Is it just a Shitamachi thing, or do all Japanese not put on their headlights in the rain? Come to think of it, they don't even on the toll freeways, and certainly not in the shitty little neighbourhood streets. Even at night many turn them off at intersections to 'not bother' the people on the other side, which would be great if everyone remembered to turn them back on.
Sure, Japanese drivers pay more attention, not so much because they care more, or worry about the legal penalties, but there's nowhere you can drive a dozen meters in this land without hitting something, if you aren't paying attention. However, nobody thinks for themselves.
Sure, they have those convex mirrors at all their fucking blind corners with houses up to the property line, but a few weeks of road soot or a few minutes of rain and they aren't much help. Of course, if drivers or cyclists had their fucking lights on in rain I'd get fewer scares, wouldn't I?
Or, if all of the cars weren't in bland colours, against bland concrete background, against a leaden sky (the few times you get a glimpse of one in a Japanese warren) my paleolithic brain could pick up the predator; however, 'this is Japan'.
I'm not convinced about using your headlights on bright days (it's also common in Europe), but on gloomy, rainy days where noon looks like dawn, I'd wager that more light helps reduce accidents.
ReplyDeleteOf course there's the problem of bikes being "swallowed" by too much light (the reason for this post, I reckon?) - but then again, I don't think it's rational to ride bikes in major, heavy-traffic cities for many other reasons anyway. Yes I know this is where we wildly disagree.
Quite a bit more rational than wasting $10000 US/year and running to fat as much as an American car owner, but let's put that aside.
DeleteThe lights and safety thing is well proven, even in bright weather. Among proofs, when Sweden legislated it decades ago collisions immediately dropped tens of percents. In full sunlight shining into the grill, no, your headlights are not visible; however, in shadow, under bridges, etc... I run my headlights for those reasons, and because the rest of the time, no harm. I also run flashing lights front and rear on my bike in daylight for the same.
This reminds me of something written in a DMV handbook for people studying to pass the written portion of the driver's license examination in California... It talks about knowing what the other driver sees, hears, perceives (a bit meta) and advises that if someone stops their vehicle to let you pull out, clear an intersection, whatever... make sure you make eye contact with that person if possible to know that they do, in fact, see you... and even then, one should proceed with the necessary amount of caution.
ReplyDeleteHow I've stayed alive on my bike: check for driver awareness, but don't believe it anyway.
DeleteRe: Stephane's comment, I don't see it's rational to let cars, esp passenger cars, in the centre of busy cities. Bikes, feet and PT are amble for non-commercial use.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was common practice to put lights on in the rain, foggy etc but then I've never driven in Japan so I have no idea what they do there.
Indeed. Also, pedestrians and cyclists spend more than drivers in shops and restaurants, probably because we aren't pissing away our money on a tank and we can drink (yes, I know you should cycle drunk, but better that than drive - mainly a danger to oneself cycling).
Delete"shouldn't", ha!
DeleteHeh...yet another reason why I'm very glad I didn't have to drive when I lived over there.
ReplyDelete