What does everybody think about the way the Seoul police are manually running the traffic lights outside of gate 52? It looks like they are purposely making the military traffic going on base and off base wait excessively.

It is bad. They are not the greatest traffic engineers. Sometimes we do wait excessively long, and don't get what we would consider a fair share of time.

Remember, WE contributred to the problem by closing Gate 17 for over two months! Leaving Gate 3 open to vehicle traffic longer might help...

Obviously we should not use Gate 52 at rush hour if possible.

Traffic problems in Seoul will probably not improve, even when we move to the Pyongtaek area. More folks drive every year.

Much easier to just go out gate 19 and around!

I ride through that gate daily...There's way more traffic coming from Namsan tunnel and Banpo bridge than from the base. That's why they get the longer light. To get the heavy traffic through. It makes sense...

I hadn't thought of that. But what upsets me is that the police manually control the lights vice letting them work automatically like they're supposed to....

That's what makes it bad.

But has that traffic increased?

It seems like the traffic between Namsan tunnel and Banpo stays steadily busy during the work week. The front of gate 52 seems to be the main bottleneck though. Maybe the Koreans slow down to stare at the GIs as if we were zoo animals. Maybe they are expecting on-the-spot lude behavior. If they really want to see that then go to Itaweon tonite. UFL has ENDED!!! Look out for the Marines to be terrorizing the streets!!! Good times!

I think the city traffic is not affected much by the comparatively small amount added by Yongsan Garrison, even at rush hour. No doubt a right turn when clear with an added merging lane, plus a longer light for a left across traffic is sorely needed and would benefit our cause.

Exercise over!
I was in Itaewon last night, taking my regular evening walk. I showed some Marines where the Money Changer was, and helped them to buy some personalized bag tags and gave them some advice on shopping. They appeared very well dressed and well behaved. I suspect they were officers.
Of course my walk is usually over by 9 PM, so I can't say whether the enlisted men came out, or any other comment. (You know, of course, their drinking age, recently changed by regulation, is lower than that of the Army.) You have to give it to their leaders! Guess we will just read the MP blotter next Friday...

Yes, but I think all of USFK is 21...doesn't matter what the USMC is.

Locally set rules cannot override Federal Regulations. I'm sure that the Marines have been told to follow Korean rules; however, if it ever came up, any attempt to enforce local rules would be thrown out in federal court.