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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Transportation

My main form of transportation in Japan, like many others, is my bicycle. I use it everyday to go to work, get groceries or just do whatever. So many people ride bikes here but no one wears a helmet which seems a bit crazy coming from a place where wearing helmets is the law. I enjoy riding my bike but sometimes it feels like a bit of a death sport since the sidewalks are very bumpy and not very well lit. I don't know how some of the ladies ride their bikes with tons of groceries strapped on the back or a couple of kids on each end of the bike, now that's talent.

Taking the bus here is pretty much backwards from what we know about buses back home. You get on the bus in the back and take a ticket. If you do not have the right amount of change there is a change machine at the front. When you leave the bus you toss in your ticket and your fare will be shown. So you pay for how far you travel, you don't pay a standard rate. Also at the front of the bus they announce each stop and have it displayed in lights in Kanji and Romanji (Roman letters) if you're lucky.

The subway is quite an experience. When you know which subway you want to catch you line up in a specific area and wait for the train. It's not like the C-train or Sky train back home where you would just wait on the platform. If you were to do that here it would be considered cutting in line. During rush hour things can get a little pushy. I remember thinking that I was getting shoved on the subway only to look behind and see some granny shoving me on. They kind of shove you in like sardines, so if you have a long way to go it can be rather uncomfortable.

The trains are pretty much the same as the subways only the trains have reserved cars for people who have purchased tickets ahead of time. The same rules about lining up apply and shoving etiquette is pretty much the same too.

2 Comments:

  • Hahaha...the wonders of foreign transportation.

    I found that you get pretty used to not wearing a helmet. Don't think that's a good thing....

    By Blogger kent, at 3:39 AM  

  • Pretty Crazy! I guess Fukuoka transit isn't as busy since I don't remember people having to push us on the train.

    Maybe I'll send you a helmet ... a nice big pink one with stickers on it. You would be so COOL...

    By Blogger Lauren, at 11:19 AM  

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