgating is the way to go here because if you don't, some fool will try to get between you and the car in front of you.

Buses and trucks ALWAYS run red lights, so if you have the green, you still have to watch out!

I've been driving here for about 9 years and I've gotten used to "Korean style" driving. It's kind of passive-aggressive. If a driver can do something stupid, 9 times out of 10, he will!

The best part about driving in Korea is that my defensive driving skills are top of the line!

[djsmnc]

When I was in high school I saw (and did) a lot of terrible stuff. I remember my friend dropping the transmission of a Toyota hatchback by throwing it in reverse at 120 mph. Craziness!

As far as Korea goes, though, a new thing each day and every day so that there are none that stand out. However, I actually prefer driving in Korea more than some places back home, because it allows you to go around obstacles in very creative ways with little worry about being caught!

[egrog1717]

I've always maintained that Korea is like what would happen if Dr. Seuss and Darwin had an over-populated Asian baby

I was walking out of school one day, waiting at the lights to cross... Lights turn red, look left to make sure that traffic had stopped, stepped off the curb and WHAM!... Nailed by an Adjosshi going the wrong way down the road, through a red light, in a school zone on a scooter... Pretty nasty bruises on my leg and arm for a week or two after that... Good thing I'm a big guy... He wasn't going fast enough to knock me over, maybe 10mph, but one of my students would have have been toast for sure...
He made it about 3 feet after hitting me before dropping the bike over on himself. Didn't bother to see if he was okay (honestly didn't want the headache of the inevitable "it was the foreigner's fault) just crossed the road and caught my bus home, lol...

[Steelrails]

I love the old people on the Rascal Scooters going along at 10 mph and a 20 deep line of cars behind them.

Part of me kinda likes it. I mean if someone is that ornery of an old coot, in a weird way more power too em. Unfortunately I don't think they're doing it to get back at the young whipper-snappers, but rather just because they think that that is perfectly acceptable driving behavior.

If I ever feel myself starting to go and fade I might do something like that as a last hurrah. Chug thing of soju while doing it. Go full speed and lance one of the police with my cane as they try to stop me. All in good fun.

[conrad2]

The worst has to be on the expressways when someone misses their exit and are a few hundred meters up past the exit, they just go in reverse, ON THE FREEWAY, to go back to their exit. Madness.

[drydell]

ok - beat this...I've just been watching the evening news and there was an item on it which demonstrated that on average Koreans actually speed up when driving if it is raining...

the mind boggles...

[seonsengnimble]

Once I was at an intersection on a six lane street. The light turned green, but wasn't a protected left turn light. Some genius in the far right lane decides to make a left turn and cut off all six lanes.

[ED209]

[Junior]

Several times I've seen people drive into the car in front, when it stops suddenly for a red light.

They seem to assume the person in front is just going to keep going.

[ajuma]

[Louis VI]

I knew cars ran red lights and didn't respect pedestrians even at crosswalks but I didn't realize how crazy the driving was here until I bought a car and began driving around. After two years of driving I TOTALLY understand how South Korea is ranked #1 among OECD countries in car accident fatalities per capita. The bad habits here are culturally ingrained - they are done as a matter of course.

Korea is a safe country once one factors out car accidents and suicides. So stay off the roads and don't kill yourself and your safety will be assured.

[Louis VI]

[8 years down]

I've been driving here for about 4 years.

I drive 2 hours a day (an hour each way to and from work) in to Seoul.

You get used to it, I can almost always predict the behavior of the drivers around me now. It just sucks because it takes so much effort to drive defensively 100% of the time. I've been rear-ended twice in that time.

The things that bother me the most are:
- no shoulder checks, (most drivers have never heard of the blind spot)
- lack of signal use
- red light running
- disregard for pedestrians / crosswalks

[jvalmer]