Walk on the Right hand side

monosharp

http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/10/07/south-korea-government-says-to-walk-on-the-right-side/

So I'm living in Korea and the government have started pushing its new policy, walking on the right hand side.

After generations of doing the opposite, South Koreans will be directed to walk, go up and down stairs, and use escalators on the right-hand side beginning Oct. 1. Entrance signs will be flipped at airports and transit stations; newly installed arrows will guide the wayward.

South Korea has been a right-hand-drive nation since its first president, Syngman Rhee, ordered his people to do the opposite of their former colonizers, the Japanese.

But walking on the left is something that Koreans have done since before they can remember – for the simple reason it was what they were taught. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs says it’s trying to bring the country in line with “global walking culture” as Korea endeavors to become an international business hub. But not all residents are so sure about the decision.

“It won’t be easy,” says Lee Pil-young, a parking lot attendant, adding that people will probably go up and down stairs whichever way they please. “I don’t think it’s helpful.”

The ministry is confident that walking on the right will bring an estimated increase in walking speed of 1.2- to 1.7-fold (in a land where “quickly, quickly!” is a mantra), and a 13 to 18 percent reduction of walkers’ “mental burdens.”

So on the advertisements on TV etc it says that Korea must start doing what the rest of the world does, i.e > Walk on the right hand side. :pac:

They are telling people here that walking on the right hand side and walking clockwise is the 'global' standard and walking on the right will make people happy.

Maybe big Brian should try this at home and make people happy ?

wudangclan

It's like them bloody foreigners ,walking on the right ,when they come here on hols ,making life difficult for us left-side walkers.
A right nuisance.

john-joe

Two threads about korea in ONE day, never knew it was so popular... :rolleyes:

admiralofthefleet

indeed

Captain Furball

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

indeed

lol

electrogrimey

I'd fully support this being brought it. I thought it was kind of an unwritten rule to walk on the right, especially on busy narrow bridges and such.

F*ck NAMA and public sector pay, this is the real issue.

NothingMan

Rest of the world.... Except Ireland! In no other country is it acceptable to have 2 or 3 people abreast on an escalator so people in a hurry can't walk by! I hate being stuck on a slow moving escalator behind some idiots who know i'm there and it's empty all the way to the bottom.

In London you'd probably be pushed down the stairs! In Germany they would just glower you down until you cried and confessed to every misdeed since you were born but in Ireland we just stand impatiently and then moan about it later on the interwebular hypernet!

electrogrimey

NothingMan wrote: »

Rest of the world.... Except Ireland! In no other country is it acceptable to have 2 or 3 people abreast on an escalator so people in a hurry can't walk by! I hate being stuck on a slow moving escalator behind some idiots who know i'm there and it's empty all the way to the bottom.

In London you'd probably be pushed down the stairs! In Germany they would just glower you down until you cried and confessed to every misdeed since you were born but in Ireland we just stand impatiently and then moan about it later on the interwebular hypernet!

I noticed this alright around Europe, and it's not just an unwritten thing, there are signs everywhere saying 'please stand on the right', in some ridiculous non-English language. "S'il vous plaît tenir à droite" = ridiculous gibberish.

CreepingDeath

Can't wait to see the chaos at revolving doors over there.

NothingMan

Maybe 2 Wongs will make a right!

who the fug

NothingMan wrote: »

In London you'd probably be pushed down the stairs!!

I never push, just barge my way through muttering about effing tourists


Don't even start me on them morans with bags on wheels blocking the platforms on the tube every morning

az2wp0sye65487

NothingMan wrote: »

Maybe 2 Wongs will make a right!

Quote of the day!

mikemac

When I went to London I was warned about this.
And it works perfectly, people stand on the right and everyone else can rush past.

So why doesn't it work here?

WindSock

Factoid: The reason people drive and walk on the left stems back from times past when many had swords so they wouldn't clash when walking and on horses.

citizen_p

seriously....why....i dont walk n any particular side...i think this was some north korean deception


"you south koreans dont even walk on right side of street"
in kim jong il accent

Daroxtar

I walk on the left. It means my stronger right arm is in striking range earlier when i get near scumbags.

mud

WindSock wrote: »

Factoid: The reason people drive and walk on the left stems back from times past when many had swords so they wouldn't clash when walking and on horses.

I never knew that ^^^^^^^

I do however remember being screamed at to WALK ON THE LEFT OF THE STAIRS throughout my secondary school education

Good times! (not)

NothingMan

WindSock wrote: »

Factoid: The reason people drive and walk on the left stems back from times past when many had swords so they wouldn't clash when walking and on horses.

Ah Stephen Fry, I believe it was more so they had their right hand on the outside to defend themselves with said sword, or offer greetings to passers by. Now the whole world bar a few of us are just rude and defenceless.

mikemac

mud wrote: »

I never knew that ^^^^^^^

I do however remember being screamed at to WALK ON THE LEFT OF THE STAIRS throughout my secondary school education

Good times! (not)

I went to a Christian Brothers school and was screamed at to walk on the right, I still do to this day

WindSock wrote: »

Factoid: The reason people drive and walk on the left stems back from times past when many had swords so they wouldn't clash when walking and on horses.

True, also the reason why spiral stairs in castles were always clockwise, so the defender who was most likely right-handed had an advantage

dsmythy

I don't think we Irish would take well to being told how to walk.

Alessandra

I think it should be a world standard that people walk on the right. It works so well on the tube. The tourists etc can stand on the escalator while those with places to be can go past.
Nothing worse than people hogging the whole sodding footpath when you are in a hurry either.

artanevilla

We walk on the left in Ireland.

Alessandra

artanevilla wrote: »

We walk on the left in Ireland.

Do we? Last I checked everyone walked where they pleased.

mikemac

artanevilla wrote: »

We walk on the left in Ireland.

Nope, ever walk on a rural road without footpaths?
Rules of the road state you walk on the right and realy it's commen sense anyway.
You can see oncoming cars and stand in

So just carry on doing this in towns and on footpaths

Alessandra

Is the rule when walking on a road that you walk facing oncoming cars?

Naos

Steve Tyler will be licking his lips in anticipation of a lucrative advertisement deal.

electrogrimey

artanevilla wrote: »

We walk on the left in Ireland.

Sure...

NothingMan

Alessandra wrote: »

Is the rule when walking on a road that you walk facing oncoming cars?

Yep, unless you're approaching a right bend in the road and can't see the traffic, then you cross to the left until you're around the bend, then cross back. Ah my hill walking days weren't a complete waste.

artanevilla

electrogrimey wrote: »

Sure...

Sure they're all tourists!

The Davestator

:mad::mad:Why are people so lazy that as soon as they set foot on the escalator / travelator they just stop dead like feckin morons with a gormless lazy look on their inevitable fat heads oblivious to the rest of mankind waiting to pass them so we can continue with our lives. GRRRRR

*heads over the ranting & raving forum*

Irish Halo

Alessandra wrote: »

I think it should be a world standard that people walk on the right. It works so well on the tube. The tourists etc can stand on the escalator while those with places to be can go past.
Nothing worse than people hogging the whole sodding footpath when you are in a hurry either.

We stand on the right on the tube escalators, walk on the left.

Unless I have my left and right confused again

WindSock

Irish people lack crowd moving ettiquette, imo.

az2wp0sye65487

WindSock wrote: »

Irish people lack crowd moving ettiquette, imo.

We lack all kinds of ettiquette tbh

monosharp

What the linked article doesn't tell you is that in Korean the advertisements for this say literally;

Walking on the right hand side will make you happier, walking on the right hand side is what the rest of the world does so we must follow, be happy, walk on the right.

ElaElaElano

I hope Beyonce doesn't have any gigs planned in Korea. There'd be moral outrage when she does that 'to the left, to the left' number.

congo_90

Stand to right but move clockwise.. seems kinda stupid. Imagine turning the rules so we drove on the opposite side of the road except on the roundabouts!

Alessandra

Irish Halo wrote: »

We stand on the right on the tube escalators, walk on the left.

Unless I have my left and right confused again

#


You pedant. yes we stand to the right but, we face oncoming traffic by standing right... taking a left means we are going by tube or trAIN.?!

kumate_champ07

I walk on the wild side

Mr Benevolent

NothingMan wrote: »

Maybe 2 Wongs will make a right!

You've come to the Wong place.

Murphyt

Well holiest of moliests, should we start doing the Goose-step too, just to make sure we are all in line. I will continue to walk against the flow and as for people not walking on escalators or travelators give me a break, we can stand and wait if we want, if you want to get past simply ask. Oh rise rebelious walkers this is our time?

5starpool

Murphyt wrote: »

Well holiest of moliests, should we start doing the Goose-step too, just to make sure we are all in line. I will continue to walk against the flow and as for people not walking on escalators or travelators give me a break, we can stand and wait if we want, if you want to get past simply ask. Oh rise rebelious walkers this is our time?

Rebellious walkers? Nearly.

The Irish seem to have something against people in a hurry. Any time I get past someone on an escalator or even walk around a trio of airhead pavement hoggers, I get the eye roll and some comment about everyone being in a hurry these days. Em yeah, I am in a hurry, I have somewhere to be! I'm not going to stand behind you for 5 minutes and make myself late for work! The people who stand 2 abreast on escalators seem to think it's their right to do so and everyone else is being unreasonable. Really weird attitude. I love the tube here in London, if you're not in a hurry you can stand on the right, if you are, you go on the left. Why is that so hard?