That was exciting . . .

[mbarker]

Let me start by reminding you that I live in Japan, and we drive on the other side of the road here -- the left. And this evening I almost got a motorcycle with the left bumper of my car when he decided to go straight past on the left just as I turned that way.

See, this evening I'm driving along, and stop at a stoplight. I have my turn light blinking, since I am going to turn left. (Same as a right turn in America, except there is typically no "left turn on red" in Japan.) This is in our residential neighborhood, reasonably small roads, basic two lane roads.

The light changes, and I start to turn -- and hit the brakes because there is a flicker in my peripheral vision. And the motorcycle rider who apparently had been sitting on my left in my blind spot races on out into the intersection and straight ahead, only weaving a little as he wobbled and tilted to avoid getting clobbered.

I almost got the young fool. I suppose he didn't expect that I would start right away when the light changed -- I've noticed that a lot of people take a moment or two to react to the light changing. So when he tried to race ahead just as I turned, he almost got his deathwish.

I wonder if he'll learn not to do that, or simply curse at me for not seeing him?

Comments

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

This would be like a motorcycle running up the right side, but I know what you mean. People in Japan are pretty good about sticking to the lanes. When I visited China last year, on the other hand -- they don't seem to have lanes. Or rather, there are lanes marked on the roads, but the drivers seem to take them as optional. Not uncommon to see four or more "lanes" of cars where the road was marked for three, or to see people driving on the other side of the road.

Actually, the one that started our trip in China was the taxi cab driver bringing us into the city from the airport. We got to a cloverleaf, and the cars were stopped. So he gleefully pulls onto the shoulder and drives around them, then elbows his way into the street when we get to it. And no one saw this as unusual. Later experience showed that he was actually a fairly safe driver.

I've seen Californian driving, and you're right, they do get wild.
Thanks.