Job Discussion Forums

[gaijinalways]

I agree, though I have seen more than one fight, but that is over a 10 year period. A lot of people use the subway and train systems here, they have been touted by some transportation experts as the best managed in the world.

[User N. Ame]

[ironopolis]

I don't know if it's the best in the world but I'd certainly agree about Japanese public transport putting that of many other countries to shame......between the hours of about 5am and midnight.

Given how generally excellent public transport is here, it baffles me a bit how nowhere in Japan seems to have any all night public transport, even big cities like Tokyo or Osaka, where surely there'd be some demand for it.
So many other big cities around the world have transport that still runs through the night. I've been able to take a bus back to hotel or home at 2 or 3am in London, Seoul, Hong Kong, Prague and even Birmingham - but never in Japan. It's rather odd.

That aside, public transport is indeed excellent. Can't say the same for the roads, however.

[gaijin4life]

....any other examples of Japanese culture getting in the way of common sense or am I on my own here??

This is more an example of `car-culture` over here, but - cars not stopping for pedestrians on or about to cross pedestrian x-ings is pretty wrong, IMHO ...

I nearly got topped the first time I went to cross a ped. x-ing on my bike, - only to realise that the approaching cars werent gonna be stopping anytime soon !

Also, country (maybe) `bike road rules`, ie. `everyone goes wherever they want and other people need to be aware of this and alter their course accordingly` .. - which ofcourse is all very well, unless you re a `gaijin` brought up on `keep left` !!!

[Glenski]

gaijinforlife,
I have never seen cars that nearly run over people unless the people were at fault. Japan is a country where pedestrians have the right of way, and if anything, I get annoyed having to wait for them (sometimes, but especially if they seem to be taking their sweet time).

What I have seen is actually the opposite. That is, I have seen little old ladies TRUSTING the pedestrian laws to the point of almost getting killed. They seem to cross the streets wherever and whenever they please, and cars and bikes are forced to stop (if they can). The high pitched shriek of bicycle brakes must be out of their hearing aids, because I've had to slam on the brakes a lot, yet I hardly get a second look from them.

[gaijinalways]

Sorry Glenski, I've had a few people almost hit me in the pedestrian walkway, and the drivers had plenty of time to stop or at least slow down to avoid making me dodge a side mirror . Some of the drivers can't be bothered, though many do go out of their way to let people cross the street .

[J.]

a bicycle and walk and I've been almost hit on the crosswalk in both modes. It's mostly people rounding a corner when the crosswalk light is green that's the problem. They tear 'round the corner so they can make the light and almost mow down anyone in their path and you have to stare them in the face to try and get them to stop. If they think they can make it in front of or in back of you with an inch to spare they will. There's no such thing, at least where I live, of cars stopping while the crosswalk is cleared. If they do stop, it's literally inches from you, right up to the line of the crosswalk or inside it, but it's more likely they won't stop but keep inching towards you, which can be unnerving.

And don't even get me started on the person, talking on a cell phone and driving with one hand while rounding a corner, who didn't even see me. I had to stop my bicycle short or get hit. Missed me by 2 inches and didn't even notice.

One of my pet peeves, as you can tell.

[gaijin4life]

[Yawarakaijin]

I sometimes feel like the whole concept of "WA" (social harmony) is a little confusing.

Situation A. Group of young punks eating McDonalds on the train disturbing everyone, acting as if it is their main goal to challenge every cultural norm in a single train ride. Does anyone yell at these kids? No. That would be disturbing the wa.

Situation B. Drunk salaryman laying down in the middle of the train at 7:00 am. Does anyone chew him out? Tell him to stand up? No. Nine stops later an attentive train boy hauls him out.

I've always found it odd that it's the person who confronts the individual for breaking the wa in the first place that is blamed for disrupting the harmony.

[gaijin4life]

[gaijinalways]

Self initative is not a strong trait in Japan, and it is often beaten down, starting from an early age. That's why rote learning is so valued here. = no thinking, just do it .