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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

My shocking photo of the day...

Korea suffers from one of the highest traffic death rates in the world.

I took this picture out my classroom window today. My heart jumped when I saw a man driving his scooter with a 2 year old balanced between his legs, no helmet. Korean drivers are aggressive. There don't seem to be laws against driving scooters on sidewalks, but this has to be illegal.

From a 2004 CBC NEWS article-
"Motorcycle and scooter drivers are not any better: They drive at full speed on sidewalks, run red lights and don't drive with helmets. Many times I've seen mothers put their infants on the floorboards of their scooter while zooming around town. Sure all this is illegal yet most drivers get away with breaking traffic laws on a daily basis."

8 comments:

Fox said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fox said...

Have to say, That makes Michael Jackson look innocent.

Helena said...

Yikes!

Gail T. said...

that really isn't unusual in that part of the world. i've seen more shocking things in the philippines. :) but this does make your heart jump a bit.

Eva Karrin McKinnon said...

Fox- hahaha... almost... almost

Actually I think Micheal Jackson, as much of a screwball as he is, isn't a BAD guy.

Helena- my thoughts exactly ; o

gail- share your shocking things!!

Anonymous said...

My wife and I saw many scary scooter scenarios. We taught english in Seoul for a year,
then backpacked through Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Vietnam and Thailand for 4 months and found safety (scooters, construction) frighteningly scary all over Asia.
Whole families of couples with 2-3 young children weaving through thick traffice at high speed, construction workers on high scaffolding with no tether, no hat
and no shoes! Korea is actually more safety conscious than rest of Asia!

Teaching english in Korea was fun, the travelling was an excellent adventure. We're canadian, and now live in Las Vegas.

Anonymous said...

My wife and I saw many scary scooter scenarios. We taught english in Seoul for a year,
then backpacked through Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Vietnam and Thailand for 4 months and found safety (scooters, construction) frighteningly scary all over Asia.
Whole families of couples with 2-3 young children weaving through thick traffice at high speed, construction workers on high scaffolding with no tether, no hat
and no shoes! Korea is actually more safety conscious than rest of Asia!

Teaching english in Korea was fun, the travelling was an excellent adventure. We're canadian, and now live in Las Vegas.

Gail T. said...

lol, eva. my family of 6 used to be able to all get a ride on a Honda motorcycle--at the same time. But that's when the eldest child was 14 and the youngest was 9. we used to go to church in our Sunday's best on the motorcycle. i guess that would be unbelievable to most people.

or people would pile into, hang onto the sides, or sit on the roof of a modified jeep (called a jeepney, a mode of public transportation in the philippines).

i wish i had pictures. maybe the next time i go home, i'll take plenty and share. :)