Monday 2 November 2009

The Dangers of Commuting in Korea during the Winter Season


Me getting cold -- Korean Winter 2006

The thing I probably dislike most about Korean winters is not the cold itself. It is the extreme artificial heating one experience on the public transportation system. Imagine being cocooned in layers of insulating garb: a vest, a shirt, a cardigan or sweater, a jacket, all covered with a down-feather jumper, and add to this a scarf, earmuffs, and a beanie. The description seems excessive only to those that have not been outside on Korea’s coldest days, easily dropping to below -10° Celsius. Picture yourself nuzzled in such apparel, safely protected from the bone cutting coldness outside, and then boarding a bus or subway train that is heated far above what would even be considered moderate summer temperatures. The contrast from the outside is immediately noticeable; it is like stepping into a sauna. But what would be a lifesaving haven for the scantily dressed frostbitten fashion slave that doesn’t know how to dress warmly during the cold season, or for the unfortunate poor that cannot afford clothing, such heated "comfort" becomes a hell, in an almost literal sense, for those that are already dressed warmly.

Lest you become a barbecued chicken—for that is the feeling one gets, steaming away in your layers of clothing—undress is your only salvation. But taking off ones clothes in the confines of a moving vehicle is a task that is in the worst case a dangerous endeavour, and in the least case disturbing for oneself and ones neighbour. Dangerous, because it requires the dexterity and balance of a gymnast to contort oneself out of your cocoon in a vehicle which is continually accelerating and decelerating. Unless you are seated—and in Korean public transport a seat is not guaranteed—undressing while in perpetual motion one can easily become unbalanced and fall, hurting oneself or an innocent fellow commuter. And disturbing, as such stripping often entails flaying limbs which, although accidently, tend to poke and hit those around you—all squeezed together in a confined, incessantly rocking carriage. Apart from the dangers of being cooked alive, there exists also a secondary risk of catching a cold because of the extremes of temperature experienced when coming in and out of the piping hot transportation vehicle.While the Korean transportation system is in one sense one of my favourite things about the country, in another sense it is the context for one of my greatest irritations.

5 comments:

Einstein's Brain said...

I never understand why people must crank the heat so high in the winter. I have the same idea for air conditioning in the summer, when it's turned up so high that it gives people goosebumps. The whole point of heat/air con is to make the place comfortable, not for people to fry/freeze. Money shouldn't be wasted either.
It was cold today and I observed many windows left open in my school, as well as the double doors left open. I was thinking to myself "don't they realise they are losing heat?" I was constantly closing things.

Anonymous said...

Ek het nou net uit 'n taxi geklim wat so stuffy en overheated was! Kon nie wag om uit te klim nie! Dit maak my naar....Dit behoort net warm genoeg te wees, maar hier doen hulle mos als in oormaat.

Skryfblok said...

@Franco & Kaalvoetinireen

Ek's bly om te sien ek's nie die enigste een wat dit as 'n probleem ervaar nie.

@Christine

Sometimes I'm opening windows to the distress of my students. At times the classrooms are so hot and stuffy I can hardly breath and just have to open some windows.

Anonymous said...

Jy beskryf dit presies soos dit is! Dis regtig ongemaklik. En dis juis die hitte in sulke ruimtes wat die gevreesde varkgriep (en die Koreane vrees dit obsessief) 'n ideale geleentheid gee om oorgedra te word.
Bygese, in die somer kan ek nie wag om in die trein, bus, taxi of winkel te kom nie, want dis 'n oase in die hitte.

Einstein's Brain said...

@ skryfblok: I understand. When I was in the dormitory, I often did that in my room. The school wasted so much money in cranking the heat up to unbearable temperatures.
I should have explained better about where I work now. It wasn't too hot. I was teaching in my coat all day. I couldn't understand why they weren't keeping things closed.