It was my belief that it was because all 50 states have different standards, laws, testing procedures and it's near impossible to adjust the procedures in Japan around that, so they give everyone a relatively simple driving test.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, you have to take a test in the UK to drive a manual and that gets transferred over in Japan. In my state at least, you can take the driving test on an automatic and then drive anything regardless.

synewave Wrote:I was under the impression the discrimination against US licenses was to do with Japanese people hopping over to the West Coast to take their tests there. Have a holiday and learn to drive at the same time.

Yes it seems California will give a license to anyone who wants one, including illegal immigrants and (apparently) tourists. And since you can vote as long as you have a driver's license, we have illegal immigrants voting like regular citizens. Brilliant!

JimmySeal Wrote:it seems California will give a license to anyone who wants one, including illegal immigrants and (apparently) tourists. And since you can vote as long as you have a driver's license, we have illegal immigrants voting like regular citizens. Brilliant!

But that doesn't stop a pro-death penalty Terminator being elected!

It also begs the question, what makes an immigrant illegal?

An illegal immigrant is someone who enters or remains in the country without following the proper immigration laws (visas, etc.).

JimmySeal Wrote:Also, if I'm not mistaken, you have to take a test in the UK to drive a manual and that gets transferred over in Japan. In my state at least, you can take the driving test on an automatic and then drive anything regardless.

In the UK, you can take a test for automatic but I don't think you can drive manual if you do. It's uncommon for people to take AT tests.

Plus, Australia, the UK and Japan are some of the few countries in the world where you drive on the left.

Aikiboy Wrote:Actually, I was refering to the fact that, generally speaking, Japanese are very poor drivers. It is not exaggeration when I say that a Japanese driver almost hits me everyday.(At least in Fukuoka) And they managed to do so on 4 separate occasions. It boggles my mind how they nonchalantly pull out in front of a car doing 60kph and how they use turn signals AS THEY TURN if at all. But that's another rant.

Oh, I agree completely. I think after 19 months of driving over here I just expect people to pull out forcing me to brake suddenly, so I don't really notice it anymore. I'm almost more surprised when they don't pull out (or do one of the other numerous silly things they love doing!)

brose Wrote:You need to take a separate test to get a MT license. Most people only have an AT license. If you are constantly in traffic jams, the last thing you want is an MT.

I can believe that!
Still, AT's are to be avoided at all costs. They must have a negative impact on persons driving skills!
Then again.. We have very few traffic jams here.. :/

I laughed out loud at Japanese women thinking it's too hard for them to use MT and using "the stick" being a "manly quality"

I've got to show this to some hard core feminist!

Mighty_Matt Wrote:(or do one of the other numerous silly things they love doing!)

I especially loved the trucks on the highways! One almost rammed us to the fence!

Ps. Here too, if you take the test with AT; you'll be driving only AT.

I think on average japanese drivers are more or less the same as anywhere else.

But that doesn't mean they don't do odd stuff that seems horribly unsafe and/or stupid or just weird.

People turning on their hazard lights and stopping in very unsafe locations is fairly mindboggling and common.

Also, I understand it is a rule that if you are caught going more than 30km over the speed limit, you lose your liscense for 3 months. Well apparently know one tells the people going over 120km/h on the 80km/h highway. I don't think 120km is crazy fast, but the penalty is crazy, but apparently about a third of the drivers don't mind risking it.

Glad I'm not the only one! After a guy rear-ended me while on my 1500cc Kawasaki Vulcan Meanstreak in his half the size little opti-like car, the traffic cops, in one of their three, three hour long "talks", they said they changed the license law for foreign licenses because Japanese were bypassing the $2-3000 driving school racket. BTW, the guy at the bike shop says retired cops work at driving schools so they WANT/FORCE the public into driving school bondage.

Have a nice weekend!

The speed limit on Finnish highways on summertime is 120 km/h. People usually do 130 to 140.
After that the 80 on japanese highways felt ridiculous! Thats the normal speed limit on every common road here!