crime

Road rage case involving 44-year-old man in Yamagata sent to prosecutors

21 Comments

Yamagata Prefectural Police have sent papers on a road rage case involving a 44-year-old man to public prosecutors. The unnamed suspect allegedly violated the Road Traffic Law by engaging in reckless driving by following the vehicle in front of him at a close distance. 

This is the first time an indictment for road rage has been issued in the Tohoku region under Japan’s revised Road Traffic Law, which went into effect on June 30. 

According to police reports, the incident occurred at around 1:05 a.m. on Aug 27, Sankei Shimbun reported. The suspect rapidly came up behind a car, driven by a woman in her 20s, and tailgated it for about 500 meters along a municipal road in Yamagata City. The man repeatedly honked his horn and turned on his high beams. 

The incident was captured on the woman’s dashcam recorder. Following his arrest, the suspect told police he got annoyed when the woman honked her horn at him for getting too close.

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21 Comments
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...by engaging in reckless driving by following the vehicle in front of him at a close distance. 

...by tailgating.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Following his arrest, the suspect told police he got annoyed when the woman honked her horn at him for getting too close.

Flaccid.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

"The unnamed suspect"

Why is there such a huge aversion to naming suspects in this country?

"Following his arrest, the suspect told police he got annoyed when the woman honked her horn at him for getting too close."

Thicker skin, sir.

@Speed

"Execute him."

Not the answer.

@LDTM

"Maybe be should try the “I was drunk and don’t remember” defense."

"“It's a bold move Cotton, let's see if it pays off." - Dodgeball

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If he was so annoyed, couldn't he have passed around her instead?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

"he got annoyed when the woman honked her horn at him for getting too close"

There' quite a few punk man child quick tempered hot heads, who will attack a j-woman, child or family member quickly but wont typically randomly attack a J man stranger.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

There was a case where a J provocateur, got his lights turned off and got the "L" , but soon called his cops tearfully, but oh he was so big and bad at first.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"Following his arrest, the suspect told police he got annoyed when the woman honked her horn at him for getting too close."

Right. It was her fault! He's lucky he didn't cause an accident. Alcohol and driving don't mix, but pride and impatience are just as bad.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I feel like most Japanese people take tailgaiting as a sport of some kind to see just how close you can get to a vehicle without hitting it! This morning and yesterday I had to deal with 2 different people driving so close behind me, they might have well been in my backseat! I think the govt should come up with guidlelines on how to deal with these types of drivers! Set a strict and safe car distance between each car to avoid dangerous tailgating and road rage.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I am a city driver, everyone drives very close to each other. When I was taking my driving lessons, I was told that when driving in the city, you are not too close if you are able to see road surface between you and the car in front of you. I increase the distance in proportion with speed. So this brings me to a question, what distance from the car in front is considered tailgating?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I get often frustrated while driving in Japan. Some drivers are really really really slow. The speed limit's 40 and they're going 30... If the roads are crowded it's difficult to determine what is tailgating.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They really let anyone drive don't they?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

New drivers come to my area to learn to drive. They have a 2 week course to get licence!!! Who can learn to drive in 2 weeks???!!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

At 1:05 a.m in Yamagata roads are empty, no need to tailgate anyone!! That driver is an idiot!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why is there such a huge aversion to naming suspects in this country?

Because “innocent until proven guilty”?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

People need to atleast be competent enough to do the speed limit, many cannot !

They should be ticketing those who impede the flow of traffic too, they are a huge problem, and if you are in the far right lane being passed on the left you should be ticketed too, keep left.

If some one comes up behind you then pull off to the side of the road let them go, many only use their rear view mirror to check their make up or adjust their hair, see it everyday.

Driver Education is the key

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japanese roads are overcrowded and I sometimes get annoyed when I drive but I somehow manage my rage....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am glad to see the police beginning to act , so many times I got tailgated on surface roads and on the express way, and I always the the way to these IDIOTS for the obvious reasons.

It's about time.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Road rage is never good, but I have seen some creative driving in Japan. It has ranged from driving well below the limit, to red light running and cutting across lanes sharply just to get to an off ramp (with no regard for traffic in the other lane). Parking on the side of the road on corners is also pretty common where I am. I often have a tight schedule and feel frustrated by the driving in my area. While not condoning road rage, I can see why it happens here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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