Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dev]

Enter any subway station in Daegu and what's the first thing you see at the ticket gates? Security guards. Walk down the stairs to the platform and what's the first thing you see? More security guards. This scene is at EVERY station in Daegu. I've ridden the subway in several countries and NEVER have I seen this scene before. This goes on all day - not only rush hours. In fact, I believe in Korea this is unique to Daegu. Why the guards?

The reason is because the citizens of Daegu refuse to follow even the simplest of rules. I suspect that a lot of them will jump the ticket gates without paying if given the chance. Hence, the reason for the guards at the gates.

You know the reason for the guards on the platforms. They're watching out for people who refuse to stay behind the yellow safety line painted about 2 feet from the edge of the platform. If you get too close to the edge of the platform "rrrrrrrrrrrr!" the guard's whistle shrieks. The fact that they need the guards there full-time tells you the frequency of idiots standing too close to the edge of the platforms. We should call the guards babysitters 'cause that's essentially what they're doing. Babysitting these fools who want to hurt themselves.

One thing I wish the guards would do is teach the people how to properly board a subway train like their cousins up in Seoul know how to properly do, clear the center space for the people getting off of the train and stand to the sides of the doors. In Daegu's subway stations, there are even arrows painted on the platforms in front of every subway door instructing people how to do this. Can they follow these simple instructions? Oh noooo! Just a big mass of people standing in front of me when I am trying to get off the train. After they give each other the "I'm not moving, you move" eyes, someone surrenders and opens some space for me. In Seoul, this would be automatic as in the rest of the civilized world. Daegu! Oh brother! People here don't know how to properly use the subway.

[Lizara]

I suspect the reason for all the guards is because of the subway fire a few years ago, and has nothing to do with the behaviour of the current Daegu subway riders.

[ttompatz]

[denverdeath]

Yeah, not just a fire. A "mentally unstable" individual thought that he'd take his frustration and grief out on a lot of people and decided to spark up some paint thinner or sth. A terrible incident in Korea's recent history. Think of the guards as a good thing.