Richard_the_First said...

Richard_the_First at 11:11 AM JST - 3rd April

Last night we were treated to a gem in the form of one long advert for 'Gasuto'. That would be of the family restaurant variety. Anyway, the prog consisted of comedians trying to guess the top ten most popular menu items offered by said family restaurant, by seemingly trying them…

Posted in Is television going the way of other obsolete media? at 11:11 AM JST - 3rd April
Richard_the_First at 10:55 AM JST - 3rd April

I have to buy one of these radar thingies. Any recommendations and prices?

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 10:55 AM JST - 3rd April
Richard_the_First at 12:39 PM JST - 2nd April

Car safety tech has improved immeasurably but the laws are outdated. Modern cars can effortlessly break the posted speed limits which is part of the problem. Buy the slowest K- car might be the best advice, or keep an eye on that speedo.

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 12:39 PM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 12:29 PM JST - 2nd April

Disillusioned,

I think you are right about school zones, as I am always careful when passing by kids and cyclists, etc. They have to balance it as they should add traffic calming measures in residential danger zones, for example like speed bumps, as you mentioned, or chicanes, but the limits…

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 12:29 PM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 12:24 PM JST - 2nd April

I recall passing a parking area/toll gate on said Odawara express, and noticed two unmarked patrol car officers exchanging notes. A little later on I was passed by a flying Subaru Impreza, which was no doubt later nabbed by the boys in sky blue.

Red light running is the most…

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 12:24 PM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 12:09 PM JST - 2nd April

What I'd like to see is a lower speed limit for trucks on highways, say 80kph. That would reduce the number of accidents caused by crazy truck drivers. Some truck drivers simply don't care how fast they drive -- after all, in case of an accident, they're the ones who…

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 12:09 PM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 12:05 PM JST - 2nd April

The 70kph limit on the Odawara Atsugi road is asinine, but the police do enforce it. Unmarked patrol cars haunt that road, looking for bikers and weekend racers in their sports cars.

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 12:05 PM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 11:35 AM JST - 2nd April

The problem is modern cars. Modern brakes and safety systems prevent accidents to some degree, but human error is one factor that you cannot design out. Tipsy drivers are a big problem, but many don't seem to care as one beer/shochu is okay isnt it? Err, no.

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 11:35 AM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 11:12 AM JST - 2nd April

About time as the current limits are too low. Adding another 10kph across the board and 20kph to the expressways wouldn't do much harm, I feel.

Posted in Speed limits on roads to be revised for 1st time in 20 years at 11:12 AM JST - 2nd April
Richard_the_First at 12:44 PM JST - 31st March

Yes, the number of distributors defies belief at times. I recall a an electric soldering tools salesman telling me that the chain from manufacturer to retail outlet required something like 5 or 6 steps, as each time, some middle man got cut along the line, forcing up the final price…

Posted in Japan warming to cheap foreign gadgets amid slump at 12:44 PM JST - 31st March