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.
