Thread: Sidewalk Rage... on the streets of Tokyo

So we all know what road rage is. But today I was witness to what I consider to fall under a 'sidewalk rage' catagory. I am on my lunch break leisurly walking down a busy street in Tokyo. In front of me are two men, one in his 50's and another who is maybe 40. Both look to be other 'salarymen' on their lunch break too. We are all walking along, minding our own business when the younger looking of the two (who also happens to be a step in front of and a step to the side of the older looking man) slightly veers in front of the older man.

The older man flat tires the younger man sending him flailing to regain his balance. The younger man say something to the older one. The older one apears to completely ignore him and continue walking as if nothing has happened, left hand in pocket and head held high. Well the younger man nudges the shoulder of the older man and gets a huge reaction.

The older man spun and got right in the younger one's face and started in on him. I was only 4 or 5 steps behind the two and saw the whole thing so I decided to stick my nose in where it probably wasn't asked for.

So picture the above situation. Now picture it between two Japanese men speaking in Japanese. Then picture a talk caucasian opening his big mouth because he just couldn't help himself.

So I am about to say something when the older man spins away from the younger one and bumps right in to a brick wall, me. I say, looking down on the man, and in a loud voice say 'Excuse me' (I said this part in English). The man is shocked and a little flustered at my appearance on the scene. He says in accented English 'Sorry...Sorry'. I then say (in Japanese this time) "No, I mean the word you are looking for is 'Excuse me.' You stepped on that man's shoe and instead of ignoring him you need to say 'Excuse me'." He again is flustered at my polite Japanese as he was with my stature and mutters 'It was his fault, he walked in front of me'. I chuckle and say "Nonetheless you stepped on his shoe and ingored that you did it. Then you got all in his face and then walked into me. This is a soceity with a lot of people in it and in a case like this you just say 'excuse me' and be on your way.' He then says that his walking into me was my fault; I knew I would get no where with him and said he should probably think about trying to be an example for others to follow instead of for others to point out as someone not to follow and went on my way. I don't think he was happy about that either. Oh well.

Sidewalk rage... huh

I love it! Thanks!!

Oh very nice.

Freaking Oyaji think they run the world, nice to see one get a reality check.

Rock on!

Jim, I have been giving myself a pat on the back all afternoon. Earlier this week I had been thinking back to when I used mouth off like that in a similar way (when I was a guide in the Canadian Rockies for four years and some of the things I said to stupid tourists). I just keep chuckling to myself and wonder what that oyaji is thinking.

Well handled!

Jim, I dont speak a word of Japanese, what does Oyaji mean?

Stu, "oyaji" basically means "old guy". People use it to refer to older arrogant men who act like the guy Seth describes. Denotes a lack of respect on both parts.

The female version would be "Oba" or "baba."

Originally Posted by JimR

Stu, "oyaji" basically means "old guy". People use it to refer to older arrogant men who act like the guy Seth describes. Denotes a lack of respect on both parts.

The female version would be "Oba" or "baba."

In the sixties I was a vagabond hippie. For a time I ended up in Hawaii on Maui and Oahu. Some of the Hawaiians resented Caucasians because "we" ruined their island paradise and they referred to us as Haole and we referred to them as kanakee. I hear that they've switched their resentments to the Japanese now because so much of the islands have been bought up by them. I guess we all have a tendency to resent the "other". Tribal stuff in our genes I suppose.

Having grown up around a lot of anger, it took me a few decades to realize how powerful remaining completely calm can be. Nothing sucks the wind out of the sails of an angry person better than a soft calm voice.

Nice job!

If that had happened in the U.S one of you three,maybe two would probably either be in the hospital now or be dead.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

If that had happened in the U.S one of you three,maybe two would probably either be in the hospital now or be dead.

Sad truth.