As a driver here in Japan, I've seen this too many times; one driver can't get around the other driver, nor can they back up; and the other driver is so obstinate that they refuse to back up enough to let the first one pass. The "other" driver is usually an older man (ojisan) and, like Dr. Seuss' Zacks, would just as soon live out their miserable life right there than budge on millimeter. In the end, the traffic recognizes the dilemma and accommodates the first driver in backing up to let the other guy pass, restoring flow, even if it means twenty cars backing up.
It is customarily blown off with the Japanese expression, shoganai, "it can't be helped." But I've always wondered how far this could go, if the first driver couldn't back up a all. I got my chance this morning.
A light truck had stopped at an intersection, well over the white line (which prevents drivers from stopping so close that larger, adjacent vehicles can't turn in across in these tight little roads). He was way over the line, and wanted to turn across traffic himself in his turn. The signal turns red. A bus from the adjacent road tries to turn across, but is blocked half way by the truck. In these situations, the truck driver would ordinarily bow and roll back enough to let the bus finish the turn. The driver and everyone else were perplexed when the truck did not move. he light changed, and the truck still didn't move. The bus driver gestured requesting leeway. No. Cars behind the truck honked. Still no mercy. The bus, of course could not back up back into a busy road and in time the signal changed. And it changed again, and again. Despite the bus driver's pleas, the trucker would not budge. I was about ten cars back, so I could only guess about the truck driver. Drivers from my lane began to maneuver out into escape routes, seeing that there wouldn't be any quick resolution. I was busy, myself but I had to see the outcome. I stayed and watched as more and more police (from the main headquarters 10 meters away) came to the truck driver, begging him to back up. He clearly was not going to back up for man, God or life itself. I waited to see how they'd handle this.
American police would likely have removed him from his truck by force and charged him, which would have served justice, but not the flow of traffic.
In the end, the police assisted the bus in withdrawing back into the road behind and the truck in moving on. This was, if nothing else the most practical solution. But I wondered if I was the only driver who'd have been more satisfied with a little police brutality.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Infiltrating the STEPS test.
We attended the STEPS English proficiency test this morning at Rikyu University, AKA 英検. It was the pre-2 level interview portion. This is the make-or-break stage of the test that distinguishes the supposedly best students of English.
We sent our 10 year old son in to gauge the mettle of the dreaded interview portion. You see, the rest of the test is written, with some listening parts. But in this final boss-level, the students must meet with a supposed speaker of English, answer questions and make brief conversation. But the interviewers are Japanese, non-native speakers. In most countries that wouldn't be a big deal. But here, it gave rise to suspicion; could these interviewers speak real English, or were they just a bunch of "parrots?"
Our son is a native speaker of English, and a good one at that. Good enough to be bothered by the grammatical mistakes in some of ex-president George W. Bush's speeches.
After passing the pre-2 written test the month before, we sent him in for an interview test in Niza, and after the test he gave us his report of the experience.
He said it was weird: the instructor's English was so unnatural that he had trouble following her; and once she realized his was a native speaker, she was intimidated by him and stopped making eye-contact. When she asked him the infamous rejoinder, prompting the student to elaborate on an answer, "tell me more," he felt he had already said all he could (most students, true to Japanese form, strive to give the most concise, perfect, short answer possible). The question was on the subject of bringing your own cup ("my-cup" in Japanese English) to coffee shops, so he punted (B.S.'ed) and said, "it's good for the, uh, environment..." We all cracked-up when he told us. So if the proctor herself cannot speak English with minimum proficiency, then who are they to sit in judgement?
At the start of the pre-interview written portion, Eiji raised his hand and asked, "could I borrow an eraser?" and everyone stared at him like he'd caught fire...and yes, he had to ask again, in Japanese.
When I went to get him, none of the staff could speak a word of English. I hung out in the lobby of Rikyu University, waiting for my son to finish, I tried chatting (in English) with a nearby mother. She couldn't speak a word of the language she was shoving down the throat of her kid. I tried speaking to another parent, and then all the waiting parents quickly sunk their faces into their books and papers to avoid chatting. It's the hypocrisy that gets me. If you want your kid to do something, shouldn't you do it yourself, too? Hasn't anyone heard of "lead by example?"
We sent our 10 year old son in to gauge the mettle of the dreaded interview portion. You see, the rest of the test is written, with some listening parts. But in this final boss-level, the students must meet with a supposed speaker of English, answer questions and make brief conversation. But the interviewers are Japanese, non-native speakers. In most countries that wouldn't be a big deal. But here, it gave rise to suspicion; could these interviewers speak real English, or were they just a bunch of "parrots?"
Our son is a native speaker of English, and a good one at that. Good enough to be bothered by the grammatical mistakes in some of ex-president George W. Bush's speeches.
After passing the pre-2 written test the month before, we sent him in for an interview test in Niza, and after the test he gave us his report of the experience.
He said it was weird: the instructor's English was so unnatural that he had trouble following her; and once she realized his was a native speaker, she was intimidated by him and stopped making eye-contact. When she asked him the infamous rejoinder, prompting the student to elaborate on an answer, "tell me more," he felt he had already said all he could (most students, true to Japanese form, strive to give the most concise, perfect, short answer possible). The question was on the subject of bringing your own cup ("my-cup" in Japanese English) to coffee shops, so he punted (B.S.'ed) and said, "it's good for the, uh, environment..." We all cracked-up when he told us. So if the proctor herself cannot speak English with minimum proficiency, then who are they to sit in judgement?
At the start of the pre-interview written portion, Eiji raised his hand and asked, "could I borrow an eraser?" and everyone stared at him like he'd caught fire...and yes, he had to ask again, in Japanese.
When I went to get him, none of the staff could speak a word of English. I hung out in the lobby of Rikyu University, waiting for my son to finish, I tried chatting (in English) with a nearby mother. She couldn't speak a word of the language she was shoving down the throat of her kid. I tried speaking to another parent, and then all the waiting parents quickly sunk their faces into their books and papers to avoid chatting. It's the hypocrisy that gets me. If you want your kid to do something, shouldn't you do it yourself, too? Hasn't anyone heard of "lead by example?"
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Taters in the Pool
I was having breakfast with my wife this morning and we were talking about summer plans and mentioned swimming pools. She said that we should go before the schools let out because once the kids are all on summer break, "the pools will be 'imo arai.'"
I thought over the expression and LMAO'ed realizing it referred to "washing potatoes," the way a tub of water full of potatoes looks.
I thought over the expression and LMAO'ed realizing it referred to "washing potatoes," the way a tub of water full of potatoes looks.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Singapore Cinema Advisory
The cinema is a great and popular escape from the heat and frenzy of Singapore. They're inexpensive and clean, the films are current, and the audience is lively, lending to a nice group feeling that you don’t get in places like Japan. Coming from Tokyo where the films are released up to a year after being released in the rest of the world, the audience is dead to the most intense stimuli, and one ticket costs as much as dinner for two, we always enjoy going to the movies while we’re there. But the last time we went, things were a little weird. We really weren’t interested in any of the current faire, but we were keen on several of the staler ones that were in their final weeks. Shouldn't be to hard to get tickets to a two-month-old Mr. Popper's Penguins or Kung Fu Panda (what with Green Lantern and Transformers 3 all over place). To our surprise, even those dusty old shows were sold out (except for the seats under the screen). We were first in line and still couldn’t get seats in many places. What the heck???
Turns out that all the cinemas have put their sales online and everyone buys theirs that way, well in advance. If you have any access to the internet, buy your tickets this way. Do NOT queue up, it’s a waste of time. Get an internet café, anything! One of the main reasons to visit Singapore is the great shopping there. Their malls are awesome, and a movie or two can easily turn a morning of malling into a whole day of it.
Turns out that all the cinemas have put their sales online and everyone buys theirs that way, well in advance. If you have any access to the internet, buy your tickets this way. Do NOT queue up, it’s a waste of time. Get an internet café, anything! One of the main reasons to visit Singapore is the great shopping there. Their malls are awesome, and a movie or two can easily turn a morning of malling into a whole day of it.
Universal Studios Singapore Sucks
Skip it. My family wanted to go while we were in Singapore. My son is ten and sounded like a good idea. It was a Friday so all the local kids were in school and the rainy season was limiting tourism, so the crowds would be minimal.
I stood in line for tickets under the brutal, equatorial sun for close to an hour and we continued to stand in lines the rest of the day. You can only buy tickets at the park, as far as we could find. Inside, it looks like any Universal Studios, but a look at the map will reveal how comically small it is. Four and a half roller coasters, two boat rides, a few other minor ones. None of the spectacular 3D rides that make the others such a must-visit. You'll stand in lines much longer than what's warned on the attraction entry sign LEDs. Now we wouldn't mind the lines so much, coming from Tokyo (we KNOW how to queue!) but unlike other Universal Studios and Disneys, this one doesn't have anything more than rope cordons. Other such parks weave their queues through air conditioned rooms and sets with memorable, animated scenes and video displays; slowly getting you pumped up for the attraction. This has none of that. It's so cheap and half-assed. Most of it is shops and photo ops. Pretty sad. My son's favorite part was the 50's diner...THE 50'S DINER! What does THAT say??? With no shade and few opportunities to sit and rest we were heat-stroked before lunch and had to leave after only a few hours.
Maybe you're from a country that doesn't have much in the way of theme parks anywhere near. Maybe this is they best you're going to get in your region. If so, I guess you're justified in going. But if you think you'll be in Europe, the Americas or Japan in the foreseeable future, I'd say save your time and money. We wish we'd spent our time at anywhere else on Sentosa. They've got a good beach, some nice attractions...anywhere else would have been great.
I stood in line for tickets under the brutal, equatorial sun for close to an hour and we continued to stand in lines the rest of the day. You can only buy tickets at the park, as far as we could find. Inside, it looks like any Universal Studios, but a look at the map will reveal how comically small it is. Four and a half roller coasters, two boat rides, a few other minor ones. None of the spectacular 3D rides that make the others such a must-visit. You'll stand in lines much longer than what's warned on the attraction entry sign LEDs. Now we wouldn't mind the lines so much, coming from Tokyo (we KNOW how to queue!) but unlike other Universal Studios and Disneys, this one doesn't have anything more than rope cordons. Other such parks weave their queues through air conditioned rooms and sets with memorable, animated scenes and video displays; slowly getting you pumped up for the attraction. This has none of that. It's so cheap and half-assed. Most of it is shops and photo ops. Pretty sad. My son's favorite part was the 50's diner...THE 50'S DINER! What does THAT say??? With no shade and few opportunities to sit and rest we were heat-stroked before lunch and had to leave after only a few hours.
Maybe you're from a country that doesn't have much in the way of theme parks anywhere near. Maybe this is they best you're going to get in your region. If so, I guess you're justified in going. But if you think you'll be in Europe, the Americas or Japan in the foreseeable future, I'd say save your time and money. We wish we'd spent our time at anywhere else on Sentosa. They've got a good beach, some nice attractions...anywhere else would have been great.
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