people who dont look piss me off

[Yuki's Passion 1]

This thread is a bit late as I saw the show a week ago yesterday, but feel it is worth posting because of its relevance.

 

Last Sunday, I don’t remember exactly what the name of the program is, but it has Mr. Hamada and Mr. Matsumoto of Downtown) and they did random test with (Japanese) people of all ages and it went like this:

 

A very sexy girl wearing a loud outfit randomly picked people to interview. She would ask things in general and then would specifically ask if people noticed things change very well or not. Most people responded that they did. Now, it was at this point that a person carrying a large piece of plywood would walk between the sexy girl and interviewee purposefully to conceal the changing of interviewers. Interviewer #1 left under cover while #2 stepped right in her place. The 2nd girl was also very sexy, of similar height, but had on completely different clothes, almost contrasting what the first girl was wearing.

 

Off the top of my head I think they interviewed roughly 100 people. Out of that only about 1/5th actually knew immediately what had happened – roughly 20 people out of 100!! JFC, you have to be kidding me. Whats better, it was done by a Japanese person so for all my complaining about how Japanese people (in general) don’t notice shit, I finally have proof.

 

Look around you, how many people here in this country walk with their heads down or eyes to the ground and don’t watch where they go, regardless of whether theyre looking at their keitais or not. Im sure with keitais nowadays people all over the world aren’t looking as much as before. But, I just find so many people here don’t watch where they go and it pisses me off. I have quit moving out of the way when people walk and don’t look where they go – a good cross check does them good, even the grannies and gramps don’t escape my hip checks, F’em all!!! Ok, obviously Im not that much of an assssshole, but if people don’t look, or have their eyes glued to their keitais, Ipods, PSPs, books, etc, then smack em I say!

 

Anybody else feel that people don’t look enough where theyre walking?

Oh, and FFS, people here who stop at the bottom of an escalator cuz theyre not sure where they should be going, Facking MOVE PEOPLE!

 

The reason why I bring this up is over the weekend on Saturday I had track. During the long jump, an athlete had just started the approach. A different umpire at that time came running across the field (when athletes were throwing the javelin too!!!) he wasn’t watching that either and damn near took out the girl who was about to jump. What a loser! He is notorious for yelling at athletes about procedure, rules, manners, etc and the loser doesn’t even look himself!! Now, if it was once I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but this happened twice!!!!!!!! Seriously, not 5 minutes later he goes back the exact same path and cuts off a long jumper and runs through the line of fire of javelins being thrown. I wish he got speared, the idiot would deserve it (sorry but its true).

 

How bout it, non looking stories to share? Rants about people not looking? Lets hear them! I think if I searched I did a thread like this years ago, but its time for a new one.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Not just J-land CB!

 

I had an all day conference in Perth on Friday and a bit of a break before the business dinner - so I went into the pedestrian malls to pick up a few things from the stores.

 

I was ducking and weaving people left and right - all with thier heads down barrelling along.

 

At one point in time a large woman was charging like a rhino in the opposite direction to me...I saw her coming and side stepped like 2 steps to the left and she still belted into me with the shoulder and hip whack. Two dress sizes smaller than I was in January I was no longer any competition for her 'presence' - and she nearly sent me flying! YIKES!

 

After that I gave up and headed to the pub we were having dinner at and hung out there for half an hour.

 

Where is the courtesy?

[gerard 6]

Really got your goat, eh CB?

[thursday 1]

I used to think the same, and mostly still do. But then what gives you the right to espect people would avoid bumping into you. Would't they expect the same?

[Yuki's Passion 1]

ger, I saw a guy almost get injured at the track meet Sat, and almost caused injury to other athletes, all because of him not looking. What an idiot! Just felt like ranting cuz I always say J-peeps dont look anyways. It was coincidence that I saw that program, but Im glad I did.

[gerard 6]

So this umpire guy... Does he also drive an Elgrade or Surf and take up two parking spaces (the handicap one and the one next to it) at the convenience store?

[bobby12 0]

People on escalators and shopping - you get that in any country. I personally hate it, and yet find myself doing it from time to time (lost somewhere, with baggage/shopping/kids around me, blockign the way).

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Yeah but Bobby even if you are lost you should move away from the bottom of the escalator or away from the elevator doors etc etc...then stop and look around.

 

If there are people/kids/bags blocking your way - then they are the obstruction not you.

 

And Thursday - yes sure - people should expect you to avoid them too - but as I said of my bump and run on Friday - I side stepped 2 steps...couldn't go any further I was against the wall, and I think she even moved in closer to me - head down and all. She was a bit like a steam roller!

 

I also think in sporting venues there is a bit of a natural order to who has right of way at any particular time - the events don't normally cross one another.

 

And ger you wanna talk parking? Lordy me! I work at a TAFE a couple of times a week (higher education but not quite uni for the uninitiated!) and we have some IDIOTS that park there! There is one are in the parking lot that has a row of standard parking - behind them there is a rock wall and marked on the bitumen along that wall is NO PARKING. That is because idiots don't realise that when they paralell park there that the cars in the bays can not get out!! But do they listen...no. There are still standard bays available and these losers just drive up and park there.....now I drive a long wheel base wide vehicle (the trouble with having 4 kids!) - and there have been days that I have had to do a 16 point turn to get my blasted car out of that area. Luckily I am an excellent driver.

[JA2340 16]

There should be a tow away for dipsticks like that, Mama.

 

The ones who get my goat are the able bodied drivers who just park in the disabled space because they can (and because it is close to the doors and often free and quite wide!).

 

My 4WD has a good tow bar, with a solid ball on it. I'd be seriously tempted to just reverse into their door - then drag them a bit until their car falls off the ball.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Funny...I was having a conversation with my friend/work collegue the other day about ACROD bays. There was a fuss on one of the current affairs shows about non disabled parking in disabled bays and the next day my friend was shopping with her three small children - and parked in an ACROD bay. Her middle daughter is in a wheelchair (she's the Olympian).

 

Anyhoooo - tough day....complaining kids....and then just after she had loaded the car with kids, shopping and wheelchair - this woman comes screaming across the carpark telling her off for parking in a disabled bay when there is clearly nothing wrong with her...

 

ummm..the poor lady got a tongue lashing in reply. Sometimes all is not as it seems.

[Ezorisu 0]

CB - I notice that too. It has become worse as more and more people are investing in "anti-social devices" like text-capable keitai and iPods. Of course it's getting that way in the States too. I am constantly slamming on the brakes in Downtown HNL for fools who mindlessly stroll into the crosswalks against the signal while thumbing the inaginary dial on their iPods.

 

In touristy areas here, I often see a family or bunch of friends travelling together walking shoulder-to-shoulder down the sidewalk or shopping arcade, and they will not give way to pedestrians travelling in the opposite direction. I'd say the predominant majority of these are "non-Asian" visitors. I've shoulder-checked many of them as I will not yeild to their selfishness.

[indosnm 0]

CB, mate it's not just Japan. Happening everywhere these days..

[Yuki's Passion 1]

I know, but I (dont others) generally see people here generally walk with their heads down regardless of whether they are looking at a PDA device or not. Mainly more about how they lack the ability to notice things right before their eyes...not noticing that the person interviewing had changed is quite shocking. And the coach running across the field during the javelin, and across the runway for the long jumpers was shocking. He yells at kids almost all the time, so I have developed a dislike towards him, yet he doesnt do what he says the kids should?! Hes a dick.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Yep, Japanese people are belters at not looking where they are going. They ride their bikes on the pavement looking at the front tyre!! How the f#ck can you see whats in front of you you cretin!!!!!

[grungy-gonads 54]

Well it does sound like they can see the tyre....

[Tubby Beaver 209]

.....as it crashes into you?!! yeah nice one!

[thursday 1]

you're not supposed to be on the pavement, the bikes will kill you.

[nzlegend 1]

last week a stupid old bat on a scooter ( my arch nemesis: old woman on scooters: the most arrogant, selfish and blind road user of them all) pulled out of a side street into the path of my bicycle naturally we collided, luckily I was looking and braked hard, she never looked, I watched her head, she never even moved it, she never even directed her eyes in the direction I was coming from, perhaps she looked 5 seconds earlier but then she just drove straight out onto the road, what was she thinking? was she using her non existent peripheral vision? because like so many other people here it was not functioning.

She then had the audacity to stare at me and give me a dirty look, as to say "what were you doing there"...well I was on the main thoroughfare and had right of way, being on old bat on scooter doesn't make you a goddess of the road with impunity from road laws....I just rolled my eyes and held my tongue, she wasn't worth the effort.

 

.....three slobbish schoolboys (from a bad high school no less) were sitting side by side on train last week, slouching on the seat and all glued to their PSPs, the train stopped at the next station and an extremely old frail woman with a cane and and another old lady holding her other arm for support staggered onto the train, she must have been close to a 100 and clearly needed a seat, the PSP muppets didn't even glance up, they sat there oblivious glued to their plastic girlfriends, I really wanted to walk over and smack each one of them hard across the head and no one around them said boo, luckily a high school boy on the opposite side of the carriage (from a prestigious school naturally) noticed and jumped up to offer his seat, good lad at least some kids have manners and 'look'

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Did you give that kid the benefit of an acknowledging nod and wink?

I reckon if we all went about our day APPRECIATING people - and showing our appreciation - when they do the right thing...that we will see an increase in desirable behavior. Trouble is the only reinforcement people get these days is negative. Store workers get lambasted if they are kept waiting, but do we smile and thank those that do a good job?

 

That kid certainly deserves acknowledgement - vocal praise is probably not appropriate but a nod, wink and smile from the friendly giajin might be enough for him to feel good and do it again.