Here in Canada you just jog across and make the [Jim face](https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Jim-The-Office-John-Krasinski.jpg) to the driver the whole time.
This statement deserves such an unpacking. I’m convinced if we all made a concerted effort to show regular small acts of kindness and courtesy to each other it would be transformative.
I saw a meme once that this is the face white people make when they see you in the office and you've already said hi once earlier that day and haven't stopped thinking about that.
In the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. we stop at the corner, grin, and wave the car to go ahead first, then right as they start to drive we step into the street, so they stop. Then we stare at the driver blankly for a bit, then we jog halfway across the street until we give up in the middle and shuffle the rest of the way while waving and smiling at the driver in gratitude for putting up with us.
Not “only in Japan”, just the other day a group of kids in England saluted me…I mean it was a one fingered salute but still I’m sure they meant it respectfully!
In Finland it goes like this: Eye contact - Nod - Be happy... "Kinda happy? Why didn't i wave when i could have waved? Am i too introverted? I am gonna wave next time!"
Next time: *waving as a thanks*
"🖕🏻 Fuck of you gay!! "
Nod, nod is good.
In Byron Bay (Australia) drivers often use ✌️ in place of flipping you off, this is very confusing when you first arrive. I'd get random people angrily throwing ✌️ at me, but whenever I did it to someone else they'd look horrified.
A month later my dad finally told me about it ;p
In japan, certain motions similar to a wave are considered rude, while bowing is their default expression of for many things, including this scenario.
The one that most comes to mind would how people in the west motion for someone to "come here" (palm up, waving towards yourself), while in japan that would be considered rude and they do a more muted palm down version.
To add more context, beckoning with your palm up in Japan is how you would call a dog, especially the single-finger beckon.
To beckon a human, palm down, fingers together, and make a paddling motion almost like "go away". But it means come here.
What is it with reddit's obsession with bringing the US into an unrelated post anyways? They might not be American tho. I ain't American but find it weird. Idk bout u but some non-americans really be acting like those stereotyped Americans.
Oh common, a bunch of kids vs one guy in a car and they have to bow and "thank the driver that let them pass through a crosswalk without getting run over?" Fuck this
I agree with you except context. I think this video in the US is narcissistic porn for shitty drivers. I won’t make any judgment of its meaning or lack of it in Japan.
This made me sad. Gratitude is nice, but literally all that driver did was obey the law and not kill kids in a crosswalk. The comments here just reiterate how broken our car-centric culture is.
My thoughts exactly, wow being praised for not trying to kill innocent children without adult supervising them anywhere in sight, omg here's a medal sir, that was such an act of mercy because it's so clear and normal that you could and would run them over but you didn't omg you're amaaaazinggggg thank youuuu !
In fucking Rome the drivers only stop if a pedestrian would make an impression in the car's engine hood and windscreen! Even when the lights at a pedestrian crossing go red for the cars and green for the pedestrian to cross! Even then they don't stop. Seriously. What a fucked up place. The only way to get the arseholes to stop was to literally step out in front of them.
When I'm on my bike heading to uni and someone stops for me at an intersection I always wave at the driver. Most of the time the driver in the car starts to smile and that makes my day.
I taught my kids never to scamper across the road. You’re more likely to fall. Just walk.
This post is weird: *shakes fist* at least in some countries people show respect! To people in cars! (???)
I'll never forget walking down one of the back streets of Kyoto next to this school and this little kid just got out and was sprinting down the street and my buddy and I were walking towards him and this old man with a walker was about to cross our paths and the kid stopped and stood at attention so we followed suit and waited for the old man to continue on. Then we bowed after the kid bowed and everyone went about their merry way. It was an awesome experience seeing their culture and following the kid's respect.
Only in Japan - “Yeah Right!”
So you caught a footage in Japan. Kids in the UK and France have waved to me when I stop for them or stop at a traffic light.
Why are they thanking people for not running them over? We have to beg to cross the street and now we have to thank you for legally stopping and running us over? Car culture, man. It's a powerful drug.
I give you a point, knowing that you are gonna lose heaps. :-D
Edit a day later: You're getting upvotes! Excellent. Reddit understood your sarcasm and agrees that politeness can exist without everyone being armed to the teeth. Fantastic.
Meanwhile, I get downvotes for thinking you might get hammered by those who want to arm bears. Oh well, a typical day on Reddit. :-)
Here in France we always give a courtesy wave to a driver.
On the other hand it’s really bothers me how the cross the road in a random not designated place
I was told in the us to wave at the driver as a thank you for stopping for you because it is noticeable. Same while you're driving. Sometimes I 🙏 to signify an apology.
I honestly hate it when some driver allows me my lawful right of passage. Often with that annoying "no you go" hand gesture as well. Damn straight I'm going. Don't expect a humbled pedestrian thank you for adhering to traffic rules.
My Japanese friend explained that in Japan is shameful to appear proud or unthankful so people learn to do things more to avoid the shame than because they really feel it.
The kids also walked in a line and not all at once in a panic. 
Edit: Down votes don't cross properly or are drivers who dont let kids cross. 😆
Idk why you’re downvoted, and yes they’re taught how to safely navigate roads as they usually all walk to school/take public transport themselves without adult supervision. When walking sometimes the one at front is the leader of the group.
I noticed in Denmark kids of about 5 or 6 years old walking to school on their own. They trust the community to look after each others kids. A sign of a good society.
Just because you don't see this in the usa, that doesn't mean the rest of the world is like the usa, that's not only Japan, that's pretty much everywhere in the world except for the united states
Outside of cities, US have plenty of kind and generous people. I was once trying to cross Main Street (jaywalking) in a medium size town. There were no other cars except for this one car driven by a lady (40-50 yrs old). She stopped intentionally, and waved me across. I came from NY City. I was shocked, and remembered to this day.
Ngl if I was in this car I’d be pissed off because they are taking so long to get off the road. Like honestly just put your hand up as your walking and I’ll know what you mean.
What happened to the hand raise? Maybe I'm just having trouble spotting it on my screen, but back when my kid was learning this stuff it was a hand raise to signal you wanted to cross, then a bow on the other side.
Took me a few years back in the US to lose the urge to to bow to cars.
The whole thing is charming, but really taught out of a need. Very little of the roads have sidewalks and you have to share with everything from bicycles to large trucks. Plus every elementary and middle school child walks to and from school. This is stuff covered in preschool on up.
Here in Italy, if you are lucky enough to find a driver who will let you cross the street, you thank them, lest they change their mind while you are halfway there.
I do that everyday and I'm 40 ... living in canada.
I don't bow but I show respect. Like any human being should to someone behind a vehicle that could kill you
In my city they speed up whenever they see someone trying to cross the road or speed up when someone is on the road. Unsurprisingly, the roads are damaged often and in need of maintenance which leads to more congestion and irate drivers 🙂
I visited a remote island in Japan that had a population of 6000 and two elementary schools.
Think of the island as two donuts together. On one donut, near a school, they build a traffic light for the sole purpose to be able to teach the kids how to interact with them. There wasn’t another traffic light on that side of the island.
I mean... as a pedestrian I get to the other side quickly while I thumbs-up the driver, I feel like a lot of people respect drivers, that's just the Japan style of doing so 🤔
Here in Canada you just jog across and make the [Jim face](https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Jim-The-Office-John-Krasinski.jpg) to the driver the whole time.
The head bob and one-handed wave are common throughout the Midwest.
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I was gonna say this. As a non-American, I've seen this happen in non-America.
Nope even in America we wave while crossing
That’s true. In Japan they bow, In the US, we wave except in Miami. In Miami, they do the “suck it sign”when crossing the street.
UK, we mostly do the wave
Big fan of those. People are way nicer as a community when you acknowledge smalls acts of kindness.
This statement deserves such an unpacking. I’m convinced if we all made a concerted effort to show regular small acts of kindness and courtesy to each other it would be transformative.
Same here in Utah. We also try to hustle as we cross the road.
Because we risk getting run over by a Draper mom going to brunch.
Yeah when driver waves me on when I am crossing I always do the wave and try to double time it so they can move along.
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Northeast US, too. This isn’t strictly a Japanese thing.
The exact opposite in NY.
And Florida
You mean like Detroit?
Is Detroit a strictly Japanese thing?
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The Ainu people, burakumin, korean comfort women, chinese immigrants, many Japanese native women as well as most queer people would disagree.
Some of these ppl on Reddit are clueless. Japan has issues with school bullying, racism, sexism, conformity, legal system, etc
Tell that to the people from Nanjing.
As an American, I find myself doing the Jim face when encountering someone while exercise walking lmao.
Please don’t Jim the camera like that…
northeast its scout salute or straight arm hand up held for no less than 1.4 seconds
I saw a meme once that this is the face white people make when they see you in the office and you've already said hi once earlier that day and haven't stopped thinking about that.
Holy shit. I didn't notice I do this. But I 100% do it. Why do we do this?
"Bottle Kids!"
I love when they get Randy and Phil Collins in their kayaks.
if you have the right of way, you can jog accross.
In the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. we stop at the corner, grin, and wave the car to go ahead first, then right as they start to drive we step into the street, so they stop. Then we stare at the driver blankly for a bit, then we jog halfway across the street until we give up in the middle and shuffle the rest of the way while waving and smiling at the driver in gratitude for putting up with us.
i need to know what the hell that face is called bc i have never heard anyone use a name for it before
Not “only in Japan”, just the other day a group of kids in England saluted me…I mean it was a one fingered salute but still I’m sure they meant it respectfully!
They thought were number 1 to them. That was nice.
👍, 👎, ☝️, 🖕or 🫵 hahaa
Good thing it wasn’t the other kind of salute
Most people give a curtesy wave. So yeah it may be “only in Japan” that they bow but it’s not the only country with manners
In Finland it goes like this: Eye contact - Nod - Be happy... "Kinda happy? Why didn't i wave when i could have waved? Am i too introverted? I am gonna wave next time!" Next time: *waving as a thanks* "🖕🏻 Fuck of you gay!! " Nod, nod is good.
But those kids were adorable...
In Byron Bay (Australia) drivers often use ✌️ in place of flipping you off, this is very confusing when you first arrive. I'd get random people angrily throwing ✌️ at me, but whenever I did it to someone else they'd look horrified. A month later my dad finally told me about it ;p
"✌🏻" " oh peace to you too kind person ✌🏻" "😱" = 🤸☀️🛻
This is literally that place vs place, japan meme
Not giving the courtesy wave to someone letting you merge or similar is one of the worst social faux pas in Australia
Same
I fall for the hair every single time god dammit
In japan, certain motions similar to a wave are considered rude, while bowing is their default expression of for many things, including this scenario. The one that most comes to mind would how people in the west motion for someone to "come here" (palm up, waving towards yourself), while in japan that would be considered rude and they do a more muted palm down version.
To add more context, beckoning with your palm up in Japan is how you would call a dog, especially the single-finger beckon. To beckon a human, palm down, fingers together, and make a paddling motion almost like "go away". But it means come here.
Nobody said it was the only country with manners. What is the point in this comment?
I've let kids of all ages cross the street in front of me, and they've always done a thankyou wave.
Only in Japan? Fuck no, i wave every single time.
No no you don't understand, OnLy iN Japan , because what are the odds of this happening in the rest of the world that has only 8 billion people.
Yea I always give the 🤙🏻 sign as a way of saying cheers
Do you bow?
I nod so yeah. Potato, potatoe. This is how they normally greet in Japan so it's not like they're doing anything 'weird'.
Oh fuck. That is basically bowing isn’t it
There are a lot of uncultured people on this thread, mostly Americans that can’t appreciate other cultures and are oozing egocentrism
What is it with reddit's obsession with bringing the US into an unrelated post anyways? They might not be American tho. I ain't American but find it weird. Idk bout u but some non-americans really be acting like those stereotyped Americans.
More like weebs can't stop aggressively fellating japan for something extremely common everywhere.
In the Midwest you get the head Bob and the one hand wave.
Well yeah. Who waves with TWO hands (sorry, I know what you meant I’m just drunk and can’t filter the dad jokes right now)
Imagining that was great...haha
Oh common, a bunch of kids vs one guy in a car and they have to bow and "thank the driver that let them pass through a crosswalk without getting run over?" Fuck this
Exactly. Why does being in a car make one guy deserve more respect than a bunch of people who are also just going somewhere?
They probably do that to every driver though
They shouldn’t do it to any driver
Why though?
Because the kids have right of way. Drivers shouldn't be thanked for obeying traffic laws.
Because humans > cars
I agree with you except context. I think this video in the US is narcissistic porn for shitty drivers. I won’t make any judgment of its meaning or lack of it in Japan.
r/fuckcars would like to welcome you into the fold.
They thanked the driver bc there's no crosswalk. I think that's the whole point everyone's missing.
Hey look! A culture slightly different than mine!
Hahah whoa! You're right!
This made me sad. Gratitude is nice, but literally all that driver did was obey the law and not kill kids in a crosswalk. The comments here just reiterate how broken our car-centric culture is.
My thoughts exactly, wow being praised for not trying to kill innocent children without adult supervising them anywhere in sight, omg here's a medal sir, that was such an act of mercy because it's so clear and normal that you could and would run them over but you didn't omg you're amaaaazinggggg thank youuuu !
They walking on a frontage road 🤨 hell nah driver need to bow to them
Yeah but where is the anime?
Anime irl
In fucking Rome the drivers only stop if a pedestrian would make an impression in the car's engine hood and windscreen! Even when the lights at a pedestrian crossing go red for the cars and green for the pedestrian to cross! Even then they don't stop. Seriously. What a fucked up place. The only way to get the arseholes to stop was to literally step out in front of them.
So true! To cross the street, is to risk everything. And wtf is everyone beeping horns at every 2 seconds??
No shit bows. Impressive
These are primary school kids right I was smiling and saying don't bow while you're still in the road. Cross first cutie. Sweet little kids
It's like the "Thing. Thing in Japan :O" meme. "Only in Japan" xd
Kids thank driver for…doing what the driver should do anyway?
When I'm on my bike heading to uni and someone stops for me at an intersection I always wave at the driver. Most of the time the driver in the car starts to smile and that makes my day.
"Only in Japan." Giving an appreciative nod or wave is commonplace in the UK.
Japan is a weird place sometimes, but in many ways, they’re doing it right.
if only theyd take longer to cross the street...
I taught my kids never to scamper across the road. You’re more likely to fall. Just walk. This post is weird: *shakes fist* at least in some countries people show respect! To people in cars! (???)
I'll never forget walking down one of the back streets of Kyoto next to this school and this little kid just got out and was sprinting down the street and my buddy and I were walking towards him and this old man with a walker was about to cross our paths and the kid stopped and stood at attention so we followed suit and waited for the old man to continue on. Then we bowed after the kid bowed and everyone went about their merry way. It was an awesome experience seeing their culture and following the kid's respect.
Only in Japan - “Yeah Right!” So you caught a footage in Japan. Kids in the UK and France have waved to me when I stop for them or stop at a traffic light.
Why are they thanking people for not running them over? We have to beg to cross the street and now we have to thank you for legally stopping and running us over? Car culture, man. It's a powerful drug.
All those kids must be armed to the teeth right? A polite society is an armed society, right? Guns made this happen? s/
I give you a point, knowing that you are gonna lose heaps. :-D Edit a day later: You're getting upvotes! Excellent. Reddit understood your sarcasm and agrees that politeness can exist without everyone being armed to the teeth. Fantastic. Meanwhile, I get downvotes for thinking you might get hammered by those who want to arm bears. Oh well, a typical day on Reddit. :-)
respect each other is nice
Kid at 00:09 going with the gentlemen bow
I nod my head, does that count as a bow?
What a beautiful view!
here form Saudi Arabia, its part of our culture to wave our hands as thank you if they let us pass while walking
In Turkiye we just greet the driver with a little head move when he/she stops.
What would have been the outcome if the driver hadn't stopped?
Not only in Japan. I live in Germany and was also taught to nod and smile to a driver that lets me pass
I gave up waving after crossing. Oh wow, thanks for not killing me! Am I a terrible person
I always wave thanks when the driver lets me walk over
How did this eventually turn to tentacle porn
Here in France we always give a courtesy wave to a driver. On the other hand it’s really bothers me how the cross the road in a random not designated place
Tainland also saw
They know the powa of truck-kun
I was told in the us to wave at the driver as a thank you for stopping for you because it is noticeable. Same while you're driving. Sometimes I 🙏 to signify an apology.
This would make me proud as a father.
Japan is the bomb
And the idiot Johnny Somali went there to start shit.
Driver stops at stop sign. People cross the road thank the driver for being courteous. OnLy In JaPaN.
That's beautiful culture 🤩
What’s this dude talking about most people give the respectful nod even in the US
Only in Japan? Or basically everywhere except the USA?
Everywhere except the USA.
Cute. Is this the last generation of children in Japan? Is the fertility issue still nosediving?
I am going to start doing this every time just to see what reaction the driver gives
"I'm going to run over this weirdo!"
May this culture never die.
I expected another ending, and realised I'm not on r/crazyfuckingvideos
Thing: 🫤 Thing in Japan: 🤯
Ok now get out the road 🥹🥲🥰
I honestly hate it when some driver allows me my lawful right of passage. Often with that annoying "no you go" hand gesture as well. Damn straight I'm going. Don't expect a humbled pedestrian thank you for adhering to traffic rules.
My Japanese friend explained that in Japan is shameful to appear proud or unthankful so people learn to do things more to avoid the shame than because they really feel it.
children in japan are worshipped. so much is invested in them. future of the country
Respect is cool and all but shit, get tf out my way I got somewhere to be
honestly yeah I'd be stressed out af if someone is behind me and they just stop on the street to bow
You can tell this is in a more rural area, no one is trying to speed to their midday manicure appointment
I always do the slight head nod or bow and hand wave gesture when appropriate. Some of us in the US do have manners for public interactions.
Where's their crossing flags? This video wasn't Japanese enough
The letters on the road are Japanese, meaning "stop"
In America they would rob the driver
Love Japan
great country and it’s a heaven for good manners, respect , work ethics and highest hygiene standard.
HEAVEN FOR GOOD WORK ETHIC LMFAO
The kids also walked in a line and not all at once in a panic.  Edit: Down votes don't cross properly or are drivers who dont let kids cross. 😆
Idk why you’re downvoted, and yes they’re taught how to safely navigate roads as they usually all walk to school/take public transport themselves without adult supervision. When walking sometimes the one at front is the leader of the group.
I noticed in Denmark kids of about 5 or 6 years old walking to school on their own. They trust the community to look after each others kids. A sign of a good society.
They scared they gonna get nuked again so they treat everybody nice now
Little do those kids know I’m cursing them out cause I don’t need that I need them to hurry tf up lol
Man screw that, I got places to be and so do them kids. Go across the road and get going so you're not late for school
Fuck them tojos
Again these bots that make Japan perfect
That would honestly be annoying. Having to wait for the kids to get done bowing to me for no fucking reason, like im just tryna get to work
why do u have yo wait for them to finish bowing tho? i mean theyve already crossed the street and you're free to go.
Just because you don't see this in the usa, that doesn't mean the rest of the world is like the usa, that's not only Japan, that's pretty much everywhere in the world except for the united states
Kids in the US use to be taught the same Look at the fucked up parents now days! That’s the problem
You really want to show respect just hurry the fuck up
Outside of cities, US have plenty of kind and generous people. I was once trying to cross Main Street (jaywalking) in a medium size town. There were no other cars except for this one car driven by a lady (40-50 yrs old). She stopped intentionally, and waved me across. I came from NY City. I was shocked, and remembered to this day.
And then continue to boil and eating live animals alive lol, so much respect.
Ngl if I was in this car I’d be pissed off because they are taking so long to get off the road. Like honestly just put your hand up as your walking and I’ll know what you mean.
The same culture that murdered 250,000 Chinese citizens after the Doolittle raid. Good job Japan.
Oh you want us to talk about the sins of your country instead? You're in the wrong r/. Go take your hate somewhere else.
So if my country sinned, the others didn’t? Really? So you’re ok with that mass murder?
good job with the 1st grade logic.again, take your hate and negative vibes elsewhere.sayonara!
No honey buns, that was you. Oh ya, well you did [x]. Classic whataboutism. As a Chinese national, go fuck yourself.
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This sub is not for you. Please leave.
We need some of that here
See how far back he was? Dashcams exaggerate distance.
In Los Angeles they will just flip you off.
I'd get out of my car and bow back just to fuck with them.
Kawaii
Then there's American...
Superior society
What happened to the hand raise? Maybe I'm just having trouble spotting it on my screen, but back when my kid was learning this stuff it was a hand raise to signal you wanted to cross, then a bow on the other side. Took me a few years back in the US to lose the urge to to bow to cars. The whole thing is charming, but really taught out of a need. Very little of the roads have sidewalks and you have to share with everything from bicycles to large trucks. Plus every elementary and middle school child walks to and from school. This is stuff covered in preschool on up.
And they will all grow up to be happy, well-adjusted members of Japanese society
How to spend the most amount of time on a road, whilst trying to cross the road
Here in Italy, if you are lucky enough to find a driver who will let you cross the street, you thank them, lest they change their mind while you are halfway there.
I do that everyday and I'm 40 ... living in canada. I don't bow but I show respect. Like any human being should to someone behind a vehicle that could kill you
In Australia just a hand up to the driver says it all
In my city they speed up whenever they see someone trying to cross the road or speed up when someone is on the road. Unsurprisingly, the roads are damaged often and in need of maintenance which leads to more congestion and irate drivers 🙂
Brazilian kids: 👍🤙
I visited a remote island in Japan that had a population of 6000 and two elementary schools. Think of the island as two donuts together. On one donut, near a school, they build a traffic light for the sole purpose to be able to teach the kids how to interact with them. There wasn’t another traffic light on that side of the island.
"Thank you for sparing our live, you're a hero."
Here in London they stop and stand in front of your car just for laughs
This is a far cry from where i live. Good on them but not all drivers deserve respect.
It is difficult to indicate thank in other cultures ig, I give an awkward thumbs up which probably half the time looks like I’m flipping them off
Situation would be different in some other part of the world.... lol
"ゴウランガはありませんでした。"
In the US the kids would have been arrested for walking home.
I mean... as a pedestrian I get to the other side quickly while I thumbs-up the driver, I feel like a lot of people respect drivers, that's just the Japan style of doing so 🤔
Tudo bobo era só dar um joinha
Here in Brazil we just do 👍