This article from the Suncheon News, from whence that photograph comes, says that nine bus stops in town were outfitted with these panels. They power a light that turns on at night---to benefit students, the elderly, and women, the article says---and I don't recall any stops having lights on them before. Suncheon bills itself as the "Ecological Capital of Korea."
7 comments:
Now if they'd also equip the bus stops with those signs that indicate when the next such-and-such bus is coming, like they're starting to do at major stops in Seoul, then all will be well with the world.
I've been saying this for the entire time I've lived in Korea: Don't make it a challenge to ride public transportation, or else people with even the smallest of means to do so will go and by a car and clog the streets.
For the most part, Seoul and much of Korea has been doing that — a huge contrast with Honolulu and Orange County (don't get me started on the OCTA) — but there's still a lot more that could be done. Innovate, innovate, innovate.
by a car --> buy a car
D'oh!
Yeah, Gwangju has those things and they're awesome. They do seem a little off, though, and when it says 7 minutes the bus is really about 10 minutes away.
By and large I've been nothing but impressed with the public transportation in Korea. In Pittsburgh, by contrast, it'd be pretty much impossible to live there if you had to rely on buses to get around.
I'm glad you brought the innovations up, because I did a post earlier about how you'll soon be able to use your cell phone to figure out how far away your bus is. Can't find that post now, though.
A low-tech solution I'd like to see in smaller towns is to just put up a timetable at each bus stop. In Gangjin county if I were visiting some tourist site in the middle of nowhere it was tough to know when the next bus would come by.
"bus stops with those signs that indicate when the next such-and-such bus is coming"
I agree with Brian, this technology is really helpful. I haven't seen this in other cities or towns in South Jeolla. It made me appreciate the city more
The signs announcing a bus' estimated time of arrival would be wonderful.
I however was caught by this comment:
"to benefit students, the elderly, and women"
I didn't know I was some superman type who could see in the dark. What other traits do men have that women don't?
Well, that's what the article said, not me. If anything, students are the ones we need to be afraid of . . . maybe these lights will help the rest of us spot them when they're sneaking up on us?
The bus stop in front of city hall in Mokpo also has solar panels. It also has motion sensors and plays music when you walk by.
My high school also has a couple solar panels as well. I'd love to see the use of solar in South Korea rise.
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