Well, sure, but it's a democracy, don't vote for traffic laws and then toss around your ego making exceptions to those laws. These winding, cramped inner city streets are complicated, a single pedestrian doesn't have the authority to jsut decide when a driver should break out of his ROUTINE ADHERENCE to the LAW, and possibly run over another pedestrian at the next junction who can't even see the first one waving. Don't make these decisions off-the-cuff when you feel like it, just swallow your ego and make the driver wait for ten seconds. The road is planned so if your up to go next you SHOULD go next, not make yourself ANOTHER TRAFFIC SIGN that every driver has to look out for like it's Queen Elizabeth. I'm not expecting Americans to understand anything about road planning, or planning generally, they would absolutely make these no-win scenarios where ANYTHING can be twisted against you, and a pedestrian walking normally in front of a car is at risk of public shaming. People pretend it's only china with this attitude, like not helping epileptics in fear you'll be liable, but it's also common in USA. I can totally see an maerican waving "shit, i'm not gonna walk with the RIGHT OF WAY I have, I'll just wave the driver to pass, to avoid any trouble".
The driver stopping for a pedestrian, remaining stopped to accommodate the other pedestrian, politely refusing the other pedestrian's signal to go through, and the clear dashcam footage to capture it all.. This is such a perfect example. Props to the lawyer guy for researching and confronting the police in behalf of the driver.
It's good to see the police chief was so agreeable in this case, that's usually the biggest tell in whether or not a certain incident will be resolved in a fair manner.
I get the feeling he had to be. No way would a Japanese Prosecutor try this case given how the law was written. He 1. Did not obstruct anyone. 2. It can't even be argued he obstructed the first guy across. He also came to a full stop. Trying this case would result in a huge loss of face for all parties involved especially given public opinion.
@@giantdad1661 You don't know the Japanese law system mate.... there's a 95% conviction rate here.... so once you go to court .... your FARKED !!!! There is NO justice in Japan.... it's corrupt as FARK ! Japanese business methods are very similar too unfortunately !
@@adambane1719 I'm aware of the conviction rate. But this case would have fallen flat on its face. Prosecutors in Japan typically only try cases they can win. Granted it's hard to tell how many of those people are actually innocent but thats the main reason the conviction rate is so high.
more like unaware of the whole situation during the incident and not fully informed on the actual law. most Japanese (in 40-50s) police work with the usually-how-things-are-done mentality. older ones are more sympathetic (perhaps because they already assume managerial position) and younger ones (30s) are more open and true to the book.
I’m pretty sure the cop was just looking for a quick buck and saw the interaction between the driver and the pedestrian and said to himself “yep that’s good enough for a ticket!”
I’m actually angry at those drivers who completely ignore pedestrians at crosswalks. It has been a real problem in Japan, leading to many accidents. As a driver in Japan myself, I always stop for pedestrians.
Yeah, it's good that they're policing the 歩行者妨害違反 stuff, but hopefully they stick to things that are actually illegal like failing to stop in the future.
This happens a lot nearby my work place. I had to remind myself to not only check the walk sign, but to look sideways to check for cars that does that. I know it's because they're rushing off to work, but you can make extra time so you won't need to make any violations.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Honestly, I'm amazed to hear the law in Japan says drivers should yield; from experience in Japan crossings are decoration for pedestrians to look at while waiting for a break in traffic.
i thought the same thing. i almost never see a Japanese motorist yield to a pedestrian anywhere. they buzz right through. right of way does not seem like a strong concept here. Folks simply will not slow down or let someone go first unless they're the boss.
"Not impeding" isn't the same as yielding. Not impeding implies that if they are walking across, you don't cut them off. Yielding implies that if they are waiting, you stop.
I had the opposite happen to me one time back in 2001. I was a pedestrian going across a crosswalk when a car suddenly slammed on its brakes and stopped just inside the crosswalk, almost hitting me. I froze in shock, and the car drove off, but then a cop stopped me and asked for my ID. I was new in Japan at the time and didn't speak or understand much Japanese, but at one point the cop said "Japanese traffic rule" and drew a diagram implying that I was in the wrong for stopping in the middle of the crosswalk. I wasn't fined or anything, but of course since I'm a "gaijin" it was probably just an excuse to check my alien registration card.
Commenting again to say... this content is awesome! Literally been looking for this exact kind of video for so long. Been missing Japan, and this is a great way to keep up to date with the non-headline news. お疲れ様 !
lol you should come to the Philippines. Traffic cops/enforcers here don't even make an effort to direct/manage traffic anymore. They just wait for someone to make a mistake to fulfill the damn quota. What's worse is they are obviously choosing their "victims", usually private vehicles, so they can extort more.
I know that in Swedish driving schools you're told to not wave pedestrians through if you're a driver (and vice versa if you're a pedestrian) for the reason that it might make either party feel pressured to follow the instruction, and loose focus on the greater situation, causing a collision with a third party that wasn't noticed, like another pedestrian or car. I suspect this level of social pressure could be a factor for japanese society as well. I even have a memory of my motorcycle instructor getting into an argument with a pedestrian who stood by a crosswalk on the phone, waving me through as a student driver, where he didn't have the intent to cross. It got etched into my memory.
Yep. People who have the right of way need to go. The rules are designed for safe and effective flow of traffic. Modifying the rules on the fly with hand waving makes things messy and potentially dangerous.
Yes, an excellent observation, I think this definitely has an element of societal duties or pressure involved here (which as you rightly point out, leads to a potentially dangerous situation). Aviation is usually a good reference, where safety is maintained due to strict observance of procedures. Of course, general use of the street is a little more complex in some ways, as we're not all "trained" as road users, nor should pedestrians have to be. So, this flexibility leads to things like societal pressure and other factors potentially entering the equation as you point out. Ideally, as you also point out, the driver should have continued to wait, as he originally did, but I guess he felt equally pressured to continue, especially if the pedestrian was older and perhaps therefore his senior. An interesting case study perhaps in how laws/regulations and society interact!
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Like so many said here: It is extremely rare for Japanese authorities to change their decision even with irrefutable evidences. This has been a delight to know it was overturned, thanks to public pressure. I hope the Japanese finally realize they can do something other than saying the most disgusting word in modern Japanese: shoganai “it can’t be helped”
I’ve been pulled over several times in Japan and can say without reservation that 99% of traffic stops are not about safety. They’re about revenue production or safet¥ if you will.
I am new to japan myself and its crazy how strict they are with driving. It is common for people to park the vehicle on the curb outside restaurant with hazards on, go in and order food. Then return to your car while you wait. I went and ordered food, returned to my car less then 4 minutes later and got a ticket for Vehicular Abandonment. The lady in the restaurant was kind enough to translate it for me and was shocked since that's how everyone gets their food their. I took it down to the police station to get my fine and explained what happened and they still gave me a 20,000 Yen (150$ US equavilent) Fine. That was my first time driving in Japan and now feel scared to drive anywhere because of such high fines for such small offenses.
This takes me back to my DMV test. The question had this exact scenario with the correct answer being to proceed driving if the pedestrian is unable or not willing to cross the street. And to think that I planned to get a internation driver's license to drive in Japan 3 years ago, I might encounter this problem.
This was a huge thing on Japanese news when it was announced in the first place. You cannot go through a crossing if a pedestrian is on the crosswalk, even if they’ve gone past you already. It was super clear on the news.
As a driver in Japan, this story has been fascinating to follow. I’m glad it was over turned, so rare here that authorities change their decision even with clear proof. Thanks for making this!
Please continue these kinds of videos! I enjoy the meme content, but my favorites are the in-depth analysis of Japanese news, videos, culture, etc. The "I ask all my friends" one specifically!
The cops and their quota here really annoy me. I was recently ticketed for turning right at an intersection where turning right is forbidden between 7AM and 8AM. I had noticed no such sign. I went back a few days later (unfortunately after paying the fine) to see that the sign was to the left of the light and hidden by a curve and vegetation. And there was a hidden police car waiting for drivers to make the same mistake as I did. Seriously, this is despicable. They know intersections where signs are hard to see, and wait there for hapless drivers.
This might be the case sometimes, but I don't think it's universal in Japan. I lived in an apt complex right next to a train track. On the other side of the tracks was a heavily populated Elementary School and the train station close by. There was a turn off the main road to go under the tracks. The road under the tracks narrowed into one lane with no sidewalk access for pedestrians. The road also dipped underneath the tracks, so visibility of pedestrians or vehicles approaching from the opposite end was blocked by the train overpass. It was honestly a dangerous underpass at any times, but especially during weekday mornings and afternoons because of everyone walking to school or the train station. There was a sign clear as day posted on the overpass saying when cars were not allowed to pass under. It was during those busy rush hours in the morning and afternoon. There were also adults that wore yellow vests and orange flags directing pedestrian traffic and stopping cars. My only involvement in all of this was walking to and from work during these busy hours and observation. Cars STILL drove through it despite the signs, pedestrians and traffickers. Police were also involved once a month. The yellow jacket traffickers were not there, but instead there would be an officer waiting on each side for cars. On one side, if you started turning off the main road for the underpass dip but quickly stopped when noticing the police, you were ticketed. I even saw drivers try to reverse back onto the main road (the officers blew whistles and stopped them). On the other side of the underpass, the road widened again with a pedestrian sidewalk, so it was not nearly as dangerous but...the road was about a quarter a kilometer long that ended at a T-intersection. There was a densely populated neighborhood on the right side of this road with an entrance. Cars would turn onto the underpass road and drive the quarter kilometer past the neighborhood entrance. The entrance had police officer vehicles. When the cars approached the underpass dip at the train track, the police would stop them an ask them to reverse (still too narrow to turn around) to the neighborhood entrance, pull in, and get a ticket. I never thought at any time they were officers trying to reach a quota. It was obvious to me that it was a monthly routine to try and reduce the dangerous driving during the rush hours. I even spoke to some of the adult traffickers about the dangers of this underpass and they were thankful that the police were attempting something to reduce the problem.
No wonder drivers here never go first despite me waving and insisting they go ahead. Sometimes I'll just turn around and pretend to be walking away from the crosswalk just so they'll go first 😂
I really enjoyed this video, thanks for going through all the effort to translate and put the whole conversation in context for us westerners. Keep it up, loving the channel!!
I can't stress enough how important dashcam is. It can help not just you as a driver, but also anyone who's on your vehicle's view. People are not taking things by word now days. Just slap one of those recordings and you can set free if you are innocent.
Its not just a japan thing. In europe in my country i failed my drivers licence over something simmilar. A driver saw that I was in a student car and did not want to take the turn even when i was supposed to wait... which i did. And he waved me forward, so i went for it and immidiately failed my licence and had to retry. Its just police getting you on a technicality.
In Germany, there is a similar ruling. In most cases in which a pedestrian want to give the driver their go, pedestrians usually don't use the crosswalk, wait infront of the beginning and wave. That way, there is no violation. The moment you cross the street, german law assumes that the pedestrian will walk it until the end. If a pedestrian is too slow to cross the street, cars still have to wait, even if the traffic light for cars is green. It is considered to be polite to wait for elderly in that case. If something like in the video occurs, and you are in a strict controlled scenario, german police would also file a ticket. To be honest, the crosswalk looked pretty long, but that could also be due to a wide lens. In most cases, crosswalks in germany are shorter, so waving is easier.
Agree. This channel has a number of "outrage" videos where it fails to present the correct premise in the first place and JUMPS on social media. Your reasoning is absolutely clear with respect to Germany and there's a clear reason for it to ensure clarity which in turn leads to safety. Rule: If pedestrian is already walking across the road the car must wait until the pedestrian finishes. Outcome: The pedestrian SHOULD NOT wave the vehicle across once they are on the road. Verdict: The rules should be static and not flexed at these crossings so consistency is achieved. Penalty: Could be waived with a warning or explanation of the above procedure. Penalty is wrong with respect to correcting a misunderstanding. Outrage is wrong and making videos on outrage is negative also.
Well, Law is also a representation of an understanding how to live with each other. If this behaviour has gotten standardized, then that law should change. I studied just a tiny amount of japanese law, and from what I gathered, if it is common sense in Japan, that most people drive in this situation, a lawyer can rule for the driver. A huge requirements for this ruling has to be however, that the driver has footage. Not everyone has a dash cam to prove this. And in case of Germany, due to srrict privacy laws, using dashcam footage in court is getting recognize just bit by bit. I personally really don't mind this kind of content, because it shows a glimpse into the japanese society, and that at the end we all think the same. I could imagine that a similar dash cam video in Germany would cause almost the same arguments and "outrage" on social media, even if it may be unjustified understanding the cause for the rule. And without my comment, the similarity between Japan and Germany wouldn't be mentioned. Some commenters mention, that in their country, this situation wouldn't be fined. So it is all depending on the perspective.
@@NeroNemion The premise in the video is elided to accentuate "outrage". Your comment is very measured and actually provides "analysis" from first principles which is ironically lacking from this channel which calls itself "JapanAnalysis". Overall, I make the asumption, Japanese culture and thus law works on the principles of clarity in almost all public situations. Really what is happening here is: 1. Systemic "universal code" or law in this context of what is correct. 2. Local behaviour of people and natural reactions to each other eg "you pass!" etc. Imho because of built up area and busy crossing, the standard should be to stop and wait for pedestrians until they clear the road. Maybe a sign here would help make that absolutely transparent and no exceptions. IE due to systemic standardization necessary in this area apply 1. ie explicit understanding. A local setting would simply operate according to the latter system of local behaviour - without such a sign. Ie implicit understanding. Unfortunately this video emphasis is on human drama and outrage and likes reactions that go "Wow! This channel is amazing!" instead of useful discussion and measured responses that help everyone improve their understanding. Again seeing as Japan operates on a "clarity in public on appropriate behaviour", a simple sign here explicit to the crossing should be used if the police deem it necessary due to the busy and hence dangerous nature of the context.
@@NeroNemion "I could imagine that a similar dash cam video in Germany would cause almost the same arguments and "outrage" on social media" I'm not German, but most people in my country, I assume, would get mad at the pedestrian for stopping on the crosswalk, preventing car traffic, and making the situation chaotic and unpredictable. The pedestrian should be penalized first.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
I think that this is a traffic offense in most countries. Once the pedestrian has gone onto the road you are obliged to let them cross. In this case clearly an old man who felt bad about walking slowly and wanting to be nice, but the driver shouldn’t have driven on regardless 😊
The pedestrian was on the wrong actually. If you don't want to stop the flow of traffic you should position yourself a meter away from the crossroad, indicating that you don't have an intention to cross, so that the driver can determine if other passerbys or cars aren't blocking the way forward. Gesturing a car to go forward can be dangerous and cause accidents, I only do it myself when I'm riding my bike, as a biker I don't have preference to use a crossroad and many drivers forget about it (and I obviously have a hard time moving backwards with my bike )
I think it’s important that the real issue here is people are trying to be polite rather than being correct. The pedestrian has the right of way, they should have gone. By waving the driver through, they’re creating an ambiguous situation for that one pedestrian while also creating a hazard for other pedestrians. One pedestrian could be being polite and waving a car through but other pedestrians could be trying to walk through or not see the polite wave and keep walking, possibly coming in contact with the vehicle.
People aren't that stupid, if another person is already in front of the car walking or about to come in front of the car, you think the other pedestrian won't see him? You think he won't think, 'ok, since theres already someone walking, better walk too so i don't waste my own time'. Don't you think even in the most selfish or most selfless mindset, both would have a way to resolve it and just walk. The only situation in which someone will give way is when theres no one else in front of them crossing. Period.
@@Despotic_Waffle No, the problem is when person A waves to the driver B of the vehicle through while neither A nor B sees person C approaching under the assumption that the vehicle will be still stopped. A and B have their extended polite exchange with neither noticing C until at the last moment B decides “Ok, I’ll just go” but then B and C have to abruptly stop because C finally reached the crosswalk intersection, and then B gets a funny face from C (rightfully so). I’ve been there. I was driver B.
I agree. Only in case you are the only pedestrian then it is kind ok to tell the car to go, however, there is always a risk that someone comes running while thinking that the car will not start. I have actually seen that kind of situation in Europe, luckily nothing happened but it was close.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
The real problem is drivers DO NOT stop or even slow down at crosswalks in general in japan and it's very dangerous. So being extra strict in that regard is a good thing imo.
Sure. But this cop was an ass. Would've been easy to have a 3 second look and realize he was in the wrong, but couldn't say it. The driver was also extremely slow coming through the crossing.
really excellent video, very well done/made. I am quite a new viewer but i really am quite enjoying your content ( your voice is nice aswell) あなたのコンテンツを作り続けてください！幸運を！応援する！
I find it extremely interesting how the japanese disscussed this on social media, going so far to have a youtuber-lawyer getting involved directly. Given the outrage it was handled in a very calm manner.. would something like that go viral in my country, police would only take the fign back in a trial, ignoring the public opinion. I'm glad it worked out this way.
The reason for this during the summer is a massive up tick of kids hit by people flying through crosswalks. As you know we have obon now too which means even more kids not even in juku and out and about.
lmao im just surprised that this incident happened near the station where I used to live. The area (Adachi-ku in Tokyo) have a lot more police because a lot of people think that the area is kinda "dangerous" and has lots of crime back in the days. Sadly, this mindset still persist till now. That crossing itself is pretty crowded usually, since it is very close to the plaza in front of the station. However, since the pedestrian actually gave way to the car, I feel the police is at fault this time... Japanese polices are usually pretty nice, but around this area there are a lot of "tougher" polices that don't really give any slacks or anything. Idk if it's because it is Adachi-ku or what.....a lot of foreigners also lives in the area so I guess the police think this area is very fishy I guess....
I'm happy to watch this video. I've been doing this “go first, driver” gesture quite a bit and it was working all well. In Japan, I quickly noticed the reluctance of drivers to go - I am talking especially of situations when a driver is turning left, leaving a main street, a line of other cars continuing straight behind him. What I don't remember doing in Europe but people do very often in Japan is to cross the street semi running, as not to “block the traffic”. I find this annoying so would much prefer to let the car pass first and then cross walking my own chill pace. Now I understand better the reason behind this.
Do not be so selfish at crosswalks. They are not for your leisurely walks, they are for crossing a street. It is your job, as a pedestrian, to quickly and safely get from point A to B without obstructing others from doing the same. There are many, many reasons why letting another driver go first is risky and potentially dangerous. Vehicles on the road are not toys on a playground. You either go if you need to go, or don't show up to the crosswalk at all.
@@nomoretwitterhandles I don't know what you find selfish about what I wrote. It's a common thing in Europe to let a single car pass first. My whole point was, I don't see a reason to jog across the street. Walking at regular pace is absolutely fine, nobody is talking about leisurely walks. P.S. You can keep your car-centric, condescending voice to yourself.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
@@nomoretwitterhandlespeople like you seem to forget people with disabilities exist and cannot cross a street quickly which means it really doesn't matter how fast you boogie across the crosswalk but I guess you'd rather live in a world where disabled people are out of the picture for you to make your baseless arguments successfully
(In Japan) I got stopped on my roadbike this week for turning right at a traffic light (yes it was green). I was told it's against the law to turn right at a traffic light on a bicycle (even a road bike). I was only given a warning. There is so little crime here that police are so bored that they will take any opportunity to stop someone. Even on a roadbike they told me you're supposed to dismount onto the pavement, cross the road (as in going straight), wait for the next set of lights to cross the road again (to the right) and then mount your bike again in the middle of the road. That's safer than just trurning right at the lights somehow. I've been here 6 years and had no idea this was a rule.
At 2:06 you note that cars must not obstruct the passage of pedestrians, but also claim that it doesn't say anything about going before the pedestrian. I would argue that going before a pedestrian in some circumstances can constitute effectively blocking the path of pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I am quite cautious about whether drivers have seen me or not, and I will not get too close to the path of a car unless I see them stopped for me. For example, if there was a crosswalk at a multi-lane road, you wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle with cars proceeding on either side of you. I do agree that in the dashcam footage of this case, it seems reasonable for the car to proceed since the sole pedestrian has waved them through twice. I think it's generally pretty good that police are serious about enforcing road rules that favour pedestrians, though.
So, can a ticketing officer withdraw the ticket? I ask because over here in the States, if I’m not mistaken, it would be up to the courts (once the ticket is given out). I can’t help but wonder if people are giving the officer a hard time for not withdrawing it and he doesn’t have the “authority” to do so, because obviously if they had to go down to the station to argue the case, it sounds to me, that the ticketing officer didn’t have said authority.
Usually you can go through ETC gates at 20km/h but some specific gates require you to stop completely. One example I know is the Abotoge Road (Abo Tunnel) that runs between Gifu and Nagano Prefectures. ETC gates at rest areas (lay-bys) also require a complete halt. So it’s safer to drive slower than 20km/h if you’re not very sure.
I’ve encountered the opposite problem in Japan - cars simply not stopping (or slowing down) through designated pedestrians crossings without traffic light more often than worrying about waving through cars. I think this happens more often in residential areas when drivers have stopped looking for less obvious traffic signs.
as a pedestrian who crossed roads in Japan for many years now, when there are no traffic lights, I’ve always just make sure there are no cars, and if there are cars and I’m not in a hurry, would turn my back from the pedestrian lane and wait until it’s clear of cars then cross 😅
feels strange to me (with no understanding of the japanese legal system) that the lawyer did all this back and forth with the police directly instead of going through the courts.
In the UK we get the same issue, a pedestrian can wave you across but you can still be stopped and issues a fine. Thankfully, it's not that common to have a fine for it, more likely just a warning that you could be fined for it if you can prove they waved you across.
I imagine the chief shouting at the officer who just stands upright and with his head hanging waaaay low. And in the end he says something like "Hai! gomenasai, police chief-san!
That is not true: It's a misunderstanding and consistency of applying rules. Once the pedestrian enters the road they should complete transit and the cars should wait until they are off the road
I live in Australia. I've had pedestrians wave at me to let me through and I refuse every time. Not because it's the law here to give way, but I work on the principle that pedestrians have the right of way to cross no matter what. There shouldn't be any blur between who goes first. I also live in a fairly multi-cultural area. Foreigners might not fully know Australian road rules and this could lead to confusion of "who goes first". If they see other drivers and pedestrians doing things at their own discretion, then they think it's okay to do the same which it's not. It's also easy to lose focus on other pedestrians entering the crossing if the driver is just focused on one person giving hand signals and dictating if they should go or not.
yeah, but some people are unease in traffic, can you see that??? they dont want to cross, when there is cars right next to it. ..losing control over their car, or just hitting the wrong this in their automatic cars. anything can happen. as a pedestrian you have NO safety, unlike a person inside a car. the driver most likely will not get harmed. there is people who are old,# and not quick on the foot. if they want you to go, so they have free cross, in the speed they like to, i can only recommend to do so....
@@coooolibri There's nothing stopping a drunk driver from running off the road and hitting you on the side walk. In fact such things have happened but i don't jump every time i hear a car. If you live in a society, you have to trust your fellow man and not live in fear of evil or incompetence.
That's how the law works in my country. You can get fined for not letting a pedestrian cross even if they tell you to move forward, because the pedestrian can't know if the driver is clear to drive forward, there may be someone else crossing, there may be some driver merging... Accidents have happened because of this
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Glad to see that happening. Japanese people just don't fight over things like that even if they 100% sure they were in the right. And that cop deserved every harsh word he got for being so stubborn and not wanting to review his decision (he just know that he has to put that back through a bunch of people including his boss and that's a way bigger problem in his mind than wrongly charged driver). Love these videos, btw, keep it up!
In New Mexico, a pedestrian in the crosswalk always has the right away, even if crossing against the traffic light. However the law is a little different than in Japan. The right of way is interpreted is that the automobile would not impair the forward progress of the pedestrian. For that reason I’m not sure whether this would be a violations in New Mexico or not.
Your map of that 90 minute trip seemed familiar and then I realized it was because at the half-way point you guys passed the Japanese sister city to my home town. Kawachinagano. You guys drive just west of there.
I have lived and drove in Japan for nearly 5 years. The cops here get all serious about the most petty stuff, but serious offenses happen nearly every 5-10 minutes of driving in my area and i have no idea how that became the "norm" of driving. I ask people about it and they all seem surprised that many things they do are in fact illegal... its just ignored by the police. I mean the general traffic here drives a good 20kph over the posted speed limit, but the police randomly pull over like 1 car every few days. When i first moved here, before i had a car, my students would say it was "unlucky" to get a ticket. Well obviously i told them no, its their fault for driving that way.... But now that ive been driving for so long, i fully understand that yes... a ticket here is just an unlucky event just as this driver in the video.
I am in the opposite camp. Pedestrians have a tough time, so drivers in their cars should insist that the pedestrians cross first, no matter how long it might take.
I'm new to living in Japan, and it came as surprise that vehicles are supposed to stop at crosswalks here. My experience is that vehicles just usually blow by the crosswalk without stopping when I'm waiting to cross... hmmmm... In Canada, it's rare that people do that.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
My take on that incident at the toll-gate - is that you were held deliberately to allow the unhindered passage of the 'Highways agency's vehicle; most people drive through those ECT gates around 40-50kph as they become accustomed to the 'systems' timing, as you alluded to about your own habit.
I think the best philosophy to have as a defensive driver is to "always be predictable". This would also include if you are a pedestrian. While I understand the guy in the crosswalk was trying to be kind, this scenario puts other people at risk because unexpected things are happening. In this case the guy in the crosswalk should just continue across as everyone expects.
I’ve been driving in Japan over 8 years… so happy dash Cams are so cheap. Been wanting to add on my motorcycle… because that’s a slippery slope especially on a bike!
I remember during driving lessons that my instructor would tell me off for waiting for the pedestrian to be completely off the crossing 'if they passed you, you can go! no need to wait unnecessarily!'
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Remember to subscribe, and check out some of my other videos too! My meme review series is my channel's main attraction, I think :)
would love to see the continuation of mouse diner eng sub too!
Please tell us how to pronounce your channel name
I like that even in Japan people have the gripe of "these traffic cops are just trying to hit their ticket quotas..."
apparently all traffic cops are unaware of which law is being broken, or they simple ignore them
Universal human behaviour hahaha... Quite sad
Its directly related to their autumn bonuses
yep, easier to scrape the bottom of the barrel then to find the pond the fish live in.
Well, sure, but it's a democracy, don't vote for traffic laws and then toss around your ego making exceptions to those laws. These winding, cramped inner city streets are complicated, a single pedestrian doesn't have the authority to jsut decide when a driver should break out of his ROUTINE ADHERENCE to the LAW, and possibly run over another pedestrian at the next junction who can't even see the first one waving. Don't make these decisions off-the-cuff when you feel like it, just swallow your ego and make the driver wait for ten seconds. The road is planned so if your up to go next you SHOULD go next, not make yourself ANOTHER TRAFFIC SIGN that every driver has to look out for like it's Queen Elizabeth.
I'm not expecting Americans to understand anything about road planning, or planning generally, they would absolutely make these no-win scenarios where ANYTHING can be twisted against you, and a pedestrian walking normally in front of a car is at risk of public shaming. People pretend it's only china with this attitude, like not helping epileptics in fear you'll be liable, but it's also common in USA. I can totally see an maerican waving "shit, i'm not gonna walk with the RIGHT OF WAY I have, I'll just wave the driver to pass, to avoid any trouble".
The driver stopping for a pedestrian, remaining stopped to accommodate the other pedestrian, politely refusing the other pedestrian's signal to go through, and the clear dashcam footage to capture it all.. This is such a perfect example. Props to the lawyer guy for researching and confronting the police in behalf of the driver.
It's good to see the police chief was so agreeable in this case, that's usually the biggest tell in whether or not a certain incident will be resolved in a fair manner.
I get the feeling he had to be. No way would a Japanese Prosecutor try this case given how the law was written.
He 1. Did not obstruct anyone. 2. It can't even be argued he obstructed the first guy across. He also came to a full stop.
Trying this case would result in a huge loss of face for all parties involved especially given public opinion.
@@giantdad1661 So thank you linguistics I guess.
@Simulation K yeah, if they actually watch it.
@@giantdad1661 You don't know the Japanese law system mate.... there's a 95% conviction rate here.... so once you go to court .... your FARKED !!!!
There is NO justice in Japan.... it's corrupt as FARK !
Japanese business methods are very similar too unfortunately !
@@adambane1719 I'm aware of the conviction rate. But this case would have fallen flat on its face. Prosecutors in Japan typically only try cases they can win. Granted it's hard to tell how many of those people are actually innocent but thats the main reason the conviction rate is so high.
the personal japan stories at the end are sweet, ur entire format is sick and well delivered please keep up the good work!!
Finally, somebody with an ego faces consequences for their actions.
more like unaware of the whole situation during the incident and not fully informed on the actual law. most Japanese (in 40-50s) police work with the usually-how-things-are-done mentality. older ones are more sympathetic (perhaps because they already assume managerial position) and younger ones (30s) are more open and true to the book.
@@jendralhxr I disagree, this is an overreach of power among one (no longer quite as) corrupt district.
I’m pretty sure the cop was just looking for a quick buck and saw the interaction between the driver and the pedestrian and said to himself “yep that’s good enough for a ticket!”
I’m actually angry at those drivers who completely ignore pedestrians at crosswalks. It has been a real problem in Japan, leading to many accidents. As a driver in Japan myself, I always stop for pedestrians.
Yeah, it's good that they're policing the 歩行者妨害違反 stuff, but hopefully they stick to things that are actually illegal like failing to stop in the future.
This happens a lot nearby my work place. I had to remind myself to not only check the walk sign, but to look sideways to check for cars that does that.
I know it's because they're rushing off to work, but you can make extra time so you won't need to make any violations.
They are almost always female drivers. You have no idea how many times I came close to death at crosswalks because of them.
@@thepunisher2988 wow a real incel! I better be careful i am a female after all I might scare him with my having rights
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Honestly, I'm amazed to hear the law in Japan says drivers should yield; from experience in Japan crossings are decoration for pedestrians to look at while waiting for a break in traffic.
i thought the same thing. i almost never see a Japanese motorist yield to a pedestrian anywhere. they buzz right through.
right of way does not seem like a strong concept here. Folks simply will not slow down or let someone go first unless they're the boss.
@@ChristopherCricketWallace It depends where you are at in Japan. Where I live cars often stop for pedestrians if reasonably possible.
"Not impeding" isn't the same as yielding. Not impeding implies that if they are walking across, you don't cut them off. Yielding implies that if they are waiting, you stop.
I think it depends on area too. My area in Gunma, drivers are AGGRESSIVELY nice and will always let people cross or merge and the like
It's like that in Brazil too lmao
I had the opposite happen to me one time back in 2001. I was a pedestrian going across a crosswalk when a car suddenly slammed on its brakes and stopped just inside the crosswalk, almost hitting me. I froze in shock, and the car drove off, but then a cop stopped me and asked for my ID. I was new in Japan at the time and didn't speak or understand much Japanese, but at one point the cop said "Japanese traffic rule" and drew a diagram implying that I was in the wrong for stopping in the middle of the crosswalk. I wasn't fined or anything, but of course since I'm a "gaijin" it was probably just an excuse to check my alien registration card.
its hilarious how Japanese are racists without realizing it
Completely your faut, you shouldnt stand there like an idiot in the middle of the road
You are correct. That is 100% what it was.
He thought your one of osama's men if it's 2001
@@morlarav602 inshallah brother
Commenting again to say... this content is awesome! Literally been looking for this exact kind of video for so long. Been missing Japan, and this is a great way to keep up to date with the non-headline news. お疲れ様 !
If there really is a ticket quota for these cops, or any cops for that matter, then it's not law enforcement anymore. It's just plain extortion
More like an impromptu tax I would say
Plain extortion is like 8% of all police work everywhere
lol you should come to the Philippines. Traffic cops/enforcers here don't even make an effort to direct/manage traffic anymore. They just wait for someone to make a mistake to fulfill the damn quota. What's worse is they are obviously choosing their "victims", usually private vehicles, so they can extort more.
It gets ridiculous in February/March when they ramp up the game so they can get more money for their district.
I know that in Swedish driving schools you're told to not wave pedestrians through if you're a driver (and vice versa if you're a pedestrian) for the reason that it might make either party feel pressured to follow the instruction, and loose focus on the greater situation, causing a collision with a third party that wasn't noticed, like another pedestrian or car. I suspect this level of social pressure could be a factor for japanese society as well.
I even have a memory of my motorcycle instructor getting into an argument with a pedestrian who stood by a crosswalk on the phone, waving me through as a student driver, where he didn't have the intent to cross. It got etched into my memory.
Yep. People who have the right of way need to go. The rules are designed for safe and effective flow of traffic. Modifying the rules on the fly with hand waving makes things messy and potentially dangerous.
Yes, an excellent observation, I think this definitely has an element of societal duties or pressure involved here (which as you rightly point out, leads to a potentially dangerous situation). Aviation is usually a good reference, where safety is maintained due to strict observance of procedures. Of course, general use of the street is a little more complex in some ways, as we're not all "trained" as road users, nor should pedestrians have to be. So, this flexibility leads to things like societal pressure and other factors potentially entering the equation as you point out. Ideally, as you also point out, the driver should have continued to wait, as he originally did, but I guess he felt equally pressured to continue, especially if the pedestrian was older and perhaps therefore his senior. An interesting case study perhaps in how laws/regulations and society interact!
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
Like so many said here: It is extremely rare for Japanese authorities to change their decision even with irrefutable evidences. This has been a delight to know it was overturned, thanks to public pressure. I hope the Japanese finally realize they can do something other than saying the most disgusting word in modern Japanese: shoganai “it can’t be helped”
I’ve been pulled over several times in Japan and can say without reservation that 99% of traffic stops are not about safety.
They’re about revenue production or safet¥ if you will.
I am by no means surprised that a conversation with a Japanese police officer went for a long time and went in circles.
lol same
I experience it a lot, now i just stop bothering arguing with a japanese.
The lawyer fighting the charges, happens to be a friend of mine. Good work Nobby!
I am new to japan myself and its crazy how strict they are with driving. It is common for people to park the vehicle on the curb outside restaurant with hazards on, go in and order food. Then return to your car while you wait. I went and ordered food, returned to my car less then 4 minutes later and got a ticket for Vehicular Abandonment. The lady in the restaurant was kind enough to translate it for me and was shocked since that's how everyone gets their food their. I took it down to the police station to get my fine and explained what happened and they still gave me a 20,000 Yen (150$ US equavilent) Fine. That was my first time driving in Japan and now feel scared to drive anywhere because of such high fines for such small offenses.
Hahaha Gaijin, get out of their country.
Im so glad to see someone standing up to the police. The cops here in Japan are absolutely wild sometime.
This takes me back to my DMV test. The question had this exact scenario with the correct answer being to proceed driving if the pedestrian is unable or not willing to cross the street. And to think that I planned to get a internation driver's license to drive in Japan 3 years ago, I might encounter this problem.
"In the future they will check the dash cam" it's scary how little proof the police needs in Japan to give you a ticket or arrest you
Bro!! You’re content has me up all night
there are so many japan-centric channels out there but man you found a way to stand out. keep on keepin on man, love it.
The pedestrian must feel pretty embarrassed when his good gesture got someone in that kind of trouble.
This was a huge thing on Japanese news when it was announced in the first place. You cannot go through a crossing if a pedestrian is on the crosswalk, even if they’ve gone past you already. It was super clear on the news.
I'd love to see more of this stuff! Thanks for making such entertaining videos
As a driver in Japan, this story has been fascinating to follow. I’m glad it was over turned, so rare here that authorities change their decision even with clear proof. Thanks for making this!
Thanks for informing us. I’ll keep this on mind.
Police in the call also blatantly said "it's on the spot decision, so we refuse to watch the video and will not withdraw".
Please continue these kinds of videos! I enjoy the meme content, but my favorites are the in-depth analysis of Japanese news, videos, culture, etc. The "I ask all my friends" one specifically!
The cops and their quota here really annoy me. I was recently ticketed for turning right at an intersection where turning right is forbidden between 7AM and 8AM. I had noticed no such sign.
I went back a few days later (unfortunately after paying the fine) to see that the sign was to the left of the light and hidden by a curve and vegetation. And there was a hidden police car waiting for drivers to make the same mistake as I did. Seriously, this is despicable. They know intersections where signs are hard to see, and wait there for hapless drivers.
This might be the case sometimes, but I don't think it's universal in Japan. I lived in an apt complex right next to a train track. On the other side of the tracks was a heavily populated Elementary School and the train station close by. There was a turn off the main road to go under the tracks. The road under the tracks narrowed into one lane with no sidewalk access for pedestrians. The road also dipped underneath the tracks, so visibility of pedestrians or vehicles approaching from the opposite end was blocked by the train overpass. It was honestly a dangerous underpass at any times, but especially during weekday mornings and afternoons because of everyone walking to school or the train station. There was a sign clear as day posted on the overpass saying when cars were not allowed to pass under. It was during those busy rush hours in the morning and afternoon. There were also adults that wore yellow vests and orange flags directing pedestrian traffic and stopping cars. My only involvement in all of this was walking to and from work during these busy hours and observation. Cars STILL drove through it despite the signs, pedestrians and traffickers. Police were also involved once a month. The yellow jacket traffickers were not there, but instead there would be an officer waiting on each side for cars. On one side, if you started turning off the main road for the underpass dip but quickly stopped when noticing the police, you were ticketed. I even saw drivers try to reverse back onto the main road (the officers blew whistles and stopped them). On the other side of the underpass, the road widened again with a pedestrian sidewalk, so it was not nearly as dangerous but...the road was about a quarter a kilometer long that ended at a T-intersection. There was a densely populated neighborhood on the right side of this road with an entrance. Cars would turn onto the underpass road and drive the quarter kilometer past the neighborhood entrance. The entrance had police officer vehicles. When the cars approached the underpass dip at the train track, the police would stop them an ask them to reverse (still too narrow to turn around) to the neighborhood entrance, pull in, and get a ticket. I never thought at any time they were officers trying to reach a quota. It was obvious to me that it was a monthly routine to try and reduce the dangerous driving during the rush hours. I even spoke to some of the adult traffickers about the dangers of this underpass and they were thankful that the police were attempting something to reduce the problem.
No wonder drivers here never go first despite me waving and insisting they go ahead. Sometimes I'll just turn around and pretend to be walking away from the crosswalk just so they'll go first 😂
I really enjoyed this video, thanks for going through all the effort to translate and put the whole conversation in context for us westerners. Keep it up, loving the channel!!
That's why I will never move there. Enforcing even the most stupid rules without any reason or common sense
It's good to have a law expert on your side
I can't stress enough how important dashcam is. It can help not just you as a driver, but also anyone who's on your vehicle's view. People are not taking things by word now days. Just slap one of those recordings and you can set free if you are innocent.
These videos are excellent and never disappoint.
Bro this is so detailed and interesting content! Keep'em coming !!!
sounds like when the cop meantions that it was an on-the-spot judgement that he's saying that it doesn't matter if the guy broke the law or not
Its not just a japan thing. In europe in my country i failed my drivers licence over something simmilar. A driver saw that I was in a student car and did not want to take the turn even when i was supposed to wait... which i did. And he waved me forward, so i went for it and immidiately failed my licence and had to retry.
Its just police getting you on a technicality.
When the law outlaws common sense, basic human interactions, and decent behavior, can you call it anything but immoral?
Really enjoy your videos, please keep them coming!
most civil online text about disagreeing with police ive ever seen.
So glad they properly complained about this and they got their redemption.
In Germany, there is a similar ruling. In most cases in which a pedestrian want to give the driver their go, pedestrians usually don't use the crosswalk, wait infront of the beginning and wave. That way, there is no violation. The moment you cross the street, german law assumes that the pedestrian will walk it until the end. If a pedestrian is too slow to cross the street, cars still have to wait, even if the traffic light for cars is green. It is considered to be polite to wait for elderly in that case.
If something like in the video occurs, and you are in a strict controlled scenario, german police would also file a ticket. To be honest, the crosswalk looked pretty long, but that could also be due to a wide lens. In most cases, crosswalks in germany are shorter, so waving is easier.
Agree. This channel has a number of "outrage" videos where it fails to present the correct premise in the first place and JUMPS on social media.
Your reasoning is absolutely clear with respect to Germany and there's a clear reason for it to ensure clarity which in turn leads to safety.
Rule: If pedestrian is already walking across the road the car must wait until the pedestrian finishes.
Outcome: The pedestrian SHOULD NOT wave the vehicle across once they are on the road.
Verdict: The rules should be static and not flexed at these crossings so consistency is achieved.
Penalty: Could be waived with a warning or explanation of the above procedure.
Penalty is wrong with respect to correcting a misunderstanding. Outrage is wrong and making videos on outrage is negative also.
Well, Law is also a representation of an understanding how to live with each other. If this behaviour has gotten standardized, then that law should change.
I studied just a tiny amount of japanese law, and from what I gathered, if it is common sense in Japan, that most people drive in this situation, a lawyer can rule for the driver.
A huge requirements for this ruling has to be however, that the driver has footage. Not everyone has a dash cam to prove this. And in case of Germany, due to srrict privacy laws, using dashcam footage in court is getting recognize just bit by bit.
I personally really don't mind this kind of content, because it shows a glimpse into the japanese society, and that at the end we all think the same. I could imagine that a similar dash cam video in Germany would cause almost the same arguments and "outrage" on social media, even if it may be unjustified understanding the cause for the rule.
And without my comment, the similarity between Japan and Germany wouldn't be mentioned. Some commenters mention, that in their country, this situation wouldn't be fined.
So it is all depending on the perspective.
@@NeroNemion The premise in the video is elided to accentuate "outrage".
Your comment is very measured and actually provides "analysis" from first principles which is ironically lacking from this channel which calls itself "JapanAnalysis".
Overall, I make the asumption, Japanese culture and thus law works on the principles of clarity in almost all public situations.
Really what is happening here is:
1. Systemic "universal code" or law in this context of what is correct.
2. Local behaviour of people and natural reactions to each other eg "you pass!" etc.
Imho because of built up area and busy crossing, the standard should be to stop and wait for pedestrians until they clear the road. Maybe a sign here would help make that absolutely transparent and no exceptions. IE due to systemic standardization necessary in this area apply 1. ie explicit understanding.
A local setting would simply operate according to the latter system of local behaviour - without such a sign. Ie implicit understanding.
Unfortunately this video emphasis is on human drama and outrage and likes reactions that go "Wow! This channel is amazing!" instead of useful discussion and measured responses that help everyone improve their understanding.
Again seeing as Japan operates on a "clarity in public on appropriate behaviour", a simple sign here explicit to the crossing should be used if the police deem it necessary due to the busy and hence dangerous nature of the context.
@@NeroNemion "I could imagine that a similar dash cam video in Germany would cause almost the same arguments and "outrage" on social media"
I'm not German, but most people in my country, I assume, would get mad at the pedestrian for stopping on the crosswalk, preventing car traffic, and making the situation chaotic and unpredictable. The pedestrian should be penalized first.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
"Illegal knife"
What?!
Great video! Can’t wait for the next upload
I think that this is a traffic offense in most countries. Once the pedestrian has gone onto the road you are obliged to let them cross. In this case clearly an old man who felt bad about walking slowly and wanting to be nice, but the driver shouldn’t have driven on regardless 😊
The pedestrian was on the wrong actually. If you don't want to stop the flow of traffic you should position yourself a meter away from the crossroad, indicating that you don't have an intention to cross, so that the driver can determine if other passerbys or cars aren't blocking the way forward. Gesturing a car to go forward can be dangerous and cause accidents, I only do it myself when I'm riding my bike, as a biker I don't have preference to use a crossroad and many drivers forget about it (and I obviously have a hard time moving backwards with my bike )
That call with the officer is like arguing on the internet
Love your content as I’ve been living in Kanagawa for 14 years.
I think it’s important that the real issue here is people are trying to be polite rather than being correct. The pedestrian has the right of way, they should have gone. By waving the driver through, they’re creating an ambiguous situation for that one pedestrian while also creating a hazard for other pedestrians. One pedestrian could be being polite and waving a car through but other pedestrians could be trying to walk through or not see the polite wave and keep walking, possibly coming in contact with the vehicle.
People aren't that stupid, if another person is already in front of the car walking or about to come in front of the car, you think the other pedestrian won't see him? You think he won't think, 'ok, since theres already someone walking, better walk too so i don't waste my own time'. Don't you think even in the most selfish or most selfless mindset, both would have a way to resolve it and just walk. The only situation in which someone will give way is when theres no one else in front of them crossing. Period.
@@Despotic_Waffle No, the problem is when person A waves to the driver B of the vehicle through while neither A nor B sees person C approaching under the assumption that the vehicle will be still stopped. A and B have their extended polite exchange with neither noticing C until at the last moment B decides “Ok, I’ll just go” but then B and C have to abruptly stop because C finally reached the crosswalk intersection, and then B gets a funny face from C (rightfully so).
I’ve been there. I was driver B.
I agree. Only in case you are the only pedestrian then it is kind ok to tell the car to go, however, there is always a risk that someone comes running while thinking that the car will not start.
I have actually seen that kind of situation in Europe, luckily nothing happened but it was close.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
The real problem is drivers DO NOT stop or even slow down at crosswalks in general in japan and it's very dangerous. So being extra strict in that regard is a good thing imo.
This is 100% true and trying to cross the road in Japan can be very annoying, but our driver still doesn't deserve to be penalized here :)
My same thoughts. It was a bit of a shock to me how people completely ignore cross walks. Even seeing multiple pedestrians trying to cross.
Sure. But this cop was an ass. Would've been easy to have a 3 second look and realize he was in the wrong, but couldn't say it. The driver was also extremely slow coming through the crossing.
In Hokkaido NOBODY looks for cars when they cross a road-NOBODY
@@ZombieOrgasm Apparently they get completely ignored in France too.
99% conviction rate BABY!
You're innocent? *FUCK THAT!*
This is my new favorite channel^^
really excellent video, very well done/made. I am quite a new viewer but i really am quite enjoying your content ( your voice is nice aswell)
あなたのコンテンツを作り続けてください！幸運を！応援する！
WOAH I GOT A LIKE FROM THE MAN HIMSELF letss gooo
I find it extremely interesting how the japanese disscussed this on social media, going so far to have a youtuber-lawyer getting involved directly.
Given the outrage it was handled in a very calm manner.. would something like that go viral in my country, police would only take the fign back in a trial, ignoring the public opinion.
I'm glad it worked out this way.
Social media is great for democratic societies that culturally still operate in an authoritarian/hierarchical way.
@@jimjones3370 it can be great, it can be bad. In Japan's case it definetetly seems to help.
The reason for this during the summer is a massive up tick of kids hit by people flying through crosswalks. As you know we have obon now too which means even more kids not even in juku and out and about.
lmao im just surprised that this incident happened near the station where I used to live. The area (Adachi-ku in Tokyo) have a lot more police because a lot of people think that the area is kinda "dangerous" and has lots of crime back in the days. Sadly, this mindset still persist till now. That crossing itself is pretty crowded usually, since it is very close to the plaza in front of the station. However, since the pedestrian actually gave way to the car, I feel the police is at fault this time...
Japanese polices are usually pretty nice, but around this area there are a lot of "tougher" polices that don't really give any slacks or anything. Idk if it's because it is Adachi-ku or what.....a lot of foreigners also lives in the area so I guess the police think this area is very fishy I guess....
This channel is gonna get big. Believe it
Great content! ✨
Years of living in Japan, and I hardly ever saw cars giving way to pedestrians at crossings.
I'm happy to watch this video. I've been doing this “go first, driver” gesture quite a bit and it was working all well. In Japan, I quickly noticed the reluctance of drivers to go - I am talking especially of situations when a driver is turning left, leaving a main street, a line of other cars continuing straight behind him. What I don't remember doing in Europe but people do very often in Japan is to cross the street semi running, as not to “block the traffic”. I find this annoying so would much prefer to let the car pass first and then cross walking my own chill pace. Now I understand better the reason behind this.
Do not be so selfish at crosswalks. They are not for your leisurely walks, they are for crossing a street. It is your job, as a pedestrian, to quickly and safely get from point A to B without obstructing others from doing the same. There are many, many reasons why letting another driver go first is risky and potentially dangerous. Vehicles on the road are not toys on a playground. You either go if you need to go, or don't show up to the crosswalk at all.
@@nomoretwitterhandles I don't know what you find selfish about what I wrote. It's a common thing in Europe to let a single car pass first. My whole point was, I don't see a reason to jog across the street. Walking at regular pace is absolutely fine, nobody is talking about leisurely walks.
P.S. You can keep your car-centric, condescending voice to yourself.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
@@nomoretwitterhandlespeople like you seem to forget people with disabilities exist and cannot cross a street quickly which means it really doesn't matter how fast you boogie across the crosswalk but I guess you'd rather live in a world where disabled people are out of the picture for you to make your baseless arguments successfully
(In Japan) I got stopped on my roadbike this week for turning right at a traffic light (yes it was green). I was told it's against the law to turn right at a traffic light on a bicycle (even a road bike). I was only given a warning.
There is so little crime here that police are so bored that they will take any opportunity to stop someone.
Even on a roadbike they told me you're supposed to dismount onto the pavement, cross the road (as in going straight), wait for the next set of lights to cross the road again (to the right) and then mount your bike again in the middle of the road. That's safer than just trurning right at the lights somehow.
I've been here 6 years and had no idea this was a rule.
At 2:06 you note that cars must not obstruct the passage of pedestrians, but also claim that it doesn't say anything about going before the pedestrian. I would argue that going before a pedestrian in some circumstances can constitute effectively blocking the path of pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I am quite cautious about whether drivers have seen me or not, and I will not get too close to the path of a car unless I see them stopped for me. For example, if there was a crosswalk at a multi-lane road, you wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle with cars proceeding on either side of you.
I do agree that in the dashcam footage of this case, it seems reasonable for the car to proceed since the sole pedestrian has waved them through twice. I think it's generally pretty good that police are serious about enforcing road rules that favour pedestrians, though.
When you got so much police office and not much crime...you wil neat pick on the details
I hope that cops in Japan as in so many other countries focus on much more serious violations that are taking place every day.
Plot twist: the pedestrian was working together with the traffic cop.
very cool content, entertaining and can be taken as reference to other who willing to go to or is living in japan
So, can a ticketing officer withdraw the ticket? I ask because over here in the States, if I’m not mistaken, it would be up to the courts (once the ticket is given out). I can’t help but wonder if people are giving the officer a hard time for not withdrawing it and he doesn’t have the “authority” to do so, because obviously if they had to go down to the station to argue the case, it sounds to me, that the ticketing officer didn’t have said authority.
Usually you can go through ETC gates at 20km/h but some specific gates require you to stop completely. One example I know is the Abotoge Road (Abo Tunnel) that runs between Gifu and Nagano Prefectures. ETC gates at rest areas (lay-bys) also require a complete halt. So it’s safer to drive slower than 20km/h if you’re not very sure.
The officers complete disregard for the context of the situation is wacky.
when being nice gets you in trouble
I’ve encountered the opposite problem in Japan - cars simply not stopping (or slowing down) through designated pedestrians crossings without traffic light more often than worrying about waving through cars. I think this happens more often in residential areas when drivers have stopped looking for less obvious traffic signs.
as a pedestrian who crossed roads in Japan for many years now, when there are no traffic lights, I’ve always just make sure there are no cars, and if there are cars and I’m not in a hurry, would turn my back from the pedestrian lane and wait until it’s clear of cars then cross 😅
feels strange to me (with no understanding of the japanese legal system) that the lawyer did all this back and forth with the police directly instead of going through the courts.
7:42 "we barely avoided colliding straight with it" - the video clearly shows that you did collide straight with the gate...
In the UK we get the same issue, a pedestrian can wave you across but you can still be stopped and issues a fine. Thankfully, it's not that common to have a fine for it, more likely just a warning that you could be fined for it if you can prove they waved you across.
"On-the-sopt judgements" especially should be revokable.
It seems the police there is lacking some more serious crimes to fight, come to Brazil, you"ll have lots of work...
I imagine the chief shouting at the officer who just stands upright and with his head hanging waaaay low. And in the end he says something like "Hai! gomenasai, police chief-san!
Yes. Please, absolutely make a dash-cam compilation video.
What an unreasonable man-made world we live in... getting fined for kindness reasons.
That is not true: It's a misunderstanding and consistency of applying rules. Once the pedestrian enters the road they should complete transit and the cars should wait until they are off the road
I love your channel dude. Currently studying Japanese and your whole channel motivates me to study harder.
Impressed that the police chief withdrew the ticket. In the US such a thing would never ever happen.
I live in Australia. I've had pedestrians wave at me to let me through and I refuse every time. Not because it's the law here to give way, but I work on the principle that pedestrians have the right of way to cross no matter what. There shouldn't be any blur between who goes first.
I also live in a fairly multi-cultural area. Foreigners might not fully know Australian road rules and this could lead to confusion of "who goes first". If they see other drivers and pedestrians doing things at their own discretion, then they think it's okay to do the same which it's not.
It's also easy to lose focus on other pedestrians entering the crossing if the driver is just focused on one person giving hand signals and dictating if they should go or not.
yeah, but some people are unease in traffic, can you see that??? they dont want to cross, when there is cars right next to it.
..losing control over their car, or just hitting the wrong this in their automatic cars. anything can happen. as a pedestrian
you have NO safety, unlike a person inside a car. the driver most likely will not get harmed. there is people who are old,# and
not quick on the foot. if they want you to go, so they have free cross, in the speed they like to, i can only recommend to do so....
@@coooolibri There's nothing stopping a drunk driver from running off the road and hitting you on the side walk. In fact such things have happened but i don't jump every time i hear a car. If you live in a society, you have to trust your fellow man and not live in fear of evil or incompetence.
That's how the law works in my country. You can get fined for not letting a pedestrian cross even if they tell you to move forward, because the pedestrian can't know if the driver is clear to drive forward, there may be someone else crossing, there may be some driver merging... Accidents have happened because of this
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
"British and Aussie text effects took me 30 minutes"
Me: A British and / or Aussie person: How bloody long mate!?
Glad to see that happening. Japanese people just don't fight over things like that even if they 100% sure they were in the right. And that cop deserved every harsh word he got for being so stubborn and not wanting to review his decision (he just know that he has to put that back through a bunch of people including his boss and that's a way bigger problem in his mind than wrongly charged driver). Love these videos, btw, keep it up!
In New Mexico, a pedestrian in the crosswalk always has the right away, even if crossing against the traffic light. However the law is a little different than in Japan. The right of way is interpreted is that the automobile would not impair the forward progress of the pedestrian. For that reason I’m not sure whether this would be a violations in New Mexico or not.
Glad he had a good lawyer
I want more japan stories and about your life in japan too
Your map of that 90 minute trip seemed familiar and then I realized it was because at the half-way point you guys passed the Japanese sister city to my home town. Kawachinagano. You guys drive just west of there.
I have lived and drove in Japan for nearly 5 years. The cops here get all serious about the most petty stuff, but serious offenses happen nearly every 5-10 minutes of driving in my area and i have no idea how that became the "norm" of driving. I ask people about it and they all seem surprised that many things they do are in fact illegal... its just ignored by the police. I mean the general traffic here drives a good 20kph over the posted speed limit, but the police randomly pull over like 1 car every few days. When i first moved here, before i had a car, my students would say it was "unlucky" to get a ticket. Well obviously i told them no, its their fault for driving that way.... But now that ive been driving for so long, i fully understand that yes... a ticket here is just an unlucky event just as this driver in the video.
If you are moving to a metropolitan city, use the public transport and save yourself from such worries.
We have yield in America too
I am in the opposite camp. Pedestrians have a tough time, so drivers in their cars should insist that the pedestrians cross first, no matter how long it might take.
I'm new to living in Japan, and it came as surprise that vehicles are supposed to stop at crosswalks here. My experience is that vehicles just usually blow by the crosswalk without stopping when I'm waiting to cross... hmmmm... In Canada, it's rare that people do that.
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.
My take on that incident at the toll-gate - is that you were held deliberately to allow the unhindered passage of the 'Highways agency's vehicle; most people drive through those ECT gates around 40-50kph as they become accustomed to the 'systems' timing, as you alluded to about your own habit.
I think the best philosophy to have as a defensive driver is to "always be predictable". This would also include if you are a pedestrian. While I understand the guy in the crosswalk was trying to be kind, this scenario puts other people at risk because unexpected things are happening. In this case the guy in the crosswalk should just continue across as everyone expects.
I’ve been driving in Japan over 8 years… so happy dash Cams are so cheap. Been wanting to add on my motorcycle… because that’s a slippery slope especially on a bike!
I remember during driving lessons that my instructor would tell me off for waiting for the pedestrian to be completely off the crossing 'if they passed you, you can go! no need to wait unnecessarily!'
There are too many narcissistic pedestrians that walk too slow because they are busy playing on their smartphones. And they have earphones that you can’t see because of their hairstyle or earbuds. I call them public masturbaters because they should have better manners when they leave their front door. If they were an automobile driver, bicycle rider etc. they would be upset at people that behave like them.