Cracking down on drivers at pedestrian crossings by police will prove successful in raising the awareness of the pedestrian-first policy among drivers.

Sounds great but I've yet to see it in my ward. The police have been targeting the same 2 or 3 intersections for years. I never see enforcement anywhere else.

Here’s an idea. Tell people to RECORD those drivers who gun through red lights inches from pedestrians. Everyone does it and it’s normal here.

If drivers were afraid of being recorded why wouldn’t it work? Photo evidence is strong! Your plate number is there too with your face in a good shot.

They should crack down on drivers who stop ON the crosswalks when the light is red. I hate those.

Tell people to RECORD those drivers who gun through red lights inches from pedestrians. Everyone does it and it’s normal here.

Better yet just use traffic cameras. They automatically IDs license plates and mail your ticket in the mail. Within a few weeks, this crime would drop 99%. It's not like Japan isn't littered with surveillance cameras anyway.

If there is anyone who breaks the law on pedestrian crossings it is the morons who deliberately cross on the red and the cyclists who do the same and stop legitimately turning left traffic who are on the green turning light. As a driver in Japan for 30 years, I would say that most motorists are careful when turning on crossings.

I think that those who complain so much about motorists don't drive and have no idea what it is like to drive in this busy country. These people who complain about vehicle drivers are the same ones that walk along the road whilst there is a footpath right beside them, and the cyclists who ride on the wrong side of a 2 way road against oncoming traffic and without any lights at night. Even though the city has marked on the road the direction for cyclists, they are just ignored.

Enforcing existing road safety laws is to be applauded. The police are far too lax re many.

In the case of pedestrian crossings, there is an inherent problem - in my town anyway -whereby people congregate on the footpath next to a crossing to chat and say their bye-byes. It's not uncommon to see folks from these groups, suddenly dash across the crossing. The worst cases I've seen are school kids milling around the area and then suddenly entering the crossing without looking at all.

The most dangerous case I haver seen was 2 little kids having a bicycle race(chase) along the footpath and the lead girl swerved suddenly onto the crossing to keep her lead over the other kid. I was the driver who came to a screeching halt., cms from her little body. Freaked her out and freaked me out.

My take on this is the rule should be all vehicles slow down to 25 - 30km, regardless of anyone in the vicinity or not, and ALL pedestrians must make eye-contact with drivers waiting for them to reduce speed Before stepping onto the road.

At the moment, I see far too many cases where the walkers view crossings as bridges to cross at will. The law basically says this too, but being dead and right is not an answer to the problem.

Really bad in my neighborhood. Even when I am in the crosswalk cars, delivery trucks, etc come zooming through. I have to stare down drivers and be ready to jump out of the way a lot of times. They seem to think the stop signs are street decorations. Absolutely no enforcement of any kind.

I think that those who complain so much about motorists don't drive and have no idea what it is like to drive in this busy country. These people who complain about vehicle drivers are the same ones that walk along the road whilst there is a footpath right beside them, and the cyclists who ride on the wrong side of a 2 way road against oncoming traffic and without any lights at night. Even though the city has marked on the road the direction for cyclists, they are just ignored.

I don't do any of those things but do complain about motorists simply because they are the ones who pose the biggest threat to my family's safety.  The mere fact that some pedestrians or cyclists break the law too isn't a get out of jail free card or shield from criticism for motorists who put other road users at risk by driving unsafely, and that is a stupid argument to make.  

In my neighborhood there is a narrow street that we have to walk along for about 100 metres whenever we go anywhere.  It has no sidewalks and is pretty windy, which limits how far ahead you can see. Speed limit is 30 and anything over that is just unsafe to the pedestrians and cyclists (and other drivers) who have to use it.  I've been passed by drivers going twice that fast passing with about 20cm clearance between me and them as I walk with me as far to the edge as possible.  And anytime I want to go anywhere with my 4 year old, we have to face that crap. 

So don't tell me its only irresponsible cyclists who get pissed off about dangerous driving, EVERYONE should be pissed off about dangerous driving.

...more than 90 percent of motorists do not abide by the law.

Sounds like it would be far easier to change the law. Perhaps a pedestrian crossing could instead indicate a safer place to cross when there are no cars coming?

Either way, better get this sorted before more Aussie tourists suddenly march out across a pedestrian crossing, knowing they have right of way, but forcing surprised drivers to swerve or screech to a stop. You know what they say, "When in Japan, do as the Romans do".

Sounds great but I've yet to see it in my ward. The police have been targeting the same 2 or 3 intersections for years. I never see enforcement anywhere else.

Same in my former city. It was a ridiculous parody of traffic enforcement. There was 1 koban with 1 intersection by a shrine and big bank that would do traffic enforcement. A cop would wander out about 3-5 times a month with his stick and hand out tickets to drivers who would break the no-turn and other signs in the area (admittedly, it was a giant cluster-cluck of roughly 7 roads coming together within 100 meters).

The rest of the entire city? I think I saw traffic cops out at 1 other location... twice. That's it. In 10 years in that city, the cops did traffic enforcement at 1 intersection 99% of the time.

In other countries, pedestrians don't just blindly walk out on a pedestrian crossing without looking to see what traffic is coming. Going by this article it seems that if people are standing at a crossing then vehicles have to stop whether you know or don't know if they are actually going to cross.

Common sense would say that you should wait until the road is clear enough to cross. Other western countries are just as strict when it comes to pedestrian crossings and people there don't just blindly walk out with approaching vehicles. Too many crossings in Japan are badly lit as well

Here is me in the middle of the crosswalk. Here comes car barreling at me and swerves to pass in front of me. Creeps like this should lose their licenses to drive forever and ever. Let them commute by train or bus. Or walk.

In other countries, pedestrians don't just blindly walk out on a pedestrian crossing without looking to see what traffic is coming. Going by this article it seems that if people are standing at a crossing then vehicles have to stop whether you know or don't know if they are actually going to cross.

That is the way it works in a lot of countries. I am from Canada and in BC drivers are required to stop whenever they see a pedestrian next to a crosswalk. And they pretty much all do that and the system works fine, I have no idea what any objection to it would be.

jcjapan

I think they dont wanna use the cams cause they’ll catch all their own friends and high ups in their benz’s too.

That can’t happen!