|
 |
 |
|||||||
 | |
|
Living & Surviving in Korea | |
|
Driving in Korea
| |||||||
The traffic injury rates in Korea are generally much higher than those of most of the western nations. As in any country, drivers will be liable for damages caused by negligent driving. Driving safely will take considerable practice. Cars are driven on the right side of the road (tranportation in Korea).
Well, the driver used 'Korean brakes', yes, folks, he slammed on the HORN and never slowed down a bit. Good thing the little kid didn't freeze at the sound of the horn... he would have been meat. Thinking on this, I thought of a few questions that I have about Korean driving. For example: Knowing how Koreans drive, why would they put a flashing yellow light at an intersection where there is a crosswalk instead of a red light? (The intersection in the story above is quite a dangerous one, being on a hill and being surrounded on three sides by an education office, a middle school and an apartment complex...lots of kids.) Have you ever seen a Korean driver (or drivers in many other countries) actually slow down for a yellow light? Is a worthless yellow light really much cheaper than a red light that changes to green? Why do Koreans always confuse the brakes with the horn? Why not slow down to avoid an accident? Why do Korean car companies install turn signal switches and indicators? Are these for export-only? Koreans never use them. Again, knowing how aggressive Koreans drive, why would they put so many traffic circles (roundabouts) in smaller cities? They are asking for trouble by using a system, which relies on patience and taking turns and such. Why doesn't anyone slow down for the speed bumps that are located every 5 meters in Apartment complexes? Don't they think that it hurts their car by going over them so fast or that there is a reason for having speed bumps in places where lots of people are? Why do drivers always have to drive down the narrowest streets with the most pedestrians on them in shopping areas? Is it a requirement or something? Why do they have so many places labeled "No Parking" if the police never give them tickets? Knowing that Korea is #1 in OECD countries in car fatalities AND in child deaths by traffic accidents, why doesn't someone market "car-seats" here? Scare the citizens with gruesome ads and then sell them a car seat for w99, 900 and throw in a free kim-che knife. Parents spend so much money on hagwon educations for their kids; why not protect them with a car seat? Or at least put a seat belt on a kid instead of them being squashed up in the front with no restraints. Honestly I once saw over 20 kindergarten children getting put into a 12-seat van. Legs hanging out a window even. Real scary? kids are trusting. BUT. Why isn't it illegal to have little babies stand on the floor of the scooter while Mom flies around town? Why isn't it illegal when you put 3 kids on the scooter? Is it really a requirement on Korean motorcycle license testing that you have to be able to do a figure 8 around two pedestrians on the sidewalk? I know Korea is always proud to be number 1 in something, but traffic fatalities and child deaths is not one! And I get a kick out of the complaints about the "Bounty Hunter System" where citizens get cash for taking pictures of violators (I love this system by the way!). Many people who were ticketed multiple times in the same place on different days actually complained and said it wasn?t fair! Well, idiots, stop breaking the law and you'll stop getting tickets! Be careful out there!
I drive to work every day in my car. I am smart enough to have figured out the timing of the traffic lights. After a light goes yellow, I know, no matter how fast I drive, and the next one will be red. This is a true story: Yesterday I was motoring up to the light that I knew would be red at 70/kmh, the speed limit (which, IMHO, is too fast for an urban street), when a young man came up behind me and proceeded to blow his warbling air horn and flash his lights at me. Then he cut into the left lane, almost hit a car coming up it, floored it and then slammed on the brakes at the red light. I pulled up beside him and he started yelling at me in Korean, which I speak pretty well. "Hey Yankee, don't you know how to drive?" he asked. (I am not American, but that is another topic) "Yes, I have been driving for twenty five years and have never been in an accident," I replied. "You are holding up traffic!" he blurted, with no honorifics. "I knew the light would be red, so why race?" I told him and added, "And gasoline and brakes are expensive." "How could you know the light would be red, you S.O.B!" he yelled. "Because I have been driving this road every day for two years, and at least I have a mother (one of the worst insults in Korean), you idiot!" I blurted. He was really steamed then and stood on it, going through the still red light. As typical for a Korean, he was so unobservant that he did not notice the two conscript cops standing on the far corner of the intersection, who flagged him down and probably wrote him a bunch of tickets. I see this madness on a daily basis. I am glad to see that enforcement is way up. Things seem to be improving. Taxi drivers now longer question me when I put on the seat belt, "Don't you trust my driving?"
Home
| About Us
| Sitemap
Our Program | Employment Contracts | Terms & Conditions of Employment Information about Teaching in Korea | Living & Surviving in Korea | Useful Links Applications & Contact Details | Korean Employers Application Form Copyright © World English Service Ltd. All rights reserved. Last updated 17/12/2004. Design & development by Karere.
|
City street
Motorbike delivery
Another city street
Cement truck |