You’d be surprised how bikable Daejeon is. It may seem chaotic, but I commute by bike daily, as do quite a few people I know. In fact, there are three regular and three other occasional bike commuters in my office here at Mokwon University, which has to be one of the most unsettling places to ride. The whole area is under massive redevelopment, so that means sharing the road with multi-ton heavy loaders, cement trucks and other large vehicles including several frequent bus routes. The drivers, however, seem to be even more attentive and cautious than most regular vehicle drivers.

The key to cycling in Daejeon is riding with traffic in the road, not on the bike paths on the sidewalk. Vehicles rarely stop on the stop line and as such when they turn from one road to the other and you’re in the crosswalk you’re more likely to get side-swiped. The middle or right-side tire path of the lane is more visible and most vehicles will move into the other lane to go around you. On single-lane roads the white line or shoulder is usually adequate. I don’t get many honks, but do get a few close passes. That said, drivers don’t treat you much different than another vehicle if you command the space.

Until you’re comfortable with the traffic flow, however, you should certainly make use of the bike paths by the river. Right now the city is adding bike-only lanes close to the embankment to leave the river-side paths for pedestrians. Just get a couple lights- a red blinkie for the back and a white light for the front. You should be able to get a set for under 30,000 won that will at least make you visible to other cyclists and pedestrians.

However, this sounds intriguing, so keep us informed if you discover more!