Comments for "In Japan, they like to make sure their trains are FULL!" Video at VideoSift.com

By bigbikeman

bigbikeman (http://www.videosift.com/member/bigbikeman) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:46:19 -0700

That is just stupid.

What they should be doing is using a giant hydraulic press, and a grated floor to strain the juices from the solid bits. This just looks amateurish.

By 10371

10371 (http://www.videosift.com/member/10371) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:11:39 -0700

Ok. Ya'know what? Walk! Crazy people and their trains . . .

By Kerotan

Kerotan (http://www.videosift.com/member/Kerotan) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 19:49:59 -0700

The benefit of cramming people in like that must be canceled out by the amount of time spent pushing them in, and also what if they need to evacuate the train in hurry, or the train crashes? there is going to a be alot of dead, squished commuters.

By MarineGunrock

MarineGunrock (http://www.videosift.com/member/MarineGunrock) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:01:05 -0700

And in Soviet Russia, trains like to make YOU are full!

Anyway, how is something like that even socially acceptable? Try that in America and see if you don't get your teeth punched out.

By Mezzanine

Mezzanine (http://www.videosift.com/member/Mezzanine) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:52:51 -0700

Look for the movie "Sore Demo Boku Wa Yatteinai" ("But, I Didn't Do It"), by the director of the original Japanese version of "Shall We Dance?". It's about a guy who's falsely accused of molesting a girl on a train and his refusal to confess to a crime he didn't commit and submit to the ruthless Japanese legal system. This kind of stuff really leads to problems with molesting, etc. That's why I live up north in Hokkaido. At the most crowded times, I *might* not be able to sit down. In Tokyo, the capacities of trains regularly reach "250% of Capacity". Just frightening!

By 8777

8777 (http://www.videosift.com/member/8777) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:07:03 -0700

I'm guessing they don't have designated seats for the elderly or pregnant. This video really makes me want to visit. When do we leave? On second thought, I think I'd rather visit the South Pole in the dead of winter and sit on a penguin egg for a few months.

By Napalm

Napalm (http://www.videosift.com/member/Napalm) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:31:06 -0700

How the hell do people get off at stations? Or are they express trains that only stop at a start and end station?

By Drachen_Jager

Drachen_Jager (http://www.videosift.com/member/Drachen_Jager) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:23:55 -0700

How many people die each year from that?

By zor

zor (http://www.videosift.com/member/zor) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 08:49:54 -0700

I think you can wait for the next train if you aren't pressed for time. Nobody is forcing them to do this.

By videosiftbannedme

videosiftbannedme (http://www.videosift.com/member/videosiftbannedme) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 09:28:54 -0700

Can you imagine if somebody cracked one off in there? Or is making a quick visit to the loo a requirement?

By 10320

10320 (http://www.videosift.com/member/10320) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 09:44:58 -0700

I've been on some crowded trains in Japan but never like this. Its hard to get off at your station but you just push throught till you get to the door.

By Peroxide

Peroxide (http://www.videosift.com/member/Peroxide) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 10:39:15 -0700

They are all going to play Nintendo!

By MycroftHomlz

MycroftHomlz (http://www.videosift.com/member/MycroftHomlz) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:47:52 -0700

A recipe for some serious grab ass.

By Dignant_Pink

Dignant_Pink (http://www.videosift.com/member/Dignant_Pink) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:34:58 -0700

theres always room for just one more.

By rottenseed

rottenseed (http://douchebag.videosift.com) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:27:12 -0700

"um...I'll walk"

By jwray

jwray (http://jwray.videosift.com) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:13:21 -0700

when I was in Tokyo, all the subway stops were quick, automatic, and frequent. The doors automatically open for a short interval then automatically close and the train automatically starts moving. It's the same amount of time at each stop, around 20sec. There wouldn't be time for this kind of stuff. Some trains had standing room only but there was no pushing. This is definitely not typical. Sane people would have waited for the next train instead of seeing how many people can be packed into one train. Ordinary subway lines don't have that many porters around. This arrangement would really suck if someone wants to get off before the final destination.

By thegrimsleeper

thegrimsleeper (http://www.videosift.com/member/thegrimsleeper) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:04:21 -0700

The interesting thing is that there were only five people on the train when it arrived.
They were all sumo wrestlers.

By Bidouleroux

Bidouleroux (http://www.videosift.com/member/Bidouleroux) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:15:36 -0700

>> ^jwray:

I don't think it's a subway although it's tagged as such. This is most probably a commuter train. If you don't take this one you would be late since they don't run very often. But the main problem is that everyone has to take the same train because they all start working at the exact same hour (and they can't be even one minute late/early at most companies: if you come early you'll be expected to come this early every single day and if you're late you're fired).

By xxovercastxx

xxovercastxx (http://www.videosift.com/member/xxovercastxx) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:27:55 -0700

This is why they have all those infamous 'no groping' signs.

By lucky760

lucky760 (http://lucky760.videosift.com) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:18:16 -0700

Lest anyone forget, here's another vid of the same business, so you know this wasn't a fluke: http://www.videosift.com/video/Subway-Station-in-Japan

By 9464

9464 (http://www.videosift.com/member/9464) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:13:05 -0700

I'd get in...

... with a chainsaw!

By SDGundamX

SDGundamX (http://www.videosift.com/member/SDGundamX) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:25:41 -0700

The rush-hour trains were the one thing I hated when I lived in Tokyo. I have a vivid memory of my face being pressed against the glass, seeing a sign painted on the train car on the opposite side of the tracks that said "Maximum Number of Passengers: 100," and laughing my ass off because there were at least 300 people pressed in behind me. Adding to the discomfort is the fact that dental hygiene is a low priority for a lot of the Japanese businessmen who are breathing all over you and also the fact that the Japanese typically don't bathe until after they get home from work, so the air gets funky real quick--especially during the nice humid summers. I used to have to put up with that an hour a day each way every day. By Tokyo standards I was considered lucky since many people have train commutes of 2 hours or more.

Don't get me wrong, living in Japan was fantastic. But Tokyo rush-hour trains were most certainly not.

By honkeytonk73

honkeytonk73 (http://www.videosift.com/member/honkeytonk73) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:51:17 -0700

I got stuck in Osaka rush hour. Absolutely nothing like this, but it was quite crammed. Expect a long ride standing up, the locals are just use to it. Popular past times to keep from going nuts seem to be... hentai or manga books, porn, newspapers, video gaming, cell phone texting, and plenty of beer. Yeah you can drink brews on the trains and it is perfectly legal.

If you miss your last train, as many workaholics do... spend the night at a local area public spa. Food, brews, bathhouse, massage, and capsule hotel. Try it at least once, it's surely worth the experience. Better with a few friends along for sure though.

Regarding groping. Yes it is a problem, but apparently it is much less tolerated. Train cars designated for women only can be found.

Want to get off? Know your stop. Plan ahead. Push through. Just don't knock people over. Just repeat 'sumimasen', and out you go.

By MarineGunrock

MarineGunrock (http://www.videosift.com/member/MarineGunrock) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:55:52 -0700

>> ^SDGundamX:
and also the fact that the Japanese typically don't bathe until after they get home from work,

As opposed to showering in the middle of the day at work?

By jwray

jwray (http://jwray.videosift.com) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:26:33 -0700

I heard the Kyoto-Osaka commuter train is like this during rush hour. Osaka looks ghetto compared to Tokyo.

The short range subways run so frequently that this wouldn't happen.

And my god, a 2+ hour commute is insane. I'd rather live in a dorm room sized (150 sq. feet) apartment if it's within 10 minutes of everywhere I need to go. All I do in my apartment is eat, sleep, and computer, anyways. I'd rather work for 25k a year next door than work for 50k a year and have to commute 4 hours a day.

All this urban sprawl and commuterism is contributing a great deal to global warming.
Since people put up with this sardine bullshit just for fear of being fired for being late, they need to reevaluate their priorities and find a job closer to home. 99% of people think they need more money than they really need.

Not only is money useless if you don't have time to enjoy it, but there's not much worth buying with it beyond the first 30k a year. The utility function is like logarithmic. Especially for single computer geeks, what more do you need than a good computer on a fat pipe, good food, and a bed? Maybe a park next door?

By Chaucer

Chaucer (http://www.videosift.com/member/Chaucer) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:07:48 -0700

you obviously know very little about japanese culture and why they put up with a 2 hour commute.

By legacy0100

legacy0100 (http://www.videosift.com/member/legacy0100) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:12:53 -0700

this reminds me of my middle school days in Daegu, Korea where local students had to take the city bus to get to school. Every morning the bus would be jam packed with school kids and if the buses are full, then the driver just skips his stops.

And the rest of us would have to wait another 30 minutes for an empty one. So by the time we get to school we're nearly 1 hour late. And teachers are waiting at the gates to punish you (usually they force you to a push-up position on the floor until the classes start. But before you get off the floor, teacher whacks your butt 10 times with a 2 by 4 or a baseball bat).

Good times...

By Xax

Xax (http://www.videosift.com/member/Xax) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:33:39 -0700

Oh my God, is that real?!? Insane! You'd think they were going to a concentration camp.

By laura

laura (http://www.videosift.com/member/laura) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:13:53 -0700

so polite...they never look at eachother. The porters are so helpful, yes?

By SDGundamX

SDGundamX (http://www.videosift.com/member/SDGundamX) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:21:43 -0700

>> ^MarineGunrock:
>> ^SDGundamX:
and also the fact that the Japanese typically don't bathe until after they get home from work,

As opposed to showering in the middle of the day at work?

As opposed to in the morning. They thought I was nuts for taking a shower in the morning. In their minds, you should bathe before you go to bed, after working up a good sweat at work. Makes sense, actually, except if I really did get that dirty at work I'd probably shower in both the morning and the evening.

Oh, and the reason for two hour commutes is the same there as it is here in the SF Bay Area. For the same price that it would cost you to live in a studio the size of a closet in the city (along with all the pollution and noise that comes with it) you could live in a nice house in the quiet suburbs two hours away.

I think Japan has it worse than most developed countries, though, in that the job market is more heavily concentrated in the major cities. For a lot of people, regardless of their chosen career, they can only find job opportunities or career advancement if they work in the city rather than the suburbs.

By 10205

10205 (http://www.videosift.com/member/10205) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:06:08 -0700

This is well out of date! Not only is it an old movie, but also it certainly doesn't happen much like that anymore. Most people will either wait for the next train or take an alternate route. Here in Osaka if people push like that, there'll be a huge argument and/or a fight.

I find it amusing webpages like this constantly show Japanese shows and things from i.e. the mid-eighties and claim it recent!

Because it satisfies the stereotype...

By pmkierst

pmkierst (http://www.videosift.com/member/pmkierst) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:47:08 -0700

Yeah. Uh-huh.

By persephone

persephone (http://www.videosift.com/member/persephone) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:29:40 -0700

Yep, this is old. In the last 10 years, in Osaka at least, pushing on trains has become unacceptable, with signs everywhere telling people to stop it.

I used to do a 60 minute commute on the Hirakata sen and it was pretty bad, standing absolutely jam-packed the whole way. One night I was summoning up the courage to deck some guy for doing this slow humping kinda thing on my behind, except I couldn't twist around to see who it was, least of all get my elbow ready for the jab. Then when the train half-emptied at the next stop and all that was left was this very drunk guy, who with all the swaying of the train, was doing a very loose-hipped kind of lurch, eyes shut, half-unconscious I forgave him for the action on my person.

By jwray

jwray (http://jwray.videosift.com) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:36:58 -0700

>you obviously know very little about japanese culture and why they put up with a 2 hour commute.

Yes, I know about Japanese job-loyalty. It's a mind virus that turns people into slaves.

By rychan

rychan (http://www.videosift.com/member/rychan) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:07:32 -0700

When I was in Tokyo I used the subway frequently and the only time it was uncomfortably crowded was after a special event (summer fireworks).

By 8266

8266 (http://www.videosift.com/member/8266) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:27:23 -0700

Wonder how many got pregnant.

By MaxWilder

MaxWilder (http://www.videosift.com/member/MaxWilder) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:45:58 -0700

Are there any statistics on deaths? That kind of crowding kills people.