I had to spend most of the day yesterday at the DMV. I don't really drive in Korea. I think the last time I drove a vehicle was over ten years ago. The thing is, driving a vehicle isn't really necessary if you live in Seoul. Transportation here is wildly convenient. There are buses everywhere, the subway is cheap and easy to navigate (compared to the confusing mess that is Japan's), and taxis are cheaper than in Canada. Navigating through the city and figuring out schedules are also made more convenient by using apps.

To operate a vehicle in the city, not only will you have to worry about paying for your vehicle, gas, and insurance. You also have to deal with the notorious parking problem in the city. Koreans can also get their license rather quickly if they put their mind to it (And most Koreans DO put their minds to it when it comes to any test). Getting a license involves a written test, a car functions test, and a road test. With luck and skill, one can whiz through these. But with others, especially foreign drivers, they might get stuck dealing with the computer system in the car functions test. This is to say that some people might whiz through the test and get a license not really having enough experience driving, making the roads a bit more dangerous for other motorists.

So yeah, driving is expensive and dangerous. Add to that, Koreans are also very particular with their vehicles, not driving anything older than ten years old. If you're not driving something that is fairly new, then you're basically driving a hooptie in the eyes of locals.

But with the pandemic preventing me from traveling outside of the country, there's been more pressure to get into a vehicle and drive around outside of the city, the only reason for me to own a vehicle. I'll be getting a vehicle before the end of the year (an Audi A4), but I'm not really too excited about it. I've lived my life not caring about cars, and I feel like now I have no choice but be a car guy. Next, I'll become a glamping guy. Glamping! Disgusting. The Canadian in me is dying in shame. The minute I load a $400 portable grill into the trunk of a car, I would have to surrender my flannel shirts.

Interestingly, today I learned that many famous people actually either don't drive, never learned how, or just have a thing against driving. Norm MacDonald, Tina Fey, Javier Bardem, Elvis Costello, Kate Beckinsale, Charlie Watts, etc. Maybe owning a car and driving around isn't really a key part of adulting.

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