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Imseriouslylost
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
Location: Tokyo
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 Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject: Driving in Japan |
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I'm submitting a vast array of applications online at the moment and feeling good about it. Lets see what happens.
Anyway, if I can get to Japan as per planned I do intend to stay there for quite awhile. Definitely more than one year, possibly more than two.
If the money is right and I can afford to I'm probably going to invest in a motorcycle if my employers will allow it. I can't see myself doing it in the first year because I'm going to be focused on getting settled, but it is something I can see myself doing later on if I stay.
I see that a lot of employers want their employees to have their own transportation though I don't know if that is restricted to cars or if bikes are okay. Since I'm single I really don't see the need of having an entire car. Cars are for people with families. Besides, motorbikes are a million times more fun.
That being said, how is motorcycle riding in Japan? I ride a motorcycle here in Korea and have to assume that it would be significantly better in Japan in terms of safety.
Am I right in assuming that Japanese people are better drivers than Koreans? (I think Koreans drive like blind people with ADHD)
Also, how expensive are domestic Japanese bikes in relation to bikes in Canada/US? Are large motorcycles (250cc+) allowed everywhere or are they not allowed on the freeways like in Korea?
Cheers. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:42 pm Post subject: Re: Driving in Japan |
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| Imseriouslylost wrote: |
That being said, how is motorcycle riding in Japan? I ride a motorcycle here in Korea and have to assume that it would be significantly better in Japan in terms of safety.
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I can't remember what cars on the road were like in Korea since I've only been there for short trips and didn't really take any notice.
But I did experience roads in China. In comparison, they are much safer here. But I wouldn't say that the Japanese in general were particularly great drivers either. You seem to see the most "interesting" driving at junctions and traffic lights. Lots of taking turns too wide and being in the wrong lane for a bit and lots of speeding through amber (and just red) lights (and there is normally only a couple of seconds between a light turning red and the next turning green). And bus drivers are A-holes in every country... here's no different.
As long as you are very alert whilst riding your bike, it shouldn't be too dangerous here.
The climate of where you end up, could really hamper your biking dreams though. When it rains it can really rain. There were times it felt like somebody was throwing gravel; it was coming down that hard. We had some beautiful sun and almost gale force winds today. And if you are in snowy places... well up north they can have snow for 5 months of the year and here was still frozen/slushy with a small amount of snow when I arrived in March. And it gets really hot and humid in most of Japan. You'll likely be soaked by time you get to school in the height of summer.
I hope you can find a way to make the bike thing work. Bikes are fun! |
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uberscheisse
Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:00 am Post subject: Re: Driving in Japan |
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| Imseriouslylost wrote: |
I'm submitting a vast array of applications online at the moment and feeling good about it. Lets see what happens.
Anyway, if I can get to Japan as per planned I do intend to stay there for quite awhile. Definitely more than one year, possibly more than two.
If the money is right and I can afford to I'm probably going to invest in a motorcycle if my employers will allow it. I can't see myself doing it in the first year because I'm going to be focused on getting settled, but it is something I can see myself doing later on if I stay.
I see that a lot of employers want their employees to have their own transportation though I don't know if that is restricted to cars or if bikes are okay. Since I'm single I really don't see the need of having an entire car. Cars are for people with families. Besides, motorbikes are a million times more fun.
That being said, how is motorcycle riding in Japan? I ride a motorcycle here in Korea and have to assume that it would be significantly better in Japan in terms of safety.
Am I right in assuming that Japanese people are better drivers than Koreans? (I think Koreans drive like blind people with ADHD)
Also, how expensive are domestic Japanese bikes in relation to bikes in Canada/US? Are large motorcycles (250cc+) allowed everywhere or are they not allowed on the freeways like in Korea?
Cheers. |
I have driven in both South Korea and Japan. Currently, i live in a rural town north of Tokyo, but i used to live in the middle of Seoul.
The general difference in attitude I've observed is this.
Korea - "what could i possibly get away with?"
Japan - "if i don't follow every single possible rule, this whole island will sink into a faultline and we'll all perish."
one example of this is that in my town, the speed limits are generally 40km in town and 60km on outside roads. many people tend to drive 39km/h and 59km/h in these areas, in an effort to be safe, i'm assuming.
Koreans drive like drunken cats, 'me first, me first, me first and F everyone else'. I got really used to that, and as a result I tend to drive like a Korean. Japanese people drive me absolutely mental on the roads with their pensiveness and how they seem to not care if they get to where they're going anytime in the near future... it seems way safer than it needs to be. but be very confident in the fact that people generally check behind them before changing lanes here. that is a refreshing change.
another thing i have noticed, despite this, is how many younger people text-message while driving. the light will go green and buddy's still sending a keitai email while I'm honking at him to get his butt in gear. i don't think too many people have considered that texting while driving is something you should get bludgeoned for...
I'm sure that things are much different in bigger cities, but this small-ish city, in short, is very very safe and very dangerous at the same time.
regarding bikes - i bought a 50cc honda cub for 80,000 yen. i have been pricing 250cc hondas and the reissue retro CB400s and they run you in the range of 2000 dollars and up.
I don't exactly remember what the regs are for the freeway, i think it's 250cc and up, but bikes are definitely allowed. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:55 am Post subject: Re: Driving in Japan |
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| Imseriouslylost wrote: |
| I see that a lot of employers want their employees to have their own transportation though I don't know if that is restricted to cars or if bikes are okay. |
ALT jobs, yes. Most others, no.
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| Since I'm single I really don't see the need of having an entire car. Cars are for people with families. Besides, motorbikes are a million times more fun. |
Think snow and rain. You could be wrong.
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| Am I right in assuming that Japanese people are better drivers than Koreans? (I think Koreans drive like blind people with ADHD) |
I can't compare, but I don't think many of them are excellent drivers, despite the mandatory driving school they have to pay for. Lots of people here are "paper drivers". |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:15 am Post subject: |
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The majority of Japanese drivers are meek to the point of irritability. Slowing down when a pedestrian light starts flashing in anticipation of the green light turning slowly to yellow and then slowly to red is frustrating. I tend to speed up in order to make it through.
You also get a lot of people who indicate at sharp corners (which aren't junctions) and people getting into a pickle over whose right of way it is vs politeness, to the point where no one will actually make the turn or pull out.
Also, Japanese cars might as well be built without indicators as so few people actually use them prior to the point of actually making the turn, but usually they'll start slowing down way in advance so you can predict what they're going to do.
In general its a very safe place to drive. Having experienced the roads of various countries in Europe and Asia it comes top for safety in my opinion, but only because everyone drives so damn slow and there are a billion traffic lights everywhere.
Of course, beware the dreaded kei-truck! The owners of these little white vans are usually middle-aged farmers for which regular rules and habits don't apply... |
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Lyrajean
Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 109
Location: going to Okinawa
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| cornishmuppet wrote: |
Of course, beware the dreaded kei-truck! The owners of these little white vans are usually middle-aged farmers for which regular rules and habits don't apply... |
Especially beware of kei truckers with goats in the back! (A not uncommon occurance in Okinawa. 
Seriously the hardest thing about driving here is taking the test if you happen to be from one of those countries where you have to take it to get a J-lisence after one year to keep driving.
I'm an American who's driven in Canada and Scotland. I would much rather drive here. And kei cars rock. Small, cheap and cute. |
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Imseriouslylost
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:05 am Post subject: |
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No one owns a motorcycle? Thats sort of a surprise!
Anyway, this all sounds pretty good. I'd rather slow and safe than fast and dangerous (here). Being too meek is okay.
Korean drivers change lanes without looking, park in the worst possible places (blocking other people in) and the larger vehicles act like they own the road. I've never seen such a selfish disregard for common sense in my entire life than I have seen here on the roads.
The worst example that comes to memory is when someone slammed on the brakes on a regular highway without signalling or warning the drivers behind them. The woman did this just so she could yell something at their daughter waiting at a bus stop. I had to do a nasty emergency braking procedure that almost planted me right underneath her car... at which point she looked at me disapprovingly in her rear view mirror.
Sounds encouraging! |
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uberscheisse
Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| Imseriouslylost wrote: |
No one owns a motorcycle? Thats sort of a surprise!
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i ride a 50cc honda cub - much like one of those daelim kimbap delivery bikes.
you will find one thing very similar about japan - bigger vehicles do what they want. it really has been a long time since i've flipped off so many truck drivers. one of my students' dads told me about how he tries to fight reckless truck drivers when he catches them at lights, but they always back down.
one thing that was great about scooter riding in seoul is that if some dingbat does something unsafe you can kick their car, bitch-slap them or whatever, and then escape into the night. usually the traffic is so bad you can slink away without getting caught. i rode an unlicensed scooter for 3 years there and nobody gave a damn. try and skirt the law here and you will do a lot of NOT driving. |
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uberscheisse
Joined: 15 Nov 2004
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:49 am Post subject: |
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| cornishmuppet wrote: |
The majority of Japanese drivers are meek to the point of irritability. Slowing down when a pedestrian light starts flashing in anticipation of the green light turning slowly to yellow and then slowly to red is frustrating. I tend to speed up in order to make it through.
You also get a lot of people who indicate at sharp corners (which aren't junctions) and people getting into a pickle over whose right of way it is vs politeness, to the point where no one will actually make the turn or pull out.
Also, Japanese cars might as well be built without indicators as so few people actually use them prior to the point of actually making the turn, but usually they'll start slowing down way in advance so you can predict what they're going to do.
In general its a very safe place to drive. Having experienced the roads of various countries in Europe and Asia it comes top for safety in my opinion, but only because everyone drives so damn slow and there are a billion traffic lights everywhere.
Of course, beware the dreaded kei-truck! The owners of these little white vans are usually middle-aged farmers for which regular rules and habits don't apply... |
all of these statements are very true.
i'd also like to add the "railway crossing robot" - it's the law that you have to stop at all railway crossings - but one thing that makes me want to pull my hair out (in my car) and makes me drive on the sidewalk (on my bike) is when the train has just left.......... there is zero chance of another train coming even within the next 10 minutes.........
but
every
single
person
in
the
line
of
cars
makes a full stop, looks right and left (often twice) before going through.
it makes me want to carry a cueball in a sock. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:09 am Post subject: |
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I always wondered about the train crossing thing. I go across one everyday on the way to and from school. When I saw them doing that the first time, I actually stopped and waited for a pedestrian to cross just to see if they stopped too.
I didn't realise cars had to stop by law.
The one I cross is only 10m after a busy set of traffic lights. People speed through the lights then emergency brake at the crossing. I always laugh when they spend so long looking that a train actually does come. By then there is line of cars completely blocking junction and nobody is getting through in any direction regardless of any green lights. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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Apsara
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| cornishmuppet wrote: |
The majority of Japanese drivers are meek to the point of irritability. Slowing down when a pedestrian light starts flashing in anticipation of the green light turning slowly to yellow and then slowly to red is frustrating. I tend to speed up in order to make it through.
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As a pedestrian I tend to find the opposite- in Tokyo at least, if the pedestrian crossing signal will follow the red light, you can just about be guaranteed that someone will go through the light after it has turned red- I never ever step onto the crossing here without making absolutely sure the road is clear, because there's almost always someone trying to sneak in that right hand turn.
On the other hand though, I very rarely see piles of broken headlight/tail light glass at intersections here like you do all the time back in NZ- that kind of accident at least seems to be not so common, so maybe it's a good thing that people actually slow down when they see the change to an orange light (except of course when it's right before the pedestrians' cross signal...)
Texting while driving/cycling is rampant here- you even see people texting and listening to an iPod while cycling. It's like "hey, I don't need to see or hear anything when I'm crossing roads, why would I need all of my five senses while cycling?"  |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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I hit a train crossing at about 60km once at night. There were no lights to indicate it was there and I didn't see it coming at all. Gave me a shock, that's for sure! Yeah, its law, apparently. My girlfriend always gets angry when I don't do a complete stop.
I'd like to get one of those 50cc bikes. I tried one for the first time in Vietnam, just paid like 500yen for the day, got a five minute tutorial and off I went into the traffic of Ho Chi Min City. Don't think I've ever felt so close to death while so alive all at the same time!
One day, if I ever get around to it I'd like to learn how to do decent photography and make a book made up of pictures of those little mopeds with the crazy things they carry on the back (assuming no one's already done it!). I saw two guys carrying a six-foot square pane of glass down a busy highway once, but the best was one loaded up with four of those enormous chamber pots. Disaster waiting to happen for sure, but it was quite a sight!
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Imseriouslylost
Joined: 09 Nov 2009
Posts: 123
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:28 am Post subject: |
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| cornishmuppet wrote: |
I saw two guys carrying a six-foot square pane of glass down a busy highway once, but the best was one loaded up with four of those enormous chamber pots. Disaster waiting to happen for sure, but it was quite a sight!
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I always wonder why they don't just carry the thing adjacent to traffic as opposed to length-wise! |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| It's insane but its great to watch from a balcony over a busy road with a beer in hand! |
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