Gold Stars To All The Fine Japanese Drivers Out There

It has now been 64 days since I have been a resident in Japan. Only today did I see my first accident. Quite unprecedented coming from the DC area. I have found that people here are seriously courteous, patient and safe drivers. Today’s accident was not one you would even call bad. One truck, stuck on the steel railing with no other cars involved. No ambulances. Nothing but the shock of seeing an accident as if I haven’t seen one before. Quite amazing when you take into consideration how narrow and crowded the roads are and that on any given one block stretch you will wave your way around pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, parked cars, tiny dogs, poles and other cars. I even once had to work my way around a registered and insured 4-wheeler. That’s something you just won’t see back home. And with all of this going on, every single person is constantly looking out for every single other person around them, never turning their eyes away from taking in the entire scene in front, behind and beside them for one minute. Amazing, yes? I think all Americans should come here and not that aggressive driving out of them. I never thought it would happen to me but you would be flabbergasted to find that I have come to drive like a safe little granny-type. Yet only a month ago, I thought they were nuts to give me a license to drive. The one who listened to Disturbed when she drove in DC because it helped make her more aggressive. Smart.

Of course, there are others in the household who haven’t yet left their DC gangster roots behind, but I’m sure my nagging will help that. Surely. Doesn't it always?