If hell is other people, then the worst thing about driving is other drivers.
Have you ever noticed that? No matter what happened, I guarantee it’s the other drivers’ faults, not mine. If you don’t believe me, look at my driving record! Not a single ticket, citation, or even a traffic stop in Japan! (Okay, I admit, I’ve never actually driven here.)
But what bugs Japanese drivers the most?
Summer in Japan means heat, humidity worse than saunas, and a little free time to go see the country side. While some people are hiding in cool, air-conditioned rooms (like me), others are out on the highway soaking in the scenic beauty in cool, air-conditioned cars. But one sure thing to ruin any sightseeing tour is bad drivers.
Here are five pet peeves collected by one of our trusty RocketNews24 Japan writers.
1 Changing lanes without signaling
The number one pet peeve was people changing lanes without signaling. We have to say that this is probably a huge pet peeve in any country, not to mention incredibly dangerous and probably illegal as well. Even so, this reckless behavior seems to be common in Japan. “But even if you don’t signal, you won’t get to your destination any faster, so I wish people would just drive normally,” our RN24 Japanese writer was told when asking a friend about driving pet peeves.
2 Driving slowly in the passing lane on the highway
This is probably something that novice drivers do without realizing it, but it’s super frustrating for everyone else on the road. Even worse, annoyed drivers behind the slow-moving vehicle may start tail-gating, which could lead to deadly accidents. If you’re going to drive slowly, get in the other lane! Or, even better, stay off the highway.
3 Speeding way over the limit only to slam on the breaks at a camera
This pet peeve is more annoying than dangerous according to the person our writer talked to. “People go speeding along at like 150 kilometers per hour (about 93 miles per hour) only to slam on the brakes just in front of a traffic camera. I’ll be fine because there’s so much space between the cars, but it just seems so pointless.”
4 People who change lanes so you can’t pass them
Probably not a lot of people do this, but it’s still insanely dangerous. Our writer was told that certain people act like they hate getting passed and will speed up and cut in front of you when you try to pass them. To be honest, I think this is something everyone has seen at least once or twice while driving—people who think they’re on a race track. I’m sure we all really wish they’d cut it out! Or at least get on a real race track…
5 Throwing cigarette butts out of windows
This is more of an issue of manners than anything, but it seems like the person our writer spoke with hates this behavior. Whether your ashtray is full or not, it’s just rude to simply toss your cigarette butts out the window. I have to say that I agree: Cigarette butts may be small, but every piece of litter adds up, and really what makes it okay to drop them in the street when even most smokers wouldn’t dream of throwing an empty can or bottle out of their car window?
Though I personally don’t drive in Japan—I love the trains!—thoughts of people not signaling still fills me with dread! It’s easy to get distracted and forget about stuff like that when driving, but for the sake of yourself and those around you, please don’t do it!
For those of you who do drive in Japan (or anywhere else, for that matter), what sort of behavior bugs you? Is there any driving trait that you think is unique to or common in your country? Let us know!
Top image: Wikipedia
[ Read in Japanese ]
