Japanese traffic signals and other driving fun

[matsuki]

Locals going to combinis are a special breed, either on a different timezone or just going for tobacco.

...or in your pajamas, with a surgical mask

[Coligny]

Coligny, you're getting lazy...where is my terrorist soundtrack?

Ok, ok...

[matsuki]

Maybe I could get a spot with...

[J.A.F.O]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

[wagyl]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

Do you also agree that there should be no penalty for driving too fast, or driving without a registration on the car? They, too, are victimless crimes.

A Gold Licence is a privilege to record that you have been a good boy haven't been caught being bad. If you are caught being bad, should you still benefit from that privilege?

[Mike Oxlong]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

That's about all they do down here in terms of enforcement. Occasional campaigns for those fill-the-coffers minor offences. A few checkstops for impaired driving (DUI). Nabbing motorcyclists in the right lane on major roads, and scooters in the grey zone of lane splitting. Pretty much anything else goes. Can't get my head around how many people I see with the sumaho just texting away at speed.

[J.A.F.O]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

Do you also agree that there should be no penalty for driving too fast, or driving without a registration on the car? They, too, are victimless crimes.

A Gold Licence is a privilege to record that you have been a good boy haven't been caught being bad. If you are caught being bad, should you still benefit from that privilege?

I do actually BUT (caveat) I also believe in strict liability... meaning that yea if you drive 100 miles an hour and kill someone you should have to pay with your own life.

[J.A.F.O]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

That's about all they do down here in terms of enforcement. Occasional campaigns for those fill-the-coffers minor offences. A few checkstops for impaired driving (DUI). Nabbing motorcyclists in the right lane on major roads, and scooters in the grey zone of lane splitting. Pretty much anything else goes. Can't get my head around how many people I see with the sumaho just texting away at speed.

What was weird was that they were almost interrogating me until they saw that I was a gold card then they we almost like oops... for the record this campaign was two blocks from my house I just hadn't got the damn thing on yet.

[wagyl]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

Do you also agree that there should be no penalty for driving too fast, or driving without a registration on the car? They, too, are victimless crimes.

A Gold Licence is a privilege to record that you have been a good boy haven't been caught being bad. If you are caught being bad, should you still benefit from that privilege?

I do actually BUT (caveat) I also believe in strict liability... meaning that yea if you drive 100 miles an hour and kill someone you should have to pay with your own life.

Ahh, an eye for an eye man. I shall name you Hammurabi. Or maybe you are just a fan of Sharia Law.

If you drive at 99 miles and hour and kill someone do you get off free? What about 40 kilometres an hour?
In your universe, what entitled you to getting a Gold Licence in the first place?

[J.A.F.O]

Ahh, an eye for an eye man. I shall name you Hammurabi. Or maybe you are just a fan of Sharia Law.

If you drive at 99 miles and hour and kill someone do you get off free? What about 40 kilometres an hour?
In your universe, what entitled you to getting a Gold Licence in the first place?

I'm good with Hammurabi mostly because I've been to iraq and hate islam. Yea that may be postjudiced but I've seen it up close so fuckem. In my universe I act as though I have to pay with everything out of my own pocket. This started because when I first got here I knew nothing of japan and did not want to get myself in a bind over thing I knew nothing about.

[Coligny]

Traffic related: I just lost my gold card because of a campaign. The atrocity? wasn't wearing my safety belt.... Fuckers, not even a warning. I hate victimless crime laws

That's about all they do down here in terms of enforcement. Occasional campaigns for those fill-the-coffers minor offences. A few checkstops for impaired driving (DUI). Nabbing motorcyclists in the right lane on major roads, and scooters in the grey zone of lane splitting. Pretty much anything else goes. Can't get my head around how many people I see with the sumaho just texting away at speed.

What was weird was that they were almost interrogating me until they saw that I was a gold card then they we almost like oops... for the record this campaign was two blocks from my house I just hadn't got the damn thing on yet.

Gold license system is total bullshit.
I'm gold driving daily
Me bitch is gold... Might have driven twice in 5 years...

Now for the seatbelt issues...
It's like for condoms...
Not the job of a governemental agency to decide for you...
At worse it should be an insurance coverage matter...
I'd rather see them act on the cargo tie down rules... Haven't seen a flatbed trailer with heavy equipment using a single strap or chain in 10 years...

[J.A.F.O]

Green snot Coligny a whole lot of green snot.

[Mike Oxlong]

Right now I'd settle for those construction worker type of kei truck, van, and similar vehicles carrying a load of rebar or pipes to tie some sort of flag to the end of the overhanging two or three metres at the back.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Gold license system is total bullshit.

Yup. I'm gold because I haven't driven since receiving my license.

[Wage Slave]

Have I missed something? I can't see that a gold license confers any privilege at all except renewal takes a bit longer if you have any driving transgressions. I would be more worried about the fine. How much was it BTW?

If you live in a country that has some form of national health service then driving without a seatbelt is not completely victimless. It exposes the rest of us to unnecessary medical costs so I have no problem with it being a legal requirement.

PS What's this thing with tons of snot and green snot - never understood it.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Have I missed something? I can't see that a gold license confers any privilege at all except renewal takes a bit longer if you have any driving transgressions. I would be more worried about the fine. How much was it BTW?

If you live in a country that has some form of national health service then driving without a seatbelt is not completely victimless. It exposes the rest of us to unnecessary medical costs so I have no problem with it being a legal requirement.

PS What's this thing with tons of snot and green snot - never understood it.

Isn't your insurance cheaper if you have a gold license?

Agreed on the second point but I think it was comedian Joe Rogan who pointed out that it's kind of funny that we require seat belts in cars but let people ride motorcycles.

On the old forum we used to be able give people positive (green) or negative (red) marks for comments. The more green you got the more green tiles showed up under your profile. Someone at some point started calling them snot.

[dimwit]

PS What's this thing with tons of snot and green snot - never understood it.

Green and red snot were part of the reputation system that FG used to have until it got thoroughly abused by a prominent troll who was in the habit of red snotting every new member. Since than, the crayons have been taken away from everyone.

As for the gold licence, it can reduce you insurance rate significantly.

[Yokohammer]

Have I missed something? I can't see that a gold license confers any privilege at all except renewal takes a bit longer if you have any driving transgressions. I would be more worried about the fine. How much was it BTW?

In addition to the shortest "seminar" at renewal time and 5 year validity (if you've been a bad boy you only get 3 years), you can renew a gold license anywhere in Japan, I think. Any other license and you have to renew in the prefecture where you got it.

[chibaka]

Isn't your insurance cheaper if you have a gold license?

As far as I remember not so much, 5% or so. Of course if you insure a Ferrari then that would be significant..

Cops here spend most of their time with minor indiscretions, not using seat belts and parking tickets among others. Both incur points affecting license.

Dangerous vehicles however seem to be exempt.....
Has anyone ever seen these death traps being pulled over?

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[Wage Slave]

Agreed on the second point but I think it was comedian Joe Rogan who pointed out that it's kind of funny that we require seat belts in cars but let people ride motorcycles.

True, but we also insist people wear a crash helmet while they are doing it - It's not reasonable to demand people take no risks but it is reasonable to to demand they don't take easily avoidable and pointless risks if we have to pick up the tab.

Thank you for the snot explanation. Been wondering about that for a long time.

I didn't notice my driving insurance go down when my license became gold - but then I didn't check carefully. It might well go up if I get a ticket though. But I think a blue licence with no transgressions might be as good as a gold.

[chibaka]

Have I missed something? I can't see that a gold license confers any privilege at all except renewal takes a bit longer if you have any driving transgressions. I would be more worried about the fine. How much was it BTW?

In addition to the shortest "seminar" at renewal time and 5 year validity (if you've been a bad boy you only get 3 years), you can renew a gold license anywhere in Japan, I think. Any other license and you have to renew in the prefecture where you got it.

Not quite correct, gold can be renewed at a police station, with a short lecture. Blue gets the longer lecture, but still get's 5 years. I renewed my license last year to naughty boy status and it expires in 平成32年.

[Samurai_Jerk]

PS What's this thing with tons of snot and green snot - never understood it.

Green and red snot were part of the reputation system that FG used to have until it got thoroughly abused by a prominent troll who was in the habit of red snotting every new member. Since than, the crayons have been taken away from everyone.

Wasn't it the forum switchover that ended the rep system? One troll could only do so much since you had to wait before giving the same person rep again.

[kurogane]

That's about all they do down here in terms of enforcement. ........... Can't get my head around how many people I see with the sumaho just texting away at speed.

Did you guys get the Shriner's Circus out your way when you were a kid? I used to love the chimps driving the toy pedal cars. What I prefer about Okinawa is that they can talk and drink, too. Nice people, shame they're allowed to drive. There really needs to be a modernity test before certain ethnicites are introduced to motorisation.

[Yokohammer]

Have I missed something? I can't see that a gold license confers any privilege at all except renewal takes a bit longer if you have any driving transgressions. I would be more worried about the fine. How much was it BTW?

In addition to the shortest "seminar" at renewal time and 5 year validity (if you've been a bad boy you only get 3 years), you can renew a gold license anywhere in Japan, I think. Any other license and you have to renew in the prefecture where you got it.

Not quite correct, gold can be renewed at a police station, with a short lecture. Blue gets the longer lecture, but still get's 5 years. I renewed my license last year to naughty boy status and it expires in 平成32年.

There are three levels as far as I can ascertain: 3-year blue, 5-year blue, and gold. If you only have a minor infraction or two you get the 5-year blue (my current status). Above a certain number of points you're down to 3 years. And I don't think you can renew either blue at the cop shop. Just gold. Non-gold licenses have to be renewed at the license center that serves your area of residence.

[chibaka]

There are three levels as far as I can ascertain: 3-year blue, 5-year blue, and gold. If you only have a minor infraction or two you get the 5-year blue (my current status). Above a certain number of points you're down to 3 years. And I don't think you can renew either blue at the cop shop. Just gold. Non-gold licenses have to be renewed at the license center that serves your area of residence.

Yeah, that's what I meant, only gold can be renewed at a police station. Didn't know about the 3 and 5 year blue though.

Slight tangent, what happens if the emperor kicks the bucket..... 平成32年 will not exist

[kurogane]

In an era of fiscal restraint, etc. it really is a shame to replay Show 64. That was a lot of calendars printed for 1 week. The old boy looked pretty Genki on his visit to the former Occupied Territories last week, though.

[matsuki]

Ugh, I'm more and more concerned with the idiots they hand those orange dildos to wave. On the way to work 3 construction workers and one of the dildo holders were standing between lanes, measuring something, with oncoming traffic on both sides of them. Last week I saw one of the dildo holders almost get nailed when he stopped me for some reason or another, and the impatient asshole behind me swerved around me, not understanding the reason I was stopped. I had my windows up but I'm pretty sure I heard some rolled R's. I understand you're totally fucked if you hit one of these dildo holders but they seem to be unnecessary being put at high risk for no reason. (and oblivious to the danger...possibly everything else as.....most of them tend to be seniors)

[chibaka]

Ugh, I'm more and more concerned with the idiots they hand those orange dildos to wave. On the way to work 3 construction workers and one of the dildo holders were standing between lanes, measuring something, with oncoming traffic on both sides of them. Last week I saw one of the dildo holders almost get nailed when he stopped me for some reason or another, and the impatient asshole behind me swerved around me, not understanding the reason I was stopped. I had my windows up but I'm pretty sure I heard some rolled R's. I understand you're totally fucked if you hit one of these dildo holders but they seem to be unnecessary being put at high risk for no reason. (and oblivious to the danger...possibly everything else as.....most of them tend to be seniors)

Ahh yes, the dido wavers. I wonder if there is a school of dildo waving somewhere, because every time I encounter these guys they seem to make up their own semaphore.

[matsuki]

This is like Homer Simpson level stupidity. Next thing you knpw, they'll be at the airports....

Ugh, I'm more and more concerned with the idiots they hand those orange dildos to wave. On the way to work 3 construction workers and one of the dildo holders were standing between lanes, measuring something, with oncoming traffic on both sides of them. Last week I saw one of the dildo holders almost get nailed when he stopped me for some reason or another, and the impatient asshole behind me swerved around me, not understanding the reason I was stopped. I had my windows up but I'm pretty sure I heard some rolled R's. I understand you're totally fucked if you hit one of these dildo holders but they seem to be unnecessary being put at high risk for no reason. (and oblivious to the danger...possibly everything else as.....most of them tend to be seniors)

Ahh yes, the dido wavers. I wonder if there is a school of dildo waving somewhere, because every time I encounter these guys they seem to make up their own semaphore.

Yeah, I've bitched about that on here before. The standard upright jiggle seems to be most common but the second is those guys that do that whole stretch and jerk that I'm sure they feel looks like it's indicating you to keep right....but is more like go left, go right, go left, go right. I will admit, the very rare young dude that seems to either be high or just having a good day can crack you up though.

[Mike Oxlong]

Welcome to Okinawa-style, biyatches!!! No trains, no subways, military bases occupy vital chokepoints on an already very narrow island, and the only growth business construction and tourism.

Chinese tourist buses causing headaches for Tokyoites

Complaints have been pouring in about a growing number of large buses carrying foreign tourists, with drivers and locals saying they are a nuisance because they park in the street.

Those involved have been seeking ways to rectify the situation amidst a surge in buying sprees, especially among Chinese tourists known for “bakugai” or “explosive shopping,” but the problem remains due to a lack of parking spots in the Japanese capital.

In early January ahead of the Lunar New Year in February when Chinese travelers flock to Japan, some eight tour buses occupied the left traffic lane of a four-lane road on a main street in the posh Ginza shopping district.

The buses parked there were awaiting tourists who had finished shopping at department stores and boutiques. On the sidewalk, Chinese tourists holding shopping bags were instructed by store security to open a path for pedestrians.

“I usually stop here because there aren’t any other places,” a bus driver said. “If we are lucky, we can leave here around 15 minutes behind schedule but a 30-minute delay is not unusual.”

A number of seats in the bus remained empty even 10 minutes past the meeting time.

Buses usually leave the site for a while after being cautioned by police but return to the same spot later.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, the number of visitor arrivals in Japan last year reached a record 19.74 million.

The Tsukiji police station that exercises jurisdiction over the Ginza district said for about the past two years it has received numerous complaints about parked buses blocking the streets.

Buses that block streets have also been on the rise in other popular destinations for foreign tourists such as around Sensoji temple in Asakusa and the Kabukicho area in Shinjuku, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Some bus drivers have been ticketed for parking violations, the police said.

There is a concern that such buses not only cause traffic jams but will also lead to accidents.

“The central and the Tokyo metropolitan governments need to take the initiative to provide more parking spaces if they are going to promote tourism,” said a leader of a local business association for the Ginza shopping area.

The environment policy division of Tokyo’s Chuo municipal office plans to suggest that the metropolitan government that owns Tsukiji Fish Market use the site as a parking lot after its relocation to the Toyosu waterfront in November.

As the number of foreign visitors is expected to rise further with the approach of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the MPD is carrying out talks with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the metropolitan government on how to secure enough parking spaces and disperse tourist crowds.

“Instead of tightening regulations, we would like to unite with municipalities and stores to decide on appropriate rules to welcome tourists together,” said an MPD official.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/nati ... -tokyoites