Korean Traffic

Michael Sheppard asked me what the traffic was like in Korea.

Just like North America, people drive on the right side of the street. However, each side of the street has about 4 lanes of traffic, and the dashed divisions between lanes are really only "suggested" driving spaces. Everyone cuts in and out of traffic so often that they are often in several lanes at once. Everyone makes gratuitous use of their horns to make other drivers aware of their presence and location so major accidents don't occur. It's a scary experience travelling by taxi or bus. I had a ride in a full-sized city bus that wove in and out of traffic at high speed in a way that a North American motorcyclist would cringe at. It's truly frightening.

In terms of pedestrian traffic, people generally walk on the left side of the sidewalk. There is a marked area on each sidewalk where motorcycles and scooters zip by. It is a little strange seeing motorcycles and scooters on the sidewalks, but you get used to it.

The best form of transportation (in my opinion) is taking the subway. It is fast and efficient and most tickets only cost between 900 and 1200 won ($1.00 - $1.50 or so). Taxis are super cheap and you can get a really long ride for about 7,000-10,000 won. There are special taxis that will only go to certain areas of town, and different classes of taxis that charge different amounts based on the taxi driver's experience and type of cab. It can be confusing. The same thing goes for busses. There are several types (about 2-3) and the fare ranges from 550 won to 1400 won. The more expensive busses travel between "cities" (suburbs).