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viddy
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 50
Location: London, England
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 Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:28 am Post subject: Driving in Japan |
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What's driving in Japan like compared to home?
Is it easy to pick up? Are all the signs in Japanese? Certain rules and regulations that are completely different to elsewhere?
What kind of licesnse does one need? Are cars expensive to buy/rent? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:04 am Post subject: |
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What country is "home"?
Japanese drive on the left. Many signs are in kanji only; depends on where you live/go.
In the USA, there is a rule that allows you to turn right on a red signal after you come to a complete stop. No such thing (even to the left) here.
Pick up a copy of Rules of the Road for 1000 yen and read all about it.
Cars, in my experience, are taken care of better than in the USA and are more expensive. You can't own one without owning a parking space, and you have to have a safety check (shaken) performed regularly. Both of these "extras" cost.
How you get your license depends on your nationality. It seems that most foreigners need to take the driving test more than once before passing. Total cost if you have to take the written and driving test is about 10,000 yen. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:58 am Post subject: |
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| Get an int'l driver's license before you come. You can drive on it the first year you are here. Not too difficult to get used to driving here, especially as you are in the UK I assume. The hardest thing about driving here is when people pass you on narrow roads by a matter of inches. A little unnerving at first, at least I don't close my eyes anymore. |
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viddy
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 50
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Not too difficult to get used to driving here, especially as you are in the UK I assume. The hardest thing about driving here is when people pass you on narrow roads by a matter of inches. A little unnerving at first, at least I don't close my eyes anymore. |
Yeah we drive on the left here in England too. And passing other cars by a matter of inches is something we're well used to on the even tinier roads of London. So I don't think it's too difficult to get adjusted (coming from the UK anyway). |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Many signs are in kanji only; depends on where you live/go. |
This is not such a big deal - after all when you arrive everything looks like spaghetti anyway.
Hints:
get an atlas in japanese of your area. Navigate by lights. Above most traffic lights are signs of the name of the area. Find one that matches your map and you know where you are.
Be very wary of road numbers. We have two 155s in our area for example and they go to different places. I once missed a dinner appointment because of this and I was NOT happy.
When you are turning at a junction, pedestrians going straight on have right of way. You can kill people with very little effort by forgetting this - especially cyclists. So, when you turn, take a good look along the crossing to make sure no one is coming. And watch out if you are turning behind someone who is also turning. They may jam on their brakes at any time.
Personally, after nearly six years behind the wheel here, I am very much looking forward to not having to drive here. Traffic here is organised to maximise inefficiency and pollution. I hate it. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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Living in the "country", I actually enjoy driving here. Regretfully, I sometimes drive through lights just after they turn red (it is practically a national pastime in Japan). I'm going to have to break that bad habit.
I just bought an English road atlas and it is great if you going on a road trip here and can't read kanji. |
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bshabu
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
Posts: 200
Location: Kumagaya
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Better yet, get a car navi. I know it can be a liitle pricey, but well worth it. I have one. I bought it second-han for 20,00yen. It tells you where you want to go and you get there with no worries. |
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oich
Joined: 19 Jul 2003
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
In the USA, there is a rule that allows you to turn right on a red signal after you come to a complete stop. No such thing (even to the left) here.
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This caused some hairy moments for me as a pedestrian in the USA, being British. At t-junctions or crossroads, you get a "WALK" sign illuminated, but cars can still turn into your path from the side. |
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viddy
Joined: 07 Jan 2004
Posts: 50
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| This caused some hairy moments for me as a pedestrian in the USA, being British. At t-junctions or crossroads, you get a "WALK" sign illuminated, but cars can still turn into your path from the side. |
Same for me, when I was living in Canada. I got hit by a bus(!) once this way! Luckily, as you can see, I survived...
Crazy North Americans...  |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
In the USA, there is a rule that allows you to turn right on a red signal after you come to a complete stop. No such thing (even to the left) here.
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Not so. Driving around Kyoto I was surprised to find that certain junctions have this very system. The only reason I sussed it out was that I had seen them in the US.
Oh... and the fact the guy behind me was virtually holding a gun to my head until I started moving again... |
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ScottishMike
Joined: 21 Sep 2003
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:26 am Post subject: |
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Glenski!
After one year when your International permit expires, what do you do?? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:04 am Post subject: |
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| After one year when your International permit expires, what do you do?? |
Simple. Three choices.
1. Don't drive.
2. Get a Japanese license.
3. Drive illegally (and suffer any consequences). |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| You need a full Japanese license or you have to leave the country and return to the country where your license was issued for 90 consecutive days. Then you can come back on an IDP - but who's going to do that? |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:45 am Post subject: |
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| Another catch is if you've been in Japan for a year already and haven't been driving, you can't get an Int'l driving permit. The authorities assume you've been driving all along and there is no way to prove otherwise. |
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ScottishMike
Joined: 21 Sep 2003
Posts: 45
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, shoulda been clearer.
How do I get a japanese license?? |
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