A World Without Jerks

So one of the most stunning things about Japan is the adherence that everyone has for the rules. To some degree it almost sounds too good to be true:

- Sick of pedestrians stepping out in front of your car and making you stop or slam on the breaks? In Japan no one crosses a street without being at a crosswalk and having the walk light be on. Even if there are no cars around. Really. You would look like such a Jerk if you walked without the light, that even I don't do it anymore (except for at 5 AM this morning, where is was really ridiculous. I did it, and I know that I have brought eternal shame down on me and my family, and it was worth it).

- On an escalator, if you are going to stand, you stay on the left, if you are going to walk up the stairs you stay on the right. This one I really like actually, I hate when people block up a whole escalator or moving walkway. In Japan you may actually have to fall on a sword if you block an escalator, they take it that seriously.

- Bikes are left unlocked all over cities, or if they are locked it is with a really chincy cable lock.

- Most train ticket gates do not even have anything to keep you from just walking through. But everyone puts a ticket in every time. Even when there is no one watching.

- People do not litter. If you buy a can from a vending machine, you hold on to it until you find a trash can. Also, there are less public trash cans here then anyplace else on earth. Basically the only ones are next to vending machines.

I am kind of undecided if I think that this is a good thing or not. In most instances I like that everyone follows the rules. It is really nice not to have some jerk block the moving walkway, and I am sure that the government here saves a ton of money by not having to prevent people from sneaking on the train, or pick up peoples trash from everywhere.

However, sometimes it gets really ridiculous. Like when you are sitting at a crosswalk waiting for a car that is a half mile away. As opposed to the other things, there is really no victim of you saving a minute by walking across the street.

I guess the message is, why can't we find a happy medium? I do find the Japanese way very restricting, but on the other hand it is nice that people here really try to never be a jerk to anyone else, even if it sometime gets a little silly.