Wednesday February 15, 2012

ambrosia's past comments

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    ambrosia

    Papasmurf: They should be made to watch that scene in Fearless where Jeff Bridges' character is trying to show Rosie Perez's character how she could never have maintained her grip on her child during the plane crash. He has her grip a tool box which is about the same size and weight as her child while he drives the car really fast towards a brick wall. She's terrified, of course, and when he slams on the brakes, the toolbox goes flying through the windshield, proving his point. Of course a tool box is not a child but the laws of physics remain the same. A body in motion will stay in motion until it meets an equal or greater force to stop it. So, in a car crash that force is either a seatbelt or the windshield.

    Posted in: How much attention do you think drivers in Japan pay to child safety seats or making sure their kids wear seat belts when they are in cars?

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    ambrosia

    Illsayit: Personally, if you have no concern for your own safety, I don't care. What I do care about though is my safety. Were you to be driving behind me while not wearing a seatbelt and were you to get hit from behind, the odds of you maintaining control of your car and not ramming into mine are going to drastically decrease if you head is through your windshield. Not to mention how hard it's going to be for you to help your kids, or heaven forbid, find them if they've been thrown from the car. Add to that, the cost. Even if you have insurance, the cost isn't your burden alone, it's shared by all tax payers. That includes the costs of any emergency services that were called to help you. Keep stomping your feet and whining that it's your private space, whatever that means, but your children are not your private possessions to do with as you please and the roads are not yours alone.

    Posted in: How much attention do you think drivers in Japan pay to child safety seats or making sure their kids wear seat belts when they are in cars?

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    ambrosia

    Zenny11: "No one agreed." What does that even mean? 

                "You don't make the rules"
            Did I say I did?  Considering posting on what I actually said before you try giving others 
            advice.

    Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    Dolphingirl: Sorry but it's not just a matter of semantics. Words matter because they have meanings. If I were to imagine the somewhat improbable situation where everyone was talking on their cell phone, I'd have to imagine a situation where no one was bothered by anyone else talking on their cell phone because they were too busy talking on theirs to notice. And yes, everyone's behavior affects everyone else which is why I've never suggested anything but sensible behavior. If you're talking whether on your cell phone or with the person next to you do so at a reasonable volume. If you're so sensitive that you can't ride public transportation without being bothered by the noise get earplugs, immerse yourself in a book and try minding your own business or ride a bicycle. That's common sense.

    Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    Obey the rule. What rule? It's not a rule. Haven't we had this discussion already? It's a suggestion in the same way that not sitting in the priority seats if someone who's pregnant, injured or elderly is standing in front of you while you are young, healthy and fit. All the posters asking you to do this and that are also suggestions. Can JR remove you for talking on a cell phone while riding a train? No! It's not a damn rule. Just practice some common sense - everyone. If you're on the train try to be considerate of the people around you and if you're really bothered by something ask yourself if your irritation is reasonable or if there is something you can do to make yourself feel better, such as wearing earplugs, moving to another car, riding your bicycle to work, etc. Speaking to people does not fall under the category of unreasonable behavior even if it is on a cell phone. Admonishing people for doing something that is neither illegal nor a big issue, if you're honest about it, is unreasonable. Grabbing someone by the wrist when they won't do what you want is most certainly unreasonable. People are allowed to speak and it's no ones business but their's to decide whether or not the topic is relevant. I'm so utterly sick and tired of people making a big deal about talking on cell phones while on trains and completely ignoring so much of the other really rude and at times downright dangerous behavior that goes on, such as all the pushing and shoving and general inattentiveness while boarding and unboarding. Stop being so bloody hypocritical, hyper-sensitive and looking for opportunities to act self-righteous while really just being obnoxious, illogical bullies! And pacemakers, seriously? There are old people everywhere in Japan, potential pacemaker wearers everywhere in Japan and cell phones everywhere in Japan. Why in the world would people think the use of cell phones needs to be restricted on trains and not everywhere else potential pacemakers reside? Again, unreasonable, illogical and hypocritical.

    Posted in: 70,000 commuters delayed by quarrel over cell phone on train in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    Please explain how suggesting people wear ear plugs translates to "do whatever you like"? No, don't bother. I don't care that much. However, if you must know, I actually never speak on my cell phone on the train, bus or much at all really. I've never been much of a phone chatter. As for earplugs, I always wear them while on the trains because I am bothered by iPods. Recognizing that it's my problem and that the person wearing the iPod is probably enjoying it and that my sensitivity to them doesn't mean others shouldn't be allowed to enjoy them, I plug out the noise and tune in to books. See how easy it is to be reasonable? Your bitterness is as silly as your attempt to try and put words in my mouth. Perhaps you could walk off that anger. I hear long staircases are good for that. Adios amigo!

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    hottomales: The punishment may be too severe but common human decency dictates that the driver should have stopped and checked to see if the cyclist could have been helped. He or she may have thought it was beyond hope but without stopping they wouldn't know that. You'll get no argument from me on the stupidity of most cyclists here nor on the stupidity of the road laws regarding this kind of situation but the driver still should have stopped. That was a human being lying on the road. Irregardless is not a word though I'm sure you just made a typing mistake and meant regardless.

    Posted in: 74-year-old Kanagawa woman killed in hit-and-run

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    ambrosia

    Well gosh golly gee horsefella, not only is that not my whole theory it's not even part of it by a long shot but you'd know that if you actually read what I wrote and weren't so stubbornly sticking to an illogical argument. Nice try, though. I think mikehuntez and I will go on loving each other then, if it's okay with you.

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    aksksk: Well....if everyone on the train were talking on their cellphones wouldn't that mean piglet would be talking on his / her cellphone too and thus, probably not really in a position to be angry at others for doing so. See, what happens when you use silly, hypothetical arguments to try and prove a point is usually that you just end up sounding silly.

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    aksksk: Apparently any safety measures are too much trouble for short-distance cyclists in Japan but oddly enough your head can be damaged just as easily on a short-distance ride as it can on a long-distance one. I'm not sure if people should have to wear helmets but I sure don't want to be on the roads with people who have so little regard for their own safety, oh wait, that's almost every Japanese cyclist I've ever encountered.

    Posted in: 74-year-old Kanagawa woman killed in hit-and-run

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    ambrosia

    It is not a rule! Why can't people seem to understand that? It's a suggestion, a request if you will, in the same way that all the Do It at Home posters are offering suggestions. There is nothing on the back of the ticket or train pass which you purchase to ride saying that you cannot talk on a cell phone. You cannot be thrown off a train in Japan simply for talking on a cellphone any more than you can be thrown off for carrying oversized bags, spreading your legs too wide, putting your make-up on, talking about make-up and hair, falling a sleep on the person next to you or any other of the myriads of irritating things people do everyday on pretty much every car of every train. It's not a rule and it's not a law! There is no need to "obey it" just try to be reasonable. That should be more than enough. Earplugs people or private transportation if it bothers you that much.

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    I am very sorry for this woman and her family and definitely think the person who hit her should have stopped to see what he or she had hit, to call for help and to await the police, regardless of the consequences. Sadly though, experience has made me cynical so my first thought when I read a story like this is that the cyclist was at fault, either riding on the wrong side of the road, turning into on-coming traffic, not stopping at zebra crossings that don't have lights, not wearing reflective clothing or using proper lights. Yes, it's an assumption but I ride nearly everyday and am constantly amazed at the general carelessness and stupidity with which most people here cycle. Many Japanese I've spoken to talk about a lack of cycling manners as if people could just be more polite and everything would be okay when what it really comes down to is using common sense and following the rules of the road. There are days when I seem to be the only cyclist riding with traffic, using hand signals to indicate that I'm going to turn and actually stopping at red lights and stop signs. The only thing that amazes me more is that I don't see more accidents than I do. That said, I just read somewhere that the number of cycle accidents had increased by a huge amount but for the life of me, I can't remember where I read that. The bottom line is that until children are taught from a young age how to ride properly and the police enforce the rules (by following themselves would be a start), cycle-car and cycle-pedestrain accidents are only going to continue increasing.

    Posted in: 74-year-old Kanagawa woman killed in hit-and-run

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    ambrosia

    fishy: As I've said before and will say again and again and again on this issue, I find it no more annoying than I do when anyone is talking in an excessively loud voice but I do find it odd that people single out cell phone users for this lack of manners when there are plenty of people on public transportation who are guilty of assaulting others' ears with their loud voices. As for whether or not someone's conversation has to be an emergency or of a lofty subject, really why do you care? Do you tell people sitting next to or near you that they should really talk about things that are more important or do you reserve that demand only for people speaking on phones? And who are you, or anyone else for that matter to decide what is and isn't important? This woman may have gone overboard with her loud voice, she certainly did with her subsequent behavior and as I've said, I don't condone her behavior in any way. I just think it's ridiculous in general to get so worked up about people talking or using their cell phones on public transportation when it's hardly the rudest thing that a person can do or even rude at all if it's done so at a reasonable volume. Notice how I keep coming back to the word "reasonable"? Everyone using public transportation ought to try being a little more reasonable and that includes the unreasonable behavior police. No one's ever explained in a logical manner why it's any ruder to speak on a cell phone than to speak to someone in person while on public transportation. "Because it's rude" is not an explanation any more than "because I don't like it". "Because it's the rule" is neither a logical explanation nor true. You've addressed why this particular woman was a huge annoyance and very possibly nuts but you've gone no further in presenting a logical argument against the general hypocrisy of this particular issue.

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    I'm suggesting more escalators going down and less judgement on your part. If that's anal, so be it. may you live long enough to need escalators.

    Posted in: How do Japan's subway and rail systems compare with other countries?

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    ambrosia

    Lostrune2: Why should you have to justify it at all, much less with a lie? Politely tell the busy-body that not using a cellphone on the train is a suggestion not a rule, and unless they are going to crack down on all the generally irritating behavior that that goes on everyday on public transportation they should just mind their own business. Failing that, ask to see their etiquette-police badge. What's next morals-police a 'la Iran and Afghanistan? I'm absolutely not condoning what this woman did but I do think that it's high time people started standing up to these hypocritical bullies.

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    horsefella: It's true that they have elevators but they're usually in the middle of most platforms, which is not always the most convenient location for those who struggle, not to mention that some of the platforms are dangerously narrow, making it difficult for the elderly, infirm and disabled to get to them unless they've managed to situate themselves correctly on their arrival train. Besides that, some of the elevators won't hold more than 6 people, requiring long waits if you didn't manage to get it in time and on lines such as the Oedo require a lot of getting on an off as they rarely go straight up to the ticket floor. It's not moaning, it's simply a difficult reality for a lot of people who rely on the trains. Are they bad overall? No, absolutely not. Could the escalator system be improved? Yes, absolutely. I've seen more than a few elderly people tumble down the stairs that they no doubt took because of a lack of down-escalators and I'm sure they'd agree with me. People may be lazy and choose to take the escalators when they don't really need to but the reality is that you don't know why they're taking them unless you ask them. You don't know who's injured or not feeling well so there's really no need to be so smug about it. Walk up the steps if you like but try to have some sympathy for those who find them difficult. This is a rapidly aging country after all and it's going to soon enough have more, not fewer people who'll need to ride those escalators up and down.

    Posted in: How do Japan's subway and rail systems compare with other countries?

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    ambrosia

    But how is this possible? The Japanese are soooo shy!

    Posted in: Why are Japanese women so eager to bare themselves?

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    ambrosia

    Horsefella: It's not a matter of laziness. Have you never seen the elderly, disabled or women well into their pregnancies struggling up flights of steps? Even people who are ill seriously or suffering from a nasty cold would benefit from more escalators, up and down ones. This is a country full of elderly people and not all of them are spry. Those that aren't shouldn't have to stay home because they can't make it up or down the stairs. And what's up with having up but not down escalators in many of the stations? Clearly the thinking of a young, self-involved man with no grandparents!

    Posted in: How do Japan's subway and rail systems compare with other countries?

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    ambrosia

    Who cares if someone talks on the phone while on public transportation as long as they do so at a reasonable volume? Seriously, are people angry because they can't hear the other half of the conversation? I don't believe that since I don't see people getting angry if the person next to them is talking to someone who has a soft voice. And let's get this straight, it's not a rule. It's a suggestion. I'm all for people having manners and not disturbing others but people who are so disturbed by someone having a conversation at a reasonable volume are ridiculous and just looking for ways to act self-righteous and to bully others. I'll concede the point the day I start seeing people getting angry when young, healthy, lazy people refuse to give up their seats to the infirm, pregnant or elderly or when people get angry at the selfish women who carry their jumbo size bags and think it's okay to keep them poked in your back or the people who push onto the train before everyone exits or the people who get off the train while texting thus moving more slowly than they should be and not paying attention to anyone around them. Really! In the scheme of things one human being communicating with another ought to be cause for celebration not condemnation. And if the issue is that the conversations are inane and not necessary then that's a whole other ball of wax since that would describe most of the conversations I hear. As far as I can see it the whole problem is volume and not someone talking on the phone and that I can understand. Again, though I'd be far more impressed with this whole argument if people hushed the squealing high school girls who nearly pierce your ear drums or the middle-aged women and drunken salarymen who talk to each other at a volume you'd use in a battlefield while under fire. Japanese are quiet when they're alone. Put them with people they know, get them talking and they're as loud as everyone else. If you're that bothered by the noise, get earplugs!

    Posted in: Woman arrested for using spray on bus passengers in Chiba

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    ambrosia

    mokgohan: Not a very good point. This site is full of prurient comments every time a woman appears in the photo of the day and there is rarely any backlash. I imagine the vast majority of the women reading this site just sigh, roll their eyes and say "Here we go again.". Japan Today clearly puts its male readers before its female ones so just let us enjoy this rare treat!

    Posted in: Happy days

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