Japanese Rush Hour
It is well known that the Japanese have had to become very creative in ways of dealing with an extremely high population in realtion to the country’s land mass. The following video is one of the ways that the Japanese are trying to make public transportation more efficient. Are the Japanese on to something? What are your thoughts?
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I have lived in Japan for nearly a year now, and have lived here before as well. I’ve been on some majorly croweded trains, and it’s no big deal, but I have never seen the legendary white-gloved pushers myself, despite having traveled through the most and second-most crowded stations in the world (Shinjuku and Ikebukuro respectively) quite frequently.
I realize that your question is somewhat of a joke – no one wants to travel this way, and presumably no one thinks it “efficient”. But, if one were to address the question of whether this sort of thing could work out in, say, New York, where I grew up, I would say absolutely not. Groping is a very serious problem on the trains in Japan, but outside of that, there is very little crime or violence, very little reason to be afraid of other people around you. On the other hand, in New York, I must admit I’m hesitant to get near anyone. You don’t know them, don’t know how clean they are, or if they’re dangerous in some way. At the very least, Americans have a sense of a far wider zone of personal space and don’t like to be squeezed in like that.
Anyway, thanks for a neat video, and a thought-provoking question.
This looks like it really sucks. You can see the people literally jammed against the glass as the trains rolls out. it is kinda funny to watch those guards stuff the people in the train. This is not making transportation more efficient; this is endangering people by overloading the train’s maximum capacity limit by a whole wack of people. Contrary to the Japanese’s advancements in technology, this is a very primitive way of transporting people.
I agree with Maura. The people are being stuffed into the train along with a whole bunch of people that they don’t know and they are packed in there like sardines. I don’t think that this is very safe; what if the train was to break down? Would the people be trapped inside? Not to mention how uncomfortable that train ride must be. I hope that this never happens in our country.
Thats crazy what they are doing. Some of those people must be strained inside that train. You would wonder if poeple get hurt in the train from being to close together. But i guess when that is only way you can get to work than you just have to deal with it.
I think that is awful what they are doing to them. It is just dumb why they can not get more means of transportation. Crammming people into the train like that must have an outcome of some injuries.
I find this absolutly hilarious for all those people to get jammed in there like that, but the people of japan should think of a new way of transportation or construct bigger subways so people are not jammed anymore like this because this could cause serious injury or the subway car could explode it is getting so packed.
Is this not some form of harassment? It is crazy how they are vialating peoples personal space due to lack of transportation. Yes this saves them from having to find new ways of transportation but i could not stand haveing to get around this way. If someone was claustrophobic that would not end up good. People are litterally compressed up against the glass.. how is there air in there to breathe? Those gaurds sure have a heafty job of jamming them in there. I must say i am impressed by their packing skills. I agree with the fact that if the train broke down and they were trapped how terrible uncomfortable that would be.
Toranosuke, thanks for the comment. It is always valuable to hear from someone who has first hand experience with an item we are studying.
Watching this happen is funny at first, but then you think “I wonder how many people are ACTUALLY in there..” you can tell there are definately alot by the people smushed up against the glass and watching the gaurds push and shove the people on the trains. We think they are so advanced in technology, and they are, but why not spend some time and get advanced on efficient ways of travel? Surely there is another way to get all of those people from one place to another without cramming them into trains like sardines. What about having another train or two going to the same place at the same time?
When i first watched this video clip, i thought it was outragious. First of all, invading of the personal bubble. Second of all, who would even want to be shoved in such a small roomed place… but as i started to think about it more. Where i live we dont even have subways. But in there case they have a larger population then we will ever have. If you got to be somewhere you better count in getting shoved into a subways by the pushers. But lets just say i think i would enjoy that job. You get to push people around for a living. THAT WOULD JUST BE SWEET. But i wonder how many people actaully fit into that subway…I wonder…….
i think that it is stupid to have that meay people pushed on a train like it is not that hard to wait for the next train
Thats insane! just picture how uncomfortable you would be! But it clearly looks like the “stuffers” dont care and they just want to get people on the train but i think they should seriously consider expanding there trains. Not only making then bigger but having more, less packed that come more often. And personaly i think they need to fix that problem or the number of people using the train for tourisum will probaly decrease. And i would definitly be late, and find a more convieniant mean of transoportaion then break a bone and be shoved into a window with a whole bunch more people in a train that may move fast but seems to be quite painful. and if you ask me. If i go there i wont.. take the train
hahahha i actually got quite the laugh out of this video
. That looks like some squishy ride. i cna’t imagine being in the middle and trying to get out at your stop, Good luck! I couldn’t imagine being stuch in there with all those people i bet its sweaty and stuff haha i woulnd’t be able to stand that! haha But i guess some just don’t have a choice!
CRAZZY!!!
i showed this video to some of my friends and they thought it was so funny. eventhough i have seen this video quite a few times i still get a kick out of it>