Why does Japan suck so much?
- Thread starter senseiman
- Start date
waverider
後輩
- 1 Nov 2003
- 12
- 1
Well, for my first post to this newly found forum, I might as well state some things that I dislike about Japan. You might as well start off with a bang, eh? 
Okay - Japanese drivers. They take 2 years of courses, pay a huge sum of money and still can't drive worth a crap. I live way up north in Aomori Prefecture, so I guess it's what you would consider 'the country.' There are many backroads and small highways that have no shoulder, are fairly crowded and aren't well maintained. I still do not understand the fascination with stopping in the middle of a road to check a map or take a cellphone call, or even running out of your car to the nearest soda machine for a refreshment. How hard can it be to pull off into a driveway or sideroad, or heaven forbid, a parking lot? We get a lot of snow up here in the winter, and I think you can understand that people doing this makes for some very hazardous driving conditions.
Another thing - what's with not using your blinker until you have already started to make the turn? I'm pretty sure they are in the vehicle to be used as a warning to drivers behind you.
I also love how a red light is pretty much ignored until it's been red for a good 5 seconds or so. Yellow lights? What are those for? I don't know how many times I've had to slam on my brakes while proceeding through an intersection because a car or two are still going through the red light adjacent to me.
Okay, that's enough on driving. I have much more, though. Just gotta keep thinking, drive defensively, drive defensively........
I think my biggest irk over here is how the beaches are treated. They are virtual garbage dumps, and it sickens me every time I head to my local beach to surf to see what new stuff has been deposited overnight. The fishermen treat the ocean as a dump and just throw their garbage overboard all of the time. This just doesn't seem to mesh with how the Japanese project themselves as an environmentally friendly culture.
Well, that's probably enough for now. I look forward to getting in here more, seeing what others have to say about this country, and learning what I can. I can't believe I've been here for two years and have never seen this site!
So, a big Hello to everyone!
Okay - Japanese drivers. They take 2 years of courses, pay a huge sum of money and still can't drive worth a crap. I live way up north in Aomori Prefecture, so I guess it's what you would consider 'the country.' There are many backroads and small highways that have no shoulder, are fairly crowded and aren't well maintained. I still do not understand the fascination with stopping in the middle of a road to check a map or take a cellphone call, or even running out of your car to the nearest soda machine for a refreshment. How hard can it be to pull off into a driveway or sideroad, or heaven forbid, a parking lot? We get a lot of snow up here in the winter, and I think you can understand that people doing this makes for some very hazardous driving conditions.
Another thing - what's with not using your blinker until you have already started to make the turn? I'm pretty sure they are in the vehicle to be used as a warning to drivers behind you.
I also love how a red light is pretty much ignored until it's been red for a good 5 seconds or so. Yellow lights? What are those for? I don't know how many times I've had to slam on my brakes while proceeding through an intersection because a car or two are still going through the red light adjacent to me.
Okay, that's enough on driving. I have much more, though. Just gotta keep thinking, drive defensively, drive defensively........
I think my biggest irk over here is how the beaches are treated. They are virtual garbage dumps, and it sickens me every time I head to my local beach to surf to see what new stuff has been deposited overnight. The fishermen treat the ocean as a dump and just throw their garbage overboard all of the time. This just doesn't seem to mesh with how the Japanese project themselves as an environmentally friendly culture.
Well, that's probably enough for now. I look forward to getting in here more, seeing what others have to say about this country, and learning what I can. I can't believe I've been here for two years and have never seen this site!
So, a big Hello to everyone!
senseiman
先輩
- 24 Jun 2003
- 679
- 47
- Thread starter
- #28
Glenski -
Yeah, its the industrial and urban sprawl that bothers me the most. I've long since given up any hope of finding an honest tourist brochure.
Not that I expect all the natural environment and traditional houses to be preserved, but I do wish they would do something to regulate what gets built and where.
Budd -
Walmart just entered the Japanese market through a tie-in with a Japanese retailer. So we can probably expect more big ugly box stores and more streets full of family owned shops being turned into ghost towns. Very depressing thought.
Waverider-
Welcome to the board. I know what you mean about the beaches here, aren't they the worst? If they aren't covered in concrete they are covered in garbage. If they aren't covered in garbage, they are covered inconcrete. Its a no win situation.
Yeah, its the industrial and urban sprawl that bothers me the most. I've long since given up any hope of finding an honest tourist brochure.
Not that I expect all the natural environment and traditional houses to be preserved, but I do wish they would do something to regulate what gets built and where.
Budd -
Walmart just entered the Japanese market through a tie-in with a Japanese retailer. So we can probably expect more big ugly box stores and more streets full of family owned shops being turned into ghost towns. Very depressing thought.
Waverider-
Welcome to the board. I know what you mean about the beaches here, aren't they the worst? If they aren't covered in concrete they are covered in garbage. If they aren't covered in garbage, they are covered inconcrete. Its a no win situation.
Shinmeiryu
後輩
- 30 Jul 2002
- 216
- 0
Walmart's spreading in Japan now? Oh boy...
Enough with the jack-of-all trades outlets already.
pauro12
先輩
- 14 Apr 2013
- 276
- 21
This is nothing but a personal preference thread. This isn't even debatable. If you don't like, or you seem to see something bad about it, then so be it. I don't think all people will agree to you, neither all will disagree. So it's a matter of preference. So peace be with all of you. 
