Pedestrians Relieved by Disappearance of Scooters, Startled by Reckless Motorcycles

[Financial News] #. On the afternoon of the 15th, around 12:34 PM, a motorcycle was driving the wrong way and stopped on the road in front of a restaurant on Red Road in Hongdae, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It took less than 30 seconds for the driver to get off, pick up the delivery food, and start driving the wrong way again. Five minutes later, another motorcycle was driving the wrong way and invading the sidewalk in the same area. Citizens were startled, shouted, and quickly walked away from the motorcycle.
Although Red Road in Hongdae, known as the largest entertainment district in Seoul, has been designated as a 'scooter-free street' for pedestrian safety, it is still suffering from reckless motorcycle driving. Motorcycles crossing sidewalks without regard for their surroundings are identified as the actual 'culprits' threatening pedestrians. There are concerns that without regulations on reckless motorcycles, the authorities' measures will only be half-effective.
According to the police and others on the 27th, Red Road in Hongdae and Banpo Academy Street in Seocho-gu were designated as 'scooter-free streets' on May 16, the first in the country to ban personal mobility devices (PM) including electric scooters. The no-passing time is from noon to 11 PM every day.
Since the implementation of this measure, PM users have disappeared from the Red Road area. However, some motorcycle drivers still frequently violate traffic rules.
In fact, during a visit to Red Road in Hongdae on the 15th, motorcycles were considered a 'nuisance'. From noon to 1 PM, 89 motorcycles passed through the Red Road area, with more than 20 driving the wrong way on one-way streets.
In a one-lane area, a motorcycle was driving the wrong way, narrowly passing by other vehicles. Cases of driving in restricted areas were found at a rate of one every 5 to 7 minutes. Some drivers did not even wear helmets and passed through crowds.
The issue of sidewalk invasion was also serious. Some drivers ran through citizens on the sidewalk. In front of a sidewalk crowded with restaurants, three motorcycles were parked in a row. One motorcycle driver questioned, "Don't you think we should minimize walking distance to meet delivery times?"
Complaints erupted among citizens. Even on sidewalks, citizens often had to quickly step aside to avoid fast-approaching motorcycles. Office worker Mr. Park (31) lamented, "I've almost collided with motorcycles while walking on the sidewalk more than once," adding, "I always end up looking around."
Experts expressed concern about the serious safety issues caused by motorcycles. Kim Pil-su, a professor of automotive engineering at Daelim University, explained, "Motorcycles are more dangerous than PMs. While PM issues are often highlighted, the annual death toll from motorcycle accidents is around 500, about eight times the OECD average."
There were also suggestions for measures to ensure safety. Choi Jae-won, a professor at the Korea Road Traffic Authority, evaluated, "Areas with frequent accidents or high safety threats should be designated as pedestrian-priority roads, reducing speed to below 20 km/h," and "Sidewalk invasion and wrong-way driving fall under the 12 major offenses of the Traffic Accident Handling Special Act and are subject to criminal punishment. Enforcement needs to be strengthened."
jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yun