Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nautilus]

I generally give up my seat to old folks. Problem is theres so many of them...your chances of getting a seat on busses and trains nowadays is virtually zero.

As for younger folks, I've perfected the art of slipping into any seat almost before the person has gotten up from it.
Don't you think they should lay on more public transport anyway? its always overcrowded.

This is why:
Senior citizens soon to be 38% of population

http://search.hankooki.com/times/times_view.php?term=population+growth++&path=hankooki3/times/lpage/biz/200612/kt2006121319110811890.htm&media=kt

[seoulsista]

Well, I;m glad I don't live in Seoul so I don't have to deal with this problem so often.

I always sit in the furthest possible seat in the back so when the older people get on they don't even come back there. Usually, someone else will give up there seat first.

However, when I am stuck in the front on a busy bus I never sit for more than one or two stops without giving up my seat.

Although, you could always take a tip from the natives. Pretend you're asleep. That's the ticket.

[Bibbitybop]

I don't seem to have this problem. There are seats reserved for the old folks. I don't generally give mine up unless the person is VERY old or has a handicap.

Maybe I travel at the right times, get lucky or have mastered the art of spotting a soon-to-be-vacant seat, but I get a seat over half the time I ride the subway or bus.

Even if I didn't get a seat as often, Seoul rocks and I'd gladly stand up for 30 minutes instead of living in BFE.

[Cerebroden]

agreed, I'd much rather stand than be pigeon holed into one of those small ass subway seats. I feel much more miserable sitting down than standing up in a crowded subway.

[teachingld2004]

What really gets to me is when I see children sitting on the seats that are reserved for the elderly. I have seen grandmothers and their 6 yr old grand children sitting while old people stand. I have seen mothers and 2 children sitting down on those seats when the trains are crowded. At least stick a kid on your lap and let some one else hae a seat.

I gave my seat to an old man a few weeks ago, or I thought I did. A little kid ran to the seat with the mother and the old man did not say one word. I did, and the mother just laughed. Some one else made a comment to the mom and the kid got up and the old man sat.

[charlieDD]

I've heard there is a group that is taking or talking about taking legal action against whoever runs the buses that go from Bundang to Seoul. In an effort to force them to provide more buses, especially in the morning, they are accusing them of braking safety laws by allowing people to stand in buses that travel on the highway. It apparently is illegal for a passenger to stand in a bus that is travelling at high speed on the highway; and they are supposed to wear the seat belts ( you'll notice that only the buses that go on the highway have seat belts, generally).

If they succeed, the buses would lose 15 or so passengers per bus, the ones who stand. This would cause a dearth of bus transportation big time, make a lot of people angry, and . . they hope . . force the bus authority or company (whoever has the authority) to lay on and provide more buses.

Bet it doesn't go anywhere ! (At least not until a bus goes off the road or has some other accident and the people standing all get killed.)

[Son Deureo!]

The cars at the front and back ends tend to have less people in them because the entrances to most of the platforms are in the middle and most people are too lazy to walk.

[Gamecock]

You've got to master the Korean art of pretending to sleep when you do get a seat. That way you are exempt from giving up your seat to the elderly...

[cdninkorea]

I don't give my seat up unless it looks like standing is difficult for them. In my mind, if they can hike up a mountain for two hours (as most old Koreans seem to be able to do), they're just as capable of standing for twenty minutes as I am, and I'm not about to give anybody special rights just because they're older.

[Vancouver]

[andy202]

[spliff]

Do like I do. Bring a book and become totally absorbed w/ it, then you won't have to give up your seat and everyone won't think ill of you as "you don't know", you're busy reading.