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Sam Adams · Joined: 26 May 2003 Posts: 23

The other day I was riding my bike, when I came upon a major intersection. Being that the pedestrain light was green, I continued across the road until I was rudely interrupted by the front of a mini van. The second before the car hit me, the moment when you know you are screwed and there is nothing you could do, all I could think of was F#*! me! After dragging myself to the curb, I wasn't at all surprised at what just happened. For the past 8 months, I have watched cars run red lights, speed around corners, and not stop for pedestrians. All while the police do nothing. I actually once saw a cop on a police corner, and I thought he was there to nab red light runners. So I waited for the next light to turn red. Of course like 5 cars went through.(not yellow turning red, but red). He did nothing.
I love Japan. I think it is a very safe place with wonderful people. But I won't hesitate to say that I think the police are way too lenient on enforcing traffic laws and safety. On top of that, most drivers here take traffic safety as an afterthought. The guy who hit me was very nice and full of apologies, as were the police. Yet if he had only looked while turning, I wouldn't have been hit. Am I alone in thinking this way? Sorry for ranting, but I was freaking hit by a car.

Celeste · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:03 am Post subject:

You are not alone. Two of my friends have been hit by cars while cycling in the last year. (And I don't have that many friends here!) Drivers tend to be very distracted and have a lot of low speed accidents. I hope you feel better soon.

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

Sam Adams · Joined: 26 May 2003 Posts: 23

Thanks for replying Celeste and Easy. I have to say I came out lucky. My bike took most of the impact. Just a few bruises. Sorry to hear about your accident easyasabc, that sounds terrible. Like you, I am now so cautious.
Take care.

foster · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 485 Location: Honkers, SARS

Sam, accidents happen more than you know. I too was hit by a car. My bike was totalled,but the young man, scared to death that he hit a gaijin, bought me a new bike and gave me abox of the special, individually wrapped peaches. Laughing

Be careful~!!

BenJ · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 209 Location: Nagoya

you guys are scary! I was starting to think this place was super safe - everybody walks across without roads knowing (so far) that the car will stop... could never do this or expect that where I come from, so I thought Japan must be very safe...

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

I, having experience both on bicycle and in car, can tell some accidents and near accidents.

I have had more than one near misses on a bike.

On the other hand, while driving, I turned a corner and proceeded to accel and some flew out from a blind corner on a bike. If I had my eyes off the road a head of me, he would have been seriously injured of killed. He never even looked. I am sure you are all cautious on your bike. However, kids(JHS and HS) are very reckless on their bikes.

A lot of people can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I don't think they can multi-task behind the wheel. Keitai, lipstick, eating, reading, playing the violin(actually happened) are too much for most.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

FWIW, one of my student's husbands was hit by a driver on his moped. Put him in hospital for two months. So, at least there is no discrimination against foreigners...

Celeste · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:35 pm Post subject:

Well- I apparently spoke too soon. One of my friends was hit by a car (while on his bicycle) yesterday. Broken arm. That makes it 3 in a year.

Sherri · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 10:50 pm Post subject:

I am the only mom in my neighbourhood to use a child seat on my bike with a high back (to protect the child's neck), 3-point harness and with my child wearing a helmet. I am also the only one who actually stops at intersections--not just relying on the mirrors. I cringe when I see the moms, one kid in front, one kid on the back (no restraints used) sometimes even one on the mom in a baby carrier, cycling carelessly around corners or through intersections without so much as a glance of what is coming behind or in front of them.

Also dangerous, the cyclists who ride without lights at night--and are usually wearing dark clothes, people who do this AND ride the wrong way down oneway streets or ride against the traffic on busy roads.

I cycle almost everyday here and I am cautious everytime I get on the bike--and yes, I have been hit by a car. I was cycling on the pavement at the time (pre-child days) and a car pulled out from a driveway (hidden by a wall) blind onto the pavement.

I am too scared to drive here, even though we have a car, with all these knuckleheads on the road--pedestrians, cyclists and cars.

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

Don't know where most of the posters on this topic are living, but the driving habits are even worse in the smaller towns. I have been nearly hit by speeding and unattentive motorists at least 20 times since moving to the "peaceful" countryside. It's pretty darn scary. You need to develop an extra set of eyes in the back of your head. Speaking of which, there's a reason junior high school kids have to wear helmets when riding their bikes to school. And, I suspect, the reason elementary students can't ride a bike to school has little to do with lack of parking space at school or their proximity, and more to do with unsafe driving practices.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

I'd also be interested to know how widely "lived" all of you are. Japan is not entirely safe for cyclists or drivers etc but it is one of the best countries for driving that I've ever lived in. When you consider that, the complaints about Japan in particular pale in comparison. I remember once in Jordan, a VW beetle did a u-turn at an intersection while we were waiting at a red light. The person in the passenger seat was holding a baby on their lap. It went straight out the window and landed on the road. Thankfully, babies in the Middle East are usually "wrapped in swaddling clothes" so thick you can hardly see them. I can only hope, to this day that prevented any injury. The driver screeched to a halt, the passenger (a man) got out, grabbed the child, got back in the car and they drove off.

Our entire family was left gobsmacked.

So, a bit of perspective can be healthy every now and then...

Sherri · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 1:45 am Post subject:

The bus ride to Srinagar, Kashmir from the lowlands in India is in the top 5 of "most harrowing traffic experience" list. Something about watching the bald tires scraping the edge of a Himalayan cliff--as the driver busily changes cassette tapes and chats to his friend. Occasionally seeing a "dead" bus at the bottom of a ravine didn't help either.

I know there are worse places than Japan, but it doesn't stop me from being scared and amazed at the bad driving here and gormless road sense of pedestrians and cyclists.

rockwolf · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 19 Location: Takamatsu, Shikoku

Almost been hit more times than I can count, in just 2 months here.

But I luckily have good reflexes and my bike has good brakes.

When I lived in Akita several years ago as a college student, the drivers were pretty good. never saw an accident, although I helped one old lady get her car out of a snowbank. Her front tire was also lodged over a curb, and she was pretty dumbstruck when I just lifted the front over it. It was a really tiny car, and I used to do powerlifting.

Personally, I love biking in Japan, especially out in the countryside, the scenery is beautiful year round, even on gloomy days. I'm still waiting to save up the money to have my mountain bike shipped over from the states. I know I could just buy a really great mountain bike here for the cost of shipping my mountain bike, but there's a lot of sentimental value attached, and I miss that bike.

Hmm... I'm babbling now.

So, yeah, *knocks on wood* I've been pretty lucky so far. Maybe it has something to do with the old 'travel' omomori I keep lashed to my backpack. I'm not taking that badboy off though, it's been lucky enough for me.

bshabu · Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 200 Location: Kumagaya

Yeah. I am a big fan of the omomorri too. I had one for my car back home. My friend took it down from the back door window because it was hitting her in the head when I was driving. They next day my brother took my car and hit a deer. The car just had a broken bumper and dent in the hood. So I drove it up to get it repaired and I hit a deer. The deer broke the side view window and dented the door pretty bad. Then I relized that the omomorri was in the compartment between the seats. Since then I never drive without one.