10 ms·

I'd like to read exactly what those critics say because I'm curious to see if they are accounting for the difference in driving culture between the US and Japan

by hysan 10y ago

I'd like to read exactly what those critics say because I'm curious to see if they are accounting for the difference in driving culture between the US and Japan. Specifically, in Japan: 1. Owning a car in Japan is no where near as simple as in the US. One of the requirements that makes the private charging stations criticism sound ignorant is that you must have a legal verified parking spot to own a car. So the majority of people who own electric cars will only need to use a charging station when they are away from home for longer than a single charge. This is probably not applicable in most daily use. 2. Charging stations can be left unattended for 24 hour use. That's a huge plus as electric cars start spreading. Why? Because in Japan, many gas stations close and are unavailable during most night hours. Finding 24 hour stations (usually self pump ones) after 7-8pm can be difficult in some areas. So the gap between accessible fill-up/charge-up spots isn't as big as most Americans are imagining. Of course a gap exists, but that will only close over time. (edit: people also are much more conscious about having a full tank before departing on long trips. It's just one of those things you have to think about when driving in Japan.) 3. Last is the daiko/taxi system in Japan. Read about the 0% alcohol tolerance system and how this car service system works to make people's lives easier here. Heck, you can't even ride your bike while drunk in Japan. The way people approach transportation here is just different. The driving culture in Japan is very different and it's hard to take that criticism seriously unless some hard numbers and studies are done to take into account the massive difference in driving culture.

TorKlingberg 10y ago
It's true that you must have a parking spot to own a car, but not necessarily at your residence. People with unused parking often rent it out, through an intermediary company or directly to a neighbor. Empty lots awaiting construction are also often rented out as parking spaces.
- hysan 10y ago
  Yup, I'm aware of that but also know that the situation is very dependent on where you live (prefectures, cities, etc.) which is why I want to see numbers and actual studies rather than a hollow criticism. The differences in cultures is real. I think I've given enough examples to show that. The question is, have the people criticizing the numbers done any real studies? Because in a vacuum, 40,000 charging spots, regardless of whether or not they are private or public, is an amazing number.
dspillett 10y ago
> Heck, you can't even ride your bike while drunk in Japan. That is true in many places officially, though a blind eye is often turned. In the UK (my location) this is covered by section 30 or the Road Traffic Act (1988): "It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road or other public place when unfit to ride through drink or drugs". You can't be breathalysed (well, you can but you can't be forced to, if they ask you can decline unlike when in a car or other such vehicle) or be made to give other samples (though as with breath, if they ask and you volunteer the sample can be used as evidence), but other tests can be demanded (i.e. the standard finger-to-nose, straight-line, and alphabet physical & mental coordination tests). It'll not affect your driving license if you have one but there are potentially significant fines.
- Unklejoe 10y ago
  [That is true in many places officially, though a blind eye is often turned.] This is kind of off topic, but there are some places in the USA where you can get a DUI for riding a dirt bike in your own back yard (while drunk). Since DUI laws often even extend down to roller skates, one could extrapolate that you could technically get a DUI for roller skating drunk around your kitchen. Of course, no sensible judge would let that fly (I hope). The problem in this case is that many of the DUI laws don't distinguish between private and public property.
  - jlebar 10y ago
    > The problem in this case is that many of the DUI laws don't distinguish between private and public property. Neither do injuries caused by drunk drivers.
    - mynameisvlad 10y ago
      I mean, fundamentally, on your own private property you are far less likely to cause injury to someone else or someone else's property, for the sheer fact that people would be trespassing on your private property to be there for the accident to happen. There's a material difference between private and public property, one having more chances for injury of others than the other.
aninhumer 10y ago
Another important point is that people in Japan are much more able (and likely) to travel by train for the kind of long journeys where refuelling/recharging would be important. So comprehensive charging station infrastructure is less of a prerequisite for most people to consider an electric vehicle.

by hysan 10y ago

TorKlingberg 10y ago

It's true that you must have a parking spot to own a car, but not necessarily at your residence. People with unused parking often rent it out, through an intermediary company or directly to a neighbor. Empty lots awaiting construction are also often rented out as parking spaces.

hysan 10y ago
Yup, I'm aware of that but also know that the situation is very dependent on where you live (prefectures, cities, etc.) which is why I want to see numbers and actual studies rather than a hollow criticism. The differences in cultures is real. I think I've given enough examples to show that. The question is, have the people criticizing the numbers done any real studies? Because in a vacuum, 40,000 charging spots, regardless of whether or not they are private or public, is an amazing number.

dspillett 10y ago

> Heck, you can't even ride your bike while drunk in Japan. That is true in many places officially, though a blind eye is often turned. In the UK (my location) this is covered by section 30 or the Road Traffic Act (1988): "It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road or other public place when unfit to ride through drink or drugs". You can't be breathalysed (well, you can but you can't be forced to, if they ask you can decline unlike when in a car or other such vehicle) or be made to give other samples (though as with breath, if they ask and you volunteer the sample can be used as evidence), but other tests can be demanded (i.e. the standard finger-to-nose, straight-line, and alphabet physical & mental coordination tests). It'll not affect your driving license if you have one but there are potentially significant fines.

Unklejoe 10y ago
[That is true in many places officially, though a blind eye is often turned.] This is kind of off topic, but there are some places in the USA where you can get a DUI for riding a dirt bike in your own back yard (while drunk). Since DUI laws often even extend down to roller skates, one could extrapolate that you could technically get a DUI for roller skating drunk around your kitchen. Of course, no sensible judge would let that fly (I hope). The problem in this case is that many of the DUI laws don't distinguish between private and public property.
- jlebar 10y ago
  > The problem in this case is that many of the DUI laws don't distinguish between private and public property. Neither do injuries caused by drunk drivers.
  - mynameisvlad 10y ago
    I mean, fundamentally, on your own private property you are far less likely to cause injury to someone else or someone else's property, for the sheer fact that people would be trespassing on your private property to be there for the accident to happen. There's a material difference between private and public property, one having more chances for injury of others than the other.

aninhumer 10y ago

Another important point is that people in Japan are much more able (and likely) to travel by train for the kind of long journeys where refuelling/recharging would be important. So comprehensive charging station infrastructure is less of a prerequisite for most people to consider an electric vehicle.