Motorcycles

In Seoul, motorcycles seem to know no law except the laws of physics (i.e. speeding motorcycle meets immovable object). If you live in Seoul, you quickly get used to stepping aside as motorcycles speed down the sidewalks. But, they also race down the streets, swerving between and around vehicles and through red lights with scarcely a glance in any direction. If you've walked anywhere in Seoul, you know that awareness of others who are on an intersecting course is totally lacking.

Riding a motorcycle in Seoul must be a lot like gambling. You just ride through red lights and hope that there is no vehicle that will intercept you. Or, you ride between the curb and other vehicles assuming that no one will turn right or open a door. I guess the motorcycle riders just hope that they don't crap out.

Every day, I walk past an intersection at the back gate of Sogang University. At the corner is a police station. However, every single day, I see buses, delivery vehicles, and motorcycles speed through red lights without looking to see who is coming through on the green light. I'd like to think that this intersection is an anomoly, but I doubt it. It truly is mind boggling. If the buses really care about not having an accident, they honk their horns as they speed through the red light. Generally, no one honks. It's a fairly busy intersection. The fact that I haven't seen any accidents there is probably because Sogang University is a Jesuit school and God is watching over everyone - even the foolish.

This afternoon, I saw a student on a tiny little motorbike, wearing no helmet, speed through the intersection on a red light and swerve around a couple of pedestrians and a bus. I still can't believe he made it safely.