This post is trending because it perfectly captures a common, frustrating daily experience for many drivers in Korea. The specific issue of crosswalks being too close to intersections leading to traffic jams is a widely shared annoyance.
Korean drivers are collectively fuming over a seemingly minor, yet incredibly frustrating, flaw in urban road design: crosswalks placed too close to intersections. This isn't just a minor inconvenience; it's a daily source of traffic jams and near-misses that has many Koreans calling for a re-think of city planning. The problem often arises on two-lane roads where the first lane allows for an **unprotected left turn** and the second lane permits straight-ahead or **right turns**. When the light changes, cars attempting a right turn often find themselves immediately at a crosswalk. If even one or two pedestrians are crossing, these cars have to stop, blocking the straight-ahead traffic behind them. This means only a handful of cars can pass before the light changes, leading to massive backups and a general sense of helplessness. Many are suggesting that crosswalks should be drawn with more 'breathing room' from intersections, adapting to the specific surrounding environment to ease congestion and improve safety, aligning with the idea of 'people first' in road design.
🇰🇷 KOREAN REACTIONS 9
When you make a right turn, the crosswalk is so close to the intersection that cars are stuck waiting mid-turn. This blocks cars behind, and there are so many blind spots when people are crossing or running up. They should extend it by at least 5 meters!
Our traffic culture just hasn't caught up yet... that's why this happens. I think the only solution is to have dedicated signal lights for every lane to direct traffic... it feels like roads have just become paths for cars, whoa.
It's so frustrating when you're on a two-lane road with lots of right-turners, and a straight-ahead car just blocks you right in front. Everyone behind them wants to turn right, please don't block us!
To avoid any confusion at all... they should designate the 1st lane for left/right turns and the 2nd lane for straight only, and install signal lights for them, whoa.
If there are no people, you can just go, so there's no reason to block. (Referring to the common practice of right-turning on red if no pedestrians are present)
If you want to go straight, you shouldn't be there (in the right-turn lane). You're probably in the 2nd lane trying to get ahead faster, and now you're stuck. The 'people first' culture needs to be fixed quickly, not 'cars first'.
Wouldn't it just be better to have all crosswalk signals at an intersection turn on at the same time? (Like a scramble crossing)
For simultaneous signals, it might be better to actually *reduce* the distance to prevent cars from getting stuck mid-intersection when the light changes.
If congestion is caused by many right and left turning vehicles, wouldn't it be better to consider changing the signal system to give straight-left signals before separating the crosswalks?