Re: Interesting road rule in Japan.

[harv]

Diesel Damo wrote:
> One of my bosses just got back from Japan and said he was cautioned,
> not fined, for leaving his lights on when he was first in line at a red
> light one night.
>
> Apparently they have a rule where you're supposed to either turn off
> your headlights, or at least switch to parkers only, when you're first
> in line at a red light at night.
>
> I suppose it's intended to decrease glare for people turning across the
> stopped traffic or something, but I wonder how many people drive off on
> the green with only their parkers on?
>

Not a law that I can find in any road rules book I have, but some
consider it good manners, in 3 Years driving about Japan I have never
been warned.
Yes it is done to reduce the glare to other drivers, not to "Save
electricity" as some people claim.
As an interesting side note it is claimed there is an increase of
pedestrians / bike rides hit at night because they do not see the car
coming when they forget to turn them back on, I know it shits me seeing
all these cars going about with only parkers on due to forgetting to
turn them back on.

-Harv
Tokyo, Ex Sydney

[Toby Ponsenby]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:18:01 +0900, harv wrote:

> Diesel Damo wrote:
>> One of my bosses just got back from Japan and said he was cautioned,
>> not fined, for leaving his lights on when he was first in line at a red
>> light one night.
>>
>> Apparently they have a rule where you're supposed to either turn off
>> your headlights, or at least switch to parkers only, when you're first
>> in line at a red light at night.
>>
>> I suppose it's intended to decrease glare for people turning across the
>> stopped traffic or something, but I wonder how many people drive off on
>> the green with only their parkers on?
>>
>
> Not a law that I can find in any road rules book I have, but some
> consider it good manners, in 3 Years driving about Japan I have never
> been warned.
> Yes it is done to reduce the glare to other drivers, not to "Save
> electricity" as some people claim.
> As an interesting side note it is claimed there is an increase of
> pedestrians / bike rides hit at night because they do not see the car
> coming when they forget to turn them back on, I know it shits me seeing
> all these cars going about with only parkers on due to forgetting to
> turn them back on.
>
> -Harv
> Tokyo, Ex Sydney

Hell, I reckon it's a good rule if there can be such a thing.
Bne residents should know about Boundary St and StPauls Tce.
Pubs,knock shops poofs bar right about there, and therefore pissed as
a fowl idiots running about on three legs all night, and the whole
thing is designed to have cars in Boundary St utterly blinded by
opposing traffic.
About .001% of the drivers using that intersection douse the lights
there.
About 100% should.

--
Toby
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur

[Toby Ponsenby]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:18:01 +0900, harv wrote:

> Diesel Damo wrote:
>> One of my bosses just got back from Japan and said he was cautioned,
>> not fined, for leaving his lights on when he was first in line at a red
>> light one night.
>>
>> Apparently they have a rule where you're supposed to either turn off
>> your headlights, or at least switch to parkers only, when you're first
>> in line at a red light at night.
>>
>> I suppose it's intended to decrease glare for people turning across the
>> stopped traffic or something, but I wonder how many people drive off on
>> the green with only their parkers on?
>>
>
> Not a law that I can find in any road rules book I have, but some
> consider it good manners, in 3 Years driving about Japan I have never
> been warned.
> Yes it is done to reduce the glare to other drivers, not to "Save
> electricity" as some people claim.
> As an interesting side note it is claimed there is an increase of
> pedestrians / bike rides hit at night because they do not see the car
> coming when they forget to turn them back on, I know it shits me seeing
> all these cars going about with only parkers on due to forgetting to
> turn them back on.
>
> -Harv
> Tokyo, Ex Sydney

BTW, is that what the 'auto' setting is about on some Jap cars light
switches?
Or is it, (or as well as) auto dimmers?
--
Toby
quidquid latine dictum
sit, altum viditur

[Bob Saccamano]

>
> BTW, is that what the 'auto' setting is about on some Jap cars light
> switches?
> Or is it, (or as well as) auto dimmers?

AFAIK, the auto setting (which has been is aussie cars for 5 years) is to
automatically turn the headlights on (and off) in low light settings.

[Peter Wyzl]

"harv" <harvtokyo@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:42423e54_3@x-privat.org...
: Diesel Damo wrote:
: > One of my bosses just got back from Japan and said he was cautioned,
: > not fined, for leaving his lights on when he was first in line at a red
: > light one night.
: >
: > Apparently they have a rule where you're supposed to either turn off
: > your headlights, or at least switch to parkers only, when you're first
: > in line at a red light at night.
: >
: > I suppose it's intended to decrease glare for people turning across the
: > stopped traffic or something, but I wonder how many people drive off on
: > the green with only their parkers on?
: >
:
: Not a law that I can find in any road rules book I have, but some
: consider it good manners, in 3 Years driving about Japan I have never
: been warned.
: Yes it is done to reduce the glare to other drivers, not to "Save
: electricity" as some people claim.
: As an interesting side note it is claimed there is an increase of
: pedestrians / bike rides hit at night because they do not see the car
: coming when they forget to turn them back on, I know it shits me seeing
: all these cars going about with only parkers on due to forgetting to
: turn them back on.

So, This is Japan... how hard would it be to fit some form of movement
activated light switch turner onner thingy....

P