Commuting in Seoul

I realized that I haven't really talked about how commuting works in Seoul. I don't really know what's the most preferred means of transportation in Vancouver is, but I always rode the bus and skytrain, so I'll just comfortably assume that most people use transit also.

It's quite similar in Seoul except it's more likely that you'll be late for work if you DRIVE. It's difficult to imagine this in Vancouver, I believe, because buses don't have their own lane and if individual cars are going to be late, buses will be as well.
In the metropolitan Seoul (I use this term broadly to include certain parts of Kyungki-do, a province that surrounds Seoul), most roads have bus-only lanes. Public transit commuters, therefore, have a comparative edge in this regard when traffic is completely jammed. Granted, most bus-only lanes merge into regular ones and sometimes buses can get stuck in traffic, but once they get out of that area they can outrun most cars.

Today was the first day I got up late.

I set my alarm for 6:15 am, I snooze for a couple of times and finally I get up around 6:30, latest. Today I managed to sleep through it and when my dad came by to check on me it was 7. I have to be at the bus station around 7:45 latest and it takes me an hour to get ready.
I would sooner die than not take a shower and go to work sans makeup, so I begged (and I mean, BEGGED) my dad to give a ride to at least Gangnam Station where I would take No.2 line to Samsung Stn. Much to my relief he assented without much resistance or lecturing.

When we left the apartment it was 7:45 and I was quite sure that we would get there before 8:30.

[INSERT "but I was wrong" phrase]

I swear I was having a series of mini heart attacks after we passed the 8:30-mark. I was panicking like crazy and felt utterly helpless in the sea of cars. Many of them chose to go through bus-only lanes even though they would be fined later. I couldn't blame them, though. I felt desperate enough.

My dad ended up driving me right up to my building and thankfully I got there about 2 minutes before 9.

My friends know well of my tardiness, and even though I try to be very punctual these days, it seems that I slip from time to time. I've been late twice already and I really don't want to tarnish the good reputation I've built here.

So there. TAKE THE FRIGGIN' BUS when you work in Seoul. Or live close to metro stations. Don't drive unless you're willing to get up really really early.