dblEspresso
Well-known member
I just got back from a two-week trip to Japan. It was interesting to experience the driving / riding culture over there, so I thought I might share some observations with GTAM.
It seems the extreme politeness of Japanese society extends to the roadways as well. Perhaps instead of importing Japanese vehicles, we should be importing Japanese drivers. I noticed people were bowing to other drivers and pedestrians from within their cars!
From what I could tell, riders have it better there. The drivers are far more friendly, and two-wheeled vehicles are, whether de facto or de jure, permitted to lane split and filter. You can apparently park your motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle anywhere with little concern for it being stolen. Supposedly bicycle theft is "rampant" (by Japanese standards?) but most people will leave their bike on a sidewalk with nothing more than a feeble wheel lock. There was even a gleaming white Ducati left unattended on a Tokyo sidewalk at 4am.
They apparently frown on the sort of aggression that is commonplace here. Drivers exuded a Zen calmness that is rarely found in North America. Without exaggeration (I was counting), I heard a dozen horn honks the entire trip. Traffic seems so much nosier after coming back. My friend unknowingly stopped traffic -- about 6 cars queued up -- while taking a photo, and not one touched their horn. The only exception to the general sense of peace on the roads was the obnoxiously loud exhausts on some motorcycles and scooters. They sound nothing like the performance exhaust systems on sports bikes or the throaty roaring from cruisers here, but more like they simply put a few holes in a tin can. It sounded horrible to my ear.
Sleek, low and probably powerful scooters seemed to be more fashionable than SS bikes. I saw far more of the former. Surprisingly, even HDs were more popular. Although, in major cities, it looked like most two-wheeled vehicles are utilitarian in purpose. In fact, the only obvious pleasure riding I saw was in Takayama, a small city in the "Japanese Alps", and when I visited Honda's Motegi Twin Ring Track / museum. (From a distance I saw a few bikes going around the track, but by the time I got there, only cars were going around.) It was common to see two-wheeled delivery vehicles. Some had large boxes (coolers?) permanently attached to the back. I saw the Tokyo police force riding white VFRs.
Oddly bicycles are encouraged to stay on the sidewalk, and although at no point did I feel endangered by a motorized vehicle, I had a few close calls with bicyclists. My friends and I rented bicycles (recommended) and found it strange how accepting pedestrians are of the intermingling two-wheelers.
The vast majority of riders eschew protective gear beyond a helmet and maybe gloves, and most helmets seemed minimal at that. They were usually thinner/lighter than what we use, and I didn't see many full-face helmets until it started to rain. Distracted driving and riding is more common. People frequently hold an umbrella or a cell phone on their bicycles, and I witnessed one driver reading manga at a stop light! Not that reading (or texting) is unheard of here, but typically Toronto drivers are more sheepish about it.
I don't know if there is some sort of government intervention at work, or people simply prefer taking public transit, but I was surprised at how relatively few vehicles were on the road, given Japan's population density. Gridlock was rare. I didn't see any equivalent to the 401 at rush hour. In large cities, it appeared that the vast majority of office workers used the extensive subway systems, and during the weekdays at least, the roads were left to those who had to be there -- delivery vans, construction workers, etc.
If and when I go back, I wouldn't hesitate to rent a car or motorcycle. I was only there for a couple of weeks, so I my impressions might not be completely accurate. However, apart from reading signs and navigating, the greatest obstacle would likely be driving on the left-hand side.
It seems the extreme politeness of Japanese society extends to the roadways as well. Perhaps instead of importing Japanese vehicles, we should be importing Japanese drivers. I noticed people were bowing to other drivers and pedestrians from within their cars!
From what I could tell, riders have it better there. The drivers are far more friendly, and two-wheeled vehicles are, whether de facto or de jure, permitted to lane split and filter. You can apparently park your motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle anywhere with little concern for it being stolen. Supposedly bicycle theft is "rampant" (by Japanese standards?) but most people will leave their bike on a sidewalk with nothing more than a feeble wheel lock. There was even a gleaming white Ducati left unattended on a Tokyo sidewalk at 4am.
They apparently frown on the sort of aggression that is commonplace here. Drivers exuded a Zen calmness that is rarely found in North America. Without exaggeration (I was counting), I heard a dozen horn honks the entire trip. Traffic seems so much nosier after coming back. My friend unknowingly stopped traffic -- about 6 cars queued up -- while taking a photo, and not one touched their horn. The only exception to the general sense of peace on the roads was the obnoxiously loud exhausts on some motorcycles and scooters. They sound nothing like the performance exhaust systems on sports bikes or the throaty roaring from cruisers here, but more like they simply put a few holes in a tin can. It sounded horrible to my ear.
Sleek, low and probably powerful scooters seemed to be more fashionable than SS bikes. I saw far more of the former. Surprisingly, even HDs were more popular. Although, in major cities, it looked like most two-wheeled vehicles are utilitarian in purpose. In fact, the only obvious pleasure riding I saw was in Takayama, a small city in the "Japanese Alps", and when I visited Honda's Motegi Twin Ring Track / museum. (From a distance I saw a few bikes going around the track, but by the time I got there, only cars were going around.) It was common to see two-wheeled delivery vehicles. Some had large boxes (coolers?) permanently attached to the back. I saw the Tokyo police force riding white VFRs.
Oddly bicycles are encouraged to stay on the sidewalk, and although at no point did I feel endangered by a motorized vehicle, I had a few close calls with bicyclists. My friends and I rented bicycles (recommended) and found it strange how accepting pedestrians are of the intermingling two-wheelers.
The vast majority of riders eschew protective gear beyond a helmet and maybe gloves, and most helmets seemed minimal at that. They were usually thinner/lighter than what we use, and I didn't see many full-face helmets until it started to rain. Distracted driving and riding is more common. People frequently hold an umbrella or a cell phone on their bicycles, and I witnessed one driver reading manga at a stop light! Not that reading (or texting) is unheard of here, but typically Toronto drivers are more sheepish about it.
I don't know if there is some sort of government intervention at work, or people simply prefer taking public transit, but I was surprised at how relatively few vehicles were on the road, given Japan's population density. Gridlock was rare. I didn't see any equivalent to the 401 at rush hour. In large cities, it appeared that the vast majority of office workers used the extensive subway systems, and during the weekdays at least, the roads were left to those who had to be there -- delivery vans, construction workers, etc.
If and when I go back, I wouldn't hesitate to rent a car or motorcycle. I was only there for a couple of weeks, so I my impressions might not be completely accurate. However, apart from reading signs and navigating, the greatest obstacle would likely be driving on the left-hand side.
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