Parking in Gyeongju (part 1)

In a continuing effort to make this blog as exciting as possible, I'm devoting yet another post to parking, everyone's favorite topic.*

Here's the first thing about parking. Parking spaces are fully enclosed by white lines, unlike in the US, where only three sides of the parking space are lined.

Note the burial mounds in the background. Sure sign that we are in Gyeongju.

It's amazing to me how such a small distinction can create such a large difference in impression. There's something about parking lots that seems Tetris-like, as if a child is going to arrange toy vehicles inside little rectangular compartments. Although the feel is very ordered, the effect is somewhat chaotic, as there is no indication of which side you are meant to enter the space from.

In Seoul and in Japan I've seen a lot of crazy parking structures that are designed to efficiently pack a lot of cars into very small spaces. I've blogged some of them; the photos are worth checking out.* We've only seen one such structure in Gyeongju, and it's not all that impressive. But it's still weird-looking to an American.

It's a parking elevator.

So here's my rant. I really, really, really hate the way people park here. It is careless, thoughtless, and hazardous. There seems to be no limit to how illegally or dangerously someone will park. Completely blocking traffic, putting pedestrian lives in danger, causing material damage to public and private property—these are apparently not concepts that trouble the minds of drivers wishing to leave their cars.

I'm pretty tolerant when it comes to cultural differences. But not in this case. I feel constantly endangered by the idiocy of the parking culture here. Below is my gallery of annoyingly, stupidly parked cars. You could get this many pictures any day of the week by walking around for five minutes. I am mercifully only posting seven here for now.

Car blocking alley

Close-up of hopelessly inadequate cones meant to prevent cars from parking in crosswalk

Car in crosswalk

Car even more blocking crosswalk, and sidewalk

Cars parked on sidewalk

Car parked in front of "No parking in road" sign

Car making mockery of rubber cone

 When I asked Erma's parents why Koreans do this, my father-in-law's response was "Those stupid guys." I guess that's about all the explanation one can hope for.

  Needless to say, there is no parking enforcement. Maybe a few tickets would solve the problem.

  This situation is not just painful to foreign visitors, but also creates a great deal of inconvenience for locals (when they are not themselves being drivers). I'll post about how they deal with the parking nightmare soon.

* Okay, maybe just my favorite topic. Here are all the posts on this blog that have been tagged with the label "parking" -- 8 and counting.