Japanese traffic signals and other driving fun

[Samurai_Jerk]

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

That really depends on where you live and work. With my life totally contained in central Tokyo and no desire to go anywhere I can't get by train there's zero reason to own a car. If I lived in a small town in the mountains, it'd be a different story.

[chibaka]

owning cars in japan means you are a slave of the maintenance cost.
even kei car costs 360000 yen per year.
http://www.kei-car.tank.jp/ijihi/1nenkan.html

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

Bullshit, this applies to those who pay for parking, and don't know which end of a screwdriver to hold.... ok, 99% of natives

[Grumpy Gramps]

don't know which end of a screwdriver to hold.... ok, 99% of natives

Scary thought as most of us drive Japanese cars

[Wage Slave]

owning cars in japan means you are a slave of the maintenance cost.
even kei car costs 360000 yen per year.
http://www.kei-car.tank.jp/ijihi/1nenkan.html

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

Bullshit, this applies to those who pay for parking, and don't know which end of a screwdriver to hold.... ok, 99% of natives

Exactly. And also only applies to people who can't compare prices between dealers and other suppliers. Shaken inspection, test, certificate and basic insurance costs me about 55k for a K car and is for two years so 27.5k a year as opposed to 53.1k a year as quoted. Consumables at 30k a year? As if. Including tyres every 5 years and an oil/filter change once a year (yes the dealer/garage wants twice but the manufacturer says once) , battery every two to three years, wiper blades every year plus occasional brake linings, brake fluid etc maybe 10k a year.

All in all that estimate is about 170k over what I pay - or about double what it costs me.

A very significant cost ,which the locals are big into, and missing from that analysis, is depreciation . If you think it necessary to buy a new car every 5 years or so then that's probably about 340k a year even on a K car. If however, you buy a 5 year old car and run it for another 7 years or even longer, and why the hell not, then you can laugh in the face of depreciation. With the money saved you can even consider getting something a bit more like a real car than a bloody K. Bastard things aren't even economical on fuel compared to a good 1300. My Wagon R struggles to get 12km/litre around town whereas my Fit easily gets 16.

But yeah. When I lived in central London I never owned a car. If I needed one I just took a taxi or rented one. Much cheaper and more convenient. Where I am now though, a provincial capital, life is pretty much impossible without one person one car.

[kurogane]

Who wouldn't pay about that amount for maintenance, etc. if you need a car? As well as what Chibaka noted. I find it very hard to believe my funky and utterly invaluable diesel van cost me 400,000 yen per year in upkeep (excluding fuel, of course). Amortised over 3 years I would say more like >80,000 per year.

And a great point about the new car factor. I wouldn't dream of buying anything newer than 2 or 3 years old. It's a tool, not an altar.

Much as I love most aspects of Life by Chari I would have to think very seriously about not having a car, or live somewhere like SJ, which would be another form of serious thinking.

[wuchan]

owning cars in japan means you are a slave of the maintenance cost.
even kei car costs 360000 yen per year.
http://www.kei-car.tank.jp/ijihi/1nenkan.html

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

For me, gas alone is about 550,000円 a year......

Shaken/tax thingie every two years is 12万 and insurance is 6万 a year. Tires? LOL








0-60 is under five and I tend to roast the back tires off in just one of Japan's four seasons.

[kurogane]

I don't think fuel costs should be part of the numbers we wuz quoting above, should they? If that is what Take is talking about he is either so poor it’s comical, or he has a medieval peasant's perspective on what life costs, because that would be insanely cheap for total annual costs for a regular driver. Which actually would bolster his somewhat shredded Soy Cred.

[Takechanpoo]

he is either so poor it’s comical

the most i am interested in is abstract things. or almost not interested in physical ones at all. my hobby is saving. stingy is a winner.
i go shopping in costco Iruma branch a few times per month, taking 1 hour to arrive there by my lovely customized bicycle. its neither inconvenient nor painful at all. and have a series of shops necessary for life within a radius of 1 hour by bicycle.

[Russell]

he is either so poor it’s comical

the most i am interested in is abstract things. or almost not interested in physical ones at all. my hobby is saving. stingy is a winner.
i go shopping in costco Iruma branch a few times per month, taking 1 hour to arrive there by my lovely customized bicycle. its neither inconvenient nor painful at all. and have a series of shops necessary for life within a radius of 1 hour by bicycle.

You need this.

[Wage Slave]

The other thing to factor in regarding life in the capital vs life in the provinces is that although you are up for the cost of running a car in the provinces you are not up for a travelcard which can easily cost as much or more.

Driving to and from work is usually more pleasant than travelling on metroland public transport. On the other hand, drinking isn't an option but I've more or less completely given that up. Just got bored with it unfortunately.

[Yokohammer]

... On the other hand, drinking isn't an option but I've more or less completely given that up. Just got bored with it unfortunately.

Completely given up here. Not a drop in 5 years and don't miss it.
But I wouldn't call it "unfortunate." I prefer to think of it as "growing up."

But the subject at hand: the cost of running a car really isn't that high if you have your own parking. And driving in the boonies can be downright enjoyable. The cost of running two non-K cars for me, shaken/road tax/insurance/gas included, is probably less than 500K per year, and one is a supposedly expensive-to-run sports car.

[Coligny]

he is either so poor it’s comical

the most i am interested in is abstract things. or almost not interested in physical ones at all. my hobby is saving. stingy is a winner.
i go shopping in costco Iruma branch a few times per month, taking 1 hour to arrive there by my lovely customized bicycle. its neither inconvenient nor painful at all. and have a series of shops necessary for life within a radius of 1 hour by bicycle.

So... just a slave to poverty rationalizing it as a hobby...

You can't write "not interested in physical things" and "my hobby is saving" in the same argument. You are just wearing your frustration on your forehead while thinking you have the high ground.

Me. I can't come up easily with something I'm not interested in. There's plenty. But they just don't register for a good reason... the lack of interest... Maybe fish based recipe and board games...

also if your paygrade make a 2 hours round trip a better option than paying for any kind of solution making it shorter or more convenient... you are either a student with a part time job... or the definition of failure...

[matsuki]

i go shopping in costco Iruma branch a few times per month, taking 1 hour to arrive there by my lovely customized bicycle. its neither inconvenient nor painful at all. and have a series of shops necessary for life within a radius of 1 hour by bicycle.

How the hell can you bring back Costco groceries on a mama-chari?

[Samurai_Jerk]

i go shopping in costco Iruma branch a few times per month, taking 1 hour to arrive there by my lovely customized bicycle. its neither inconvenient nor painful at all. and have a series of shops necessary for life within a radius of 1 hour by bicycle.

How the hell can you bring back Costco groceries on a mama-chari?

trike.jpg

[matsuki]

LOL, that's worse than my murse.

[Grumpy Gramps]

I always thought, some kind of "bakfiets" would be great to have here in Japan, but apart from those pathetic sanrinshas, I have seen nothing. Don't even know, if they would be street-legal.

[Takechanpoo]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.
and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

[Coligny]

Yeah, and you're not a big thinker either like cows and japanese...
Perfectly worth a 2h trip... How can this idiot even use a keyboard..,
(And you forgot the cheezecake for your screensaver)

[Samurai_Jerk]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.
and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

Is there any point in going to Costco if you aren't buying in bulk?

[chibaka]

owning cars in japan means you are a slave of the maintenance cost.
even kei car costs 360000 yen per year.
http://www.kei-car.tank.jp/ijihi/1nenkan.html

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

For me, gas alone is about 550,000円 a year......

What da fuck do you drive? Chieftain tank or something?

[wuchan]

owning cars in japan means you are a slave of the maintenance cost.
even kei car costs 360000 yen per year.
http://www.kei-car.tank.jp/ijihi/1nenkan.html

there is nothing inconvenient in only bicycle life unless you like to go a long way.

For me, gas alone is about 550,000円 a year......

What da fuck do you drive? Chieftain tank or something?

3.7L v36 skyline. The VQ37VHR only takes ハイオク (93 octane). It's has an aftermarket fuel delivery system, exhaust and a custom tune. The computer says I get 7km/L and I drive a lot.

[kurogane]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.　and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

Is there any point in going to Costco if you aren't buying in bulk?

Even with limited shopping like that he probably saves 1200-1500 yen or more per month compared to buying it retail.

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

[Wage Slave]

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

I hope you don't mean the plasticky garbage commonly sold in North America that besmirches the noble name of cheddar. Good cheddar at Costco? In building block size? All sounds very very fishy to me and any other right thinking cheddar lover.

Speaking of which I have a couple of kilos of the real thing in my fridge thanks to the Christmas trip to porkpieland. Happy days.

[inflames]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.　and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

Is there any point in going to Costco if you aren't buying in bulk?

Even with limited shopping like that he probably saves 1200-1500 yen or more per month compared to buying it retail.

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

Yes, they do.

If I were in the area, I would go there just for the food court.

Went to the one in Kyoto yesterday - I've always gone to Amagasaki but was quite surprised at this one. Not crowded and different food (they had hummus!). The Katamachi line is expensive though.

I used to own a car (Fit) and parking was the big killer for me - something like 36k a month in my building (could have gone cheaper by going to an actual parking lot but didn't feel like it). In cities now they have car share services and cheap rental places so there's no need to own a car unless you have a family plus own a space. Where I am from in the states deeded parking is the norm if you live in a condo and it has a garage (which they all basically do). Was really surprised to find out my friend was paying 35k a month for parking in his own condo building.

[matsuki]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.　and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

Is there any point in going to Costco if you aren't buying in bulk?

Even with limited shopping like that he probably saves 1200-1500 yen or more per month compared to buying it retail.

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

What Costco bread fits in a bicycle basket? Meat and nuts, ok....but then you need a cooler or something to keep the meat from spoiling??

I buy those cheddar blocks kuro. Easy to chop into smaller blocks, freeze, and use when needed. Actually, I buy my regular milk, eggs, butter, yogurt, coffee, meats, etc at Costco. No way I'd ever get that on a mama-chari...and it's a 40min drive to stalk Take in Iruma.

[Coligny]

i just buy bread, meat and nuts for one guys portion in costco. so no problem by bicycle carriers.　and of course im not a big eater unlike cows and gaijijns

Is there any point in going to Costco if you aren't buying in bulk?

Even with limited shopping like that he probably saves 1200-1500 yen or more per month compared to buying it retail.

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

That's around 1 week worth of Mc nuggets for the felines...
It's a "saving" the same way getting a free keyholder when buying an S-Klass Mercobenz is a "gift".
Personally I call that mysery.

[kurogane]

Do Japanese Costcos have those building block sized chunks of nice cheddar? That would be worth a monthly bike trip alone.

I hope you don't mean the plasticky garbage commonly sold in North America that besmirches the noble name of cheddar. Good cheddar at Costco? In building block size? All sounds very very fishy to me and any other right thinking cheddar lover.

Speaking of which I have a couple of kilos of the real thing in my fridge thanks to the Christmas trip to porkpieland. Happy days.

This is from the Vancouver Costco, but no, it's proper Canadian cheddar,not Kraft, etc. dyed cheese slices en bloc. They have Super Duper Aged and just Aged in a kilo block for about 1500 yen per. Yummy stuff. FYI, Canadian Costcos sell nice (enough) branded foods in Mass Quantities at a good price, at least in MYHOMO and IME. It's not cheap crap, it's good crap cheap. That might be the weight of the Costco model and their ability to strongarm manufacturers in the NAFTA area, though, I dunna know.
Welcome home, btw. Hope you had a nice Blighting

Anyways, this Kyoto Costco sounds promising. Wish they had that when I lived there. And I was being feces-shous there about the potential savings of cycling to Costco, even though I fully agree with Take it is fully doable. All you would need for the mondo bread would be a mildly modified back rack (400 yen for the parts?) and enough proper rope so you could stand it up like the can baggers do. The bicycle is the most wonderful thing ever invented. Get a few more of those Blukenbiken that Grumpy Gramps mentioned above or even those Oba trikes in Man Sizes and I would be in like stink. It's a fantastic way to live healthy while almost having some fun in the course of daily drudgery. And when not in the mood, ya fire up the station wagon. The joy of daily urban driving left me like the joy of drinking has left Wage Slave; it's too convenient to give up entirely but the romance died a while back.

[matsuki]

Lately it's the non-food items that are real bargains here. Everything from those LED motion sensor lights and engine oil to laundry detergent. Some of the stuff is local but it's really funny when the Kirkland branded stuff is a whole digit less than the local crap. The alcohol isn't so bad either though Donkiii is sometimes just as cheap.

[wagyl]

Yep. it costs them more in legal fees to hold out for 0% than it does to cave in for 10% (especially if most of the 10% cost of repairing her car is covered by your excess)

What legal fees would they be? Endless unnecessary meetings with tooth sucking and green tea?

I am so confused by you Chibaka. You seem to think that you live in a universe where you can always get your way by negotiation between the parties. Do you always get your way? Maybe your wife is a doormat, but even if that is the case, if one always gets ones way through negotiation, there is no need for you to promote Brexit on your avatar: surely Britain can get the EU to always bend to its will and do what suits Britain, every single time... No need to leave, in fact it sounds like Britain would be a fool to leave such joyful circumstances.

So, if Tanaka Insurance cannot convince Suzuki Insurance to go 0-100 on a claim, all that is left is to try to compel Suzuki through launching a court case. And that costs, usually more than you end up getting back. Surely you are not asking the insurance company to spend even more money for minimal gain? Think what that would do to everyone's premiums.

But then it looks like you do have an idea about pragmatism, because you go on to say

they have already wasted far more than the 10% in question.

and this without even consulting outside legal advice. That really does sound like you recognise that it would be throwing good money after bad to go any further down the 0-100 route.

For someone who claims to hold others to rigorous logic standards, you are blind to logic when you feel like you are the victim. I am so confused.

[Samurai_Jerk]

This is from the Vancouver Costco, but no, it's proper Canadian cheddar,not Kraft, etc. dyed cheese slices en bloc. They have Super Duper Aged and just Aged in a kilo block for about 1500 yen per. Yummy stuff. FYI, Canadian Costcos sell nice (enough) branded foods in Mass Quantities at a good price, at least in MYHOMO and IME. It's not cheap crap, it's good crap cheap. That might be the weight of the Costco model and their ability to strongarm manufacturers in the NAFTA area, though, I dunna know.

Costco in the US has great cheese too (and the Canadian Black Diamond Extra Sharp Cheddar I used to get at Trader Joe's was the shiznit). In America Costco is one of the few retail places you can consistently buy prime beef and they're also the biggest seller of fine wines.