(no subject)
You know, one of the best things about Korea is that it is so incredibly safe. But oddly enough, the extremely low (petty) crime rate leads to a lot of complacency, which leads to some of the most annoying parts of Korea's, and especially Seoul's, societal norms.
1. Bumping into people on the street/subway. If people had any fear whatsoever of having their wallets stolen or of some scary person starting a fight with them because they blatantly got shouldered or elbowed out of the way, people would not do this. But they don't. Which leads to a lot of frustrations and bruises, but not much change.
2. People staring at their phones while walking down the street, or even biking. I've been tempted SO many times to just grab someone's iPhone out of their hand and throw it into oncoming traffic. But I have resisted the temptation every time. As have everyone else, apparently, even when the sheer ignorance of one's surroundings leads to sideswipes or collisions. Not to mention how utterly dangerous it is to NOT LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING when there are cars and motorcycles racing around on the streets and sidewalks with little regard for pedestrians.
3. Parents pushing their (tiny! not in strollers!) children ahead of them so they can get to the front of the line first. Why would you do that??? It is SO easy to just grab a kid and run. Also, kids walking in front are way easier to step on or bump into, because they are short and really hard to see. I have watched many little kids get smacked by things they didn't see/by people who simply didn't see them. Hold onto your kids in crowds! At least hold their hand and make sure the way is clear. And maybe teach them manners, that it's important to SHARE and not be first all the time? Is that asking too much? Maybe.
In case you were wondering, I have not been having the greatest day.
1. Bumping into people on the street/subway. If people had any fear whatsoever of having their wallets stolen or of some scary person starting a fight with them because they blatantly got shouldered or elbowed out of the way, people would not do this. But they don't. Which leads to a lot of frustrations and bruises, but not much change.
2. People staring at their phones while walking down the street, or even biking. I've been tempted SO many times to just grab someone's iPhone out of their hand and throw it into oncoming traffic. But I have resisted the temptation every time. As have everyone else, apparently, even when the sheer ignorance of one's surroundings leads to sideswipes or collisions. Not to mention how utterly dangerous it is to NOT LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GOING when there are cars and motorcycles racing around on the streets and sidewalks with little regard for pedestrians.
3. Parents pushing their (tiny! not in strollers!) children ahead of them so they can get to the front of the line first. Why would you do that??? It is SO easy to just grab a kid and run. Also, kids walking in front are way easier to step on or bump into, because they are short and really hard to see. I have watched many little kids get smacked by things they didn't see/by people who simply didn't see them. Hold onto your kids in crowds! At least hold their hand and make sure the way is clear. And maybe teach them manners, that it's important to SHARE and not be first all the time? Is that asking too much? Maybe.
In case you were wondering, I have not been having the greatest day.