Driving in Japan

[JerseyBoy]

I just get annoyed with the bikers who drive in the middle or side of the road without any regards to the vehicle traffic and the traffic lane. I am used to driving in USA and the bike (motor bike) is considered same as the regular passenger car there. So, the biker stay behind me when I am at the stop light. But, in Japan, the biker (including the scooter) weave around and get in frond of me at the stop light and block my launch after the light turns green.

I also see many Japanese motorists run a red light or jump on the red light before the traffic light turns green.

***End of Rants****

What do you think?

[ASHIKAGA]

As far as I know, the same trafic laws extend to motor bikes in Japan with scooters being an exception. While I do encounter those annoying kids on motorcycles, I am more annoyed by people on bicycles. Mind you, not ALL bicyclists are bad but many of them that I see everyday just do not have any common sense.

Young students riding side by side while text messaging on their cell phones.

Old folks riding dangerously close to the middle of the street VERY slowly.

Obasans (middle aged women) who ride as if they OWN the street. If you honk your horn, they give you a look that says " I will be talking about YOU, Mr. Driver Man, when I get together with my girlfriends later! You nearly ran me over!" that almost makes you wish you had.

:auch:

[Rizaric]

Traffic is fairly tame in Japan. Pretty much anywhere you go you'll find bad drivers though.

Visit any other country in south east asia and you'll see how motor bikes truly drive.

[otoko]

I just get annoyed with the bikers who drive in the middle or side of the road without any regards to the vehicle traffic and the traffic lane. I am used to driving in USA and the bike (motor bike) is considered same as the regular passenger car there. So, the biker stay behind me when I am at the stop light. But, in Japan, the biker (including the scooter) weave around and get in frond of me at the stop light and block my launch after the light turns green.
I also see many Japanese motorists run a red light or jump on the red light before the traffic light turns green.
***End of Rants****
What do you think?
The scooters and motorcycles don't bother me. Sure the weave and come up in front of you at the signal. The signal is red, I don't see how the block your "launch". It isn't like they just sit there.

I don't think this has anything to do with Japanese people in particular. People run redlights everywhere. I personally haven't seen anybody jump on a red light before it turns green in Tokyo. People accelerating on a yellow, yes.

I can only compare Tokyo to NYC.

NYC is much much easier to navigate than Tokyo.
Taxis are reckless in both places but NYC taxis drive way too fast. Japanese taxis will stop anywhere(not good except for maybe the person trying to hail the taxi).

Too much traffic in NYC, too much honking.

There are more scooters and motorcycles in Tokyo. So much so that I can't compare bike behavior between the two cities.

If there is anything that bothers me about driving in Tokyo it is this: people in a rush who change lanes thinking that it is getting them there faster only to realize that they have ended up in a left turn or right turn only lane. They then want back in even though they can't because by then you are not allowed to cross lanes. They then create congestion. I can forgive the beginner drivers. I can forgive people not knowing the roads and where lanes merge and converge. It pisses me off when a experienced driver with Shinagawa plates busting through lanes finds himself in the wrong lane and then wants to cut in front of me. Bite the bullet and take that left and go away.

[pipokun]

I wondered where to post this, but I think it would be good to ease your frustration while driving in Japan.

From June 1 on, the notorious cyclist manners will be persecuted here. Actually I should say the ambiguity of the law enforcement will become slightly clearer than before.
I bet the cops will be glad to work hard after having their new regulations for the first few months. So be careful.

This is not an official translation, so go to the police box nearby.
Basic rules for bicycles
Keep to the left margin of the road.
You may ride a bicycle on a sidewalk ONLY where so indicated and ONLY children younger than 13 and the elderly older than 70. Keep the rightmost margin of the sidewalk at easily stoppable speed.
It is not allowed for two persons to ride on one bicycle
except when you put your child on a child seat;
when you carry your child on your back;
and when you put your child on a child seat and carry another child on your back.
It is not allowed to hold an umbrella, a mobile phone, other things, or to listen to ipod, or whatever, while riding a bicycle.
At railway crossings or STOP signs, stop and look both ways before crossing.
Observe traffic signals at intersections.
You may cross an intersection for pedestrians.
Make a hook turn when you turn right.
Needless to say, no drink & ride.
This is not for cyclists.
Backseat passengers are also required to fasten one's seat belts.


I am afraid of a situation...
the more cyclist gangs (moms) on the road, the more you'd be frustrated to drive here.

[nanook]

...It is not allowed to hold an umbrella...Reminds me, that I'll have to go and buy a baa-chan style umbrella holder for my bike. With those in place, umbrella-biking is still street-legal, afaik.

Thanks for the reminder, pipokun :)

[Revenant]

As ASHIKAGA has already said, the cyclists are the most annoying. I'll be in a bit of a rush and get stuck behind four highschool kids riding four abreast, and they'll move out of your way in their own good time.

And then I've had a couple highschool cyclists come flying around blind corners directly in front of me, and if I had been going just a little faster I would've hit them. One of the chicks had a vacantly happy expression on her face as I careened to get out of her way... crud was I ever cursing her!