Man wielding knife gets into argument with passenger on train

Using a tablet 'computer' is his prerogative. If he was sitting in a priority seat on a full train while others who needed to sit for some reason could not, however, that is worthy of reprimand. But this old guy obviously needs to learn what an appropriate reaction and behaviour is. It's no wonder you have kids killing their parents or young parents killing their children, or middle-aged people killing both, and saying, "I killed him/her because she said something bad about me!".

Absolutely nothing wrong with using a tablet in the priority seating. As Smith says, if he was sitting in the priority seats while others who deserved priority had to stand, that's worthy of a reprimand - but a non-knife reprimand.

But this old guy obviously needs to learn what an appropriate reaction and behaviour is

Yes Napoleon. Tell us more about how you're going to control natural human behavior?

I've witnessed a couple of fights in my train line over people using devices in or near priority seats. Time for the stupid rail companies to scrap that ridiculous rule requiring devices to be powered down. Gimme a break.

The rail companies are on some perverted power trip with this one.

FizzBit: "Yes Napoleon. Tell us more about how you're going to control natural human behavior?"

So, let me get this straight -- you think waving a knife at someone is an appropriate response to minding your own business and using an electronic device? You don't think the person needs better reasoning power or to see how stupid it is to admonish someone for doing something completely harmless by wielding a lethal weapon? If me pointing out how hypocritical and unproductive his 'protest' is being makes me Napolean, I wonder whom it makes you for saying his actions were just?

A non-knife reprimand would have been preferable.

karlrb: "A non-knife reprimand would have been preferable."

Reprimand him for what? He wasn't doing anything wrong (nowhere does it indicate the man was preventing people who honestly needed to sit down from doing so by filling a priority seat).

Actually, there is a policy on most trains that say that any device that emits wireless signal (especially mobile phones) should not be used in the priority seat areas, because the signals can disrupt the operation of some medical devices like a pacemaker. I am not sure if the particular device in question used cell phone signals to get connectivity to the internet, or if the passenger was using the tablet without any connectivity, but if he was indeed using cellular signals to access the internet, he should have known better and should not have been in that area. There are signs all over the train and periodic announcements so he cannot plea ignorance.

Having said this, yes, pulling a knife is not the way to go, so the 71 year old should be arrested for that.

Priority seating isn't for 50 yr old men, when there is a71 year old man standing, plus, Silver Seats are where you turn off your phones, tablets etc, for users of pace makers, however tenuous that may be in your opinion, that is what the rules stipulate clearly and seeing as this is Japan...

The fact that he was carrying a knife in the first place means he was probably looking for a fight. Or he was coming from cooking school....

@Dadude, true, but he's probably seen this year in year out and finally, as Japanese do, snapped.

You need to respect to gain respect. That's what's wrong with you high tech people it's all about you and your computers. Give your seat to the elderly. Selfish you are.

It's just the typical oyaji wants to get angry about nothing bullshit people encounter on a daily basis.

Yep, I think this is it. This mentally old fool, with one or two chips on his shoulder wanted to take action. Any action. He probably feared getting knocked out if he went at it unarmed, and so he brought a knife on a train and pulled it out...

I can bet my breakfast he searched out this fight.

UK9393, I'm in my 50's and if there are no regular seats available, I sit in a priority seat, if the ride is long. I have a torn meniscus (it's in the knee), and if I stand on a train, which is accelerating/decelerating and moving side to side for an hour, I'll be painfully hobbled for the next few days. Sometimes, an ojisan will complain, even if there are other priority seats available and he's already sitting in one. I let them vent, then tell them the facts. It seems these ojisans usually try this scolding thing with foreigners.

This was just a disgruntled old man picking a fight just because he thinks he can and his life just ain't that interesting anyhoo. See it all the time...they sit there eyeing anyone who sits in the priority seat just itching for someone to take out a phone. Pathetic really.

Smithinjapan, are you really living in Japan? You know people "snap" all the time, and especially here. He didn't hurt anyone, but I'm sure he scared the shit out of a few people. When the law breaks down, people tend to take it in their own hands. I was traveling through Fukuoka and people were standing on a full train, but the priority seats were empty. Amazing wonderful people down there. I love this guy! Your initial comment was robotic and insensitive to normal human frustration, then trying to tie it into people who kill their parents. I thought it was very lame. So he spends a few days in jail, at least he did something.

the rule about shutting off cell phones near "silver seats" is a bit like the old rule about shutting of electronic devices on airplanes.

from the FDA:

But based on current research, cell phones would not seem to pose a significant health problem for the vast majority of pacemaker wearers. Still, people with pacemakers may want to take some simple precautions to be sure that their cell phones don't cause a problem.

but i do hate jerks who take those seats when they really don't need to, especially young men and women.

Moderator: Pacemakers are not relevant to this discussion. Please repost.

We don't know the response of the laptop wielder to Teratani's initial demand (or request). It doesn't mean Teratani should not have been smart enough to not pull a knife, but his initial request may have been polite, and it may have been the laptop wielder who escalated things.

I think the whole rule is nonsense. According to the FDA, you'd have to place your phone next to the pacemaker for it to be affected - and that's only for a very limited number of pacemakers.

But based on current research, cell phones would not seem to pose a significant health problem for the vast majority of pacemaker wearers. Still, people with pacemakers may want to take some simple precautions to be sure that their cell phones don't cause a problem. Hold the phone to the ear opposite the side of the body where the pacemaker is implanted to add some extra distance between the pacemaker and the phone Avoid placing a turned-on phone next to the pacemaker implant (e.g. don’t carry the phone in a shirt or jacket pocket directly over the pacemaker)

I think the whole no-cellphone rule is nonsense. The old people need to chill out.