Driving in Traffic

14-May 2007

Got my car last Monday and the company lent me a driver for a week so that I can be guided around the city. Seoul has a large network of roads and bridges and it can get complicated to drive around. A river intersects the city at around it's center and parallel along it's banks are two expressways with at least four or five lanes on both directions. Connecting these two highways are at least sixteen bridges. Despite this, the traffic is very heavy especially during the rush hour period (7am-9am and 5pm-8pm) and during weekends. There are just so many cars. As an example, on Friday, it took us one hour and a half to travel from the office to my apartment even though the distance was only twelve kilometers. Reminds me of Metro Manila!

Driving is also very similar. Despite the many signs on the road and on side posts declaring the speed limit, it seems that Koreans consider this instead as the minimum. So if the road sign says sixty, you will notice most cars travelling at speeds over that and even on very narrow streets. There are a number of police and surveillance cameras around but only once, did I see a policeman stop a vehicle (but he still let the driver go free afterwards). Also, as a rule, you should drive along the middle of the lane because the side lanes are either for turning left or right. In fact, for wider lanes, the leftmost lane is strictly for making a U turn if the intersection permits it. Hence, you have to be conscious of the signs on the road pavement.

If you wish to go to a place across the river, you have to be aware of what bridge to take. However, these bridges look very similar but the entrances from the expressways are not. Some bridges may not even have a direct exit into the highway or the highway may not have any exit to a particular bridge. Personally, I had to remember the bridges (in sequence) going to the office because these serve as my landmarks.

I have talked to some of my Korean colleagues here at the office and they too are confused sometimes of the road network. I am proud of my navigational skills but this will truly be a test of my abilities. Lesson in driving here in Seoul is to be conscious of the road signs and prepare for your trip (especially if this will be your first) by remembering the landmarks.