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

[masgramondou.livejournal.com]

With the appropriate left/right swap this kind of idiocy seems common in France. I've nearly hit two suicidal teenagers on motorscooters who have decided to undertake me while I'm indicating to turn right. And one other who undertook me on the right, saw the gendarmes ahead and did a U turn in front of me. This one was very very nearly killed because
1) it was dark
2) he didn't have lights
3) I don't think he had a helmet
4) I was accelerating

If my wife hadn't said soemthing about an idiot on a scooter going past her window I would have hadno idea he was there at all, let alone that he was about to do a U turn in front of me.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

I think that's the most frustrating part of the whole thing. I'm a reasonably careful driver, and I don't mind the motorcycles and scooters sneaking past when I'm sitting at a light -- as long as they do it while we're waiting, so that I can see them. But zipping out of (effectively) nowhere is scary.

Undertaking -- I like that word. Instead of overtaking and passing, they are undertaking me. And may end up in the undertaker's care, if they aren't a bit more careful about it.

Thanks!

[dialyn.livejournal.com]

If it is any comfort, in the crazy driving world of California, that would a be a common place event. Twice yesterday, I saw trucks (one driven by someone with the U.S. Postal Service) speed to cut off other cars to get in the left hand lane and stop because they didn't really want the left hand lane, they wanted to turn left without having to wait in line with everyone else in a turn lane. They not only block the left hand lane from the use for which it was meant (forward travel) but engage in behavior where they try to force an accident by turning left from a lane not intended for turning, and for which there is little room for a left hand turn because that's not how the road was designed. There is no where I want to get to so badly that I would engage in such behavior, but I bet these jokers do this as common practice (at least until they manage to kill someone).

[saruby.livejournal.com]

The popular thing for bicyclists in Boulder is to run up along side a car on the right side and then veer into the pedestrian crosswalk in front of the car that has is turning right on red. Alternatively, they will weave in and out of the street and the crosswalk, thus cutting off the pedestrians. Of course, in Boulder biking is very big and the common practice is to assume they have the right of way against cars and pedestrians, to the point that pedestrian are at fault if a bicycle plows them down. However, I was once pleasantly surprised to see a police car pull over a pair on bicycles that decided to run a recently changed red light. Of course, they did it right in front of the cop. Not a very smart thing to do.

[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.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Yeah -- the motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles here seem to do a lot of weaving in and around traffic, and most of the time, I don't mind. But deciding you can outrace a turning car -- and not giving the poor guy (me!) any warning that you're coming out of nowhere -- that's just bad judgment. I know the elephants are slow, but when they hit you, it isn't good.

Right of way, agility -- none of that stops accidents from happening.

Thanks.