Comments on: Watch out; the subway guards are on the prowl http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/ Korea... in Blog Format Fri, 5 Sep 2008 16:52:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Mark http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53505 Mark Tue, 24 Oct 2006 11:41:58 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53505 Montclaire, when you peel back all the smelly kimchi onion layers, it comes down to blaming us for everything...prostitution, bad English teachers, the nuke, crime, economic woes...every goddamn thing is the fault of foreigners now. Our attempts to spoil South Korea's little tryst with North Korea are the icing on the cake which is riling them up. After decades of wearing the face mask of politeness towards foreigners, their true nature will become more preeminent as the gloves start to come off. Pay attention to the small things in the weeks to come...nothing is trivial. Montclaire, when you peel back all the smelly kimchi onion layers, it comes down to blaming us for everything…prostitution, bad English teachers, the nuke, crime, economic woes…every goddamn thing is the fault of foreigners now.

Our attempts to spoil South Korea’s little tryst with North Korea are the icing on the cake which is riling them up.

After decades of wearing the face mask of politeness towards foreigners, their true nature will become more preeminent as the gloves start to come off.

Pay attention to the small things in the weeks to come…nothing is trivial.

]]> By: montclaire http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53504 montclaire Tue, 24 Oct 2006 10:42:42 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53504 So you get the impression it's getting worse all of a sudden, Mark? Hmm...Wonder what's riling them up. So you get the impression it’s getting worse all of a sudden, Mark? Hmm…Wonder what’s riling them up.

]]> By: michael http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53481 michael Tue, 24 Oct 2006 06:04:41 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53481 Not a comment on the OP, but a couple of weeks ago I was in Tokyo, where the subway costs about three times as much as Seoul to go the same distance. Either Korea pays heavy subsidies or the subway just flat-out loses money and it's written off, dunno. Not a comment on the OP, but a couple of weeks ago I was in Tokyo, where the subway costs about three times as much as Seoul to go the same distance. Either Korea pays heavy subsidies or the subway just flat-out loses money and it’s written off, dunno.

]]> By: Mark http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53478 Mark Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:31:01 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53478 We can expect to see a lot more of this in the weeks to come. Usually about 10-12 empty taxis pass me before one finally picks me up. This past Friday night it was about 20-25. Usually I only average 1 racist incident per night on the town. This past outing it was 3, and this was even with a band of <i>gyopos</i> rather than fellow whiteys. The Coreans are out to get us now...time to face the music. We can expect to see a lot more of this in the weeks to come. Usually about 10-12 empty taxis pass me before one finally picks me up. This past Friday night it was about 20-25. Usually I only average 1 racist incident per night on the town. This past outing it was 3, and this was even with a band of gyopos rather than fellow whiteys.

The Coreans are out to get us now…time to face the music.

]]> By: seoulcub http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53468 seoulcub Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:55:28 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53468 We often travel with a stroller on the subways and it's really very simple. We just scan the card on the turnstile, then walk through the gate. We often travel with a stroller on the subways and it’s really very simple. We just scan the card on the turnstile, then walk through the gate.

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53446 R. Elgin Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:05:38 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53446 Yes, Richardson, I agree for one could also use it if they had a baggage dolly in the subway. It would also help if DC Metro would keep their trains from breaking down as much too considering how expensive they are now. Yes, Richardson, I agree for one could also use it if they had a baggage dolly in the subway. It would also help if DC Metro would keep their trains from breaking down as much too considering how expensive they are now.

]]> By: Richardson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53442 Richardson Mon, 23 Oct 2006 22:42:53 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53442 A card reader/scanner should be installed on the larger gates. Even if it is Korea, no way would I expect someone to leave a baby, even for a moment, or try to pay at one scanner and then go over to the gate during, for example, rush hour. If the DC Metro system folks figured out that readers are needed at the larger gates that all entrances have, Seoul should have been doing it for years before that. This would especially be true during a nuclear attack, when folks are rushing to get into the subway tunnels. (sorry, couldn’t resist) A card reader/scanner should be installed on the larger gates. Even if it is Korea, no way would I expect someone to leave a baby, even for a moment, or try to pay at one scanner and then go over to the gate during, for example, rush hour. If the DC Metro system folks figured out that readers are needed at the larger gates that all entrances have, Seoul should have been doing it for years before that.

This would especially be true during a nuclear attack, when folks are rushing to get into the subway tunnels. (sorry, couldn’t resist)

]]> By: Andy Jackson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53405 Andy Jackson Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:54:41 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53405 NathanB, Welcome to the Marmot's Hole, were you don't have to pay to get an argument. Slim, Thanks for reminding me. In the event of a nuclear attack, I expect that nobody will pay at the suburban underground stations being used as fallout shelters. Of course, those who choose to flee to the downtown stations are simply making the choice of being baked rather than grilled. NathanB,
Welcome to the Marmot’s Hole, were you don’t have to pay to get an argument.

Slim,
Thanks for reminding me.
In the event of a nuclear attack, I expect that nobody will pay at the suburban underground stations being used as fallout shelters. Of course, those who choose to flee to the downtown stations are simply making the choice of being baked rather than grilled.

]]> By: slim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53402 slim Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:30:55 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53402 I'm glad the nuclear crisis has eased off enough to allow debates like this. I’m glad the nuclear crisis has eased off enough to allow debates like this.

]]> By: NathanB http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53400 NathanB Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:16:49 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/23/watch-out-the-subway-guards-are-on-the-prowl/#comment-53400 I certainly still think as I have written, the unspoken provisio being <i>given the current situation as it is</i>. It would be perfectly easy for the subway system to install a card-reader <i>without</i> turnstiles at the gate. There could then be no objections to paying. You say that people could go through without paying, but this is what they are already doing. As for carrying things, I have often carried heavy boxes <i>over</i> the turnstiles. I would not expect to travel free in such circumstances. The safety issue still must be addressed. In a busy station, for example, Sinchon station, there can be many people packed into a very small space. The turnstiles do not always allow people to exit immediately adjacent to the gate. During busy periods, it there is certainly enough time for someone to snatch a baby or a purse. If the mother is traveling alone, it may be very difficult for her to hold both baby and purse (which must hold things like bottles, a thermos (perhaps), water, formula powder, etc.) as she goes through the turnstiles. The fact that Korea fortunately has a very low crime rate does not quite allay these concerns. I certainly still think as I have written, the unspoken provisio being given the current situation as it is. It would be perfectly easy for the subway system to install a card-reader without turnstiles at the gate. There could then be no objections to paying. You say that people could go through without paying, but this is what they are already doing.

As for carrying things, I have often carried heavy boxes over the turnstiles. I would not expect to travel free in such circumstances.

The safety issue still must be addressed. In a busy station, for example, Sinchon station, there can be many people packed into a very small space. The turnstiles do not always allow people to exit immediately adjacent to the gate. During busy periods, it there is certainly enough time for someone to snatch a baby or a purse. If the mother is traveling alone, it may be very difficult for her to hold both baby and purse (which must hold things like bottles, a thermos (perhaps), water, formula powder, etc.) as she goes through the turnstiles. The fact that Korea fortunately has a very low crime rate does not quite allay these concerns.

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