Live data from Hacker News

Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

atlasobscura.com

31–40 of 334 posts

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#31
post #2

I've taken the bus often and the driver always announces when he breaks, accelerates, and takes curves, is this for the same reason? People have explained to me that the driver announces everything so that standing passengers don't fall over, but I'm skeptical.

Every taken a Muni in SF? I sometimes suspect the operators are intentionally trying to get passengers to fall.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#32
I noticed the problem on myself on several occasions and kind of invented the same solution.

For example, sometimes I would take a medicament mechanically while doing something else and just a few minutes later, forget if I took it or not. Solution: say loud to myself "I'm taking a pill".

Another: sometimes I'd lend some amount money to a colleague, and a few weeks later I'd have a hard time figuring whether they gave it back, and they too. Solution: I tell them to hit me (or do some other stupid thing) when they give the money back, so we both remember.

Going even further, sometimes I have to set a reminder to myself like "take an umbrella when leaving tomorrow morning because it's gonna be raining". Putting umbrella close to the exit, or doing a phone reminder do not always work, particularly when I'm in a hurry. One thing that works is doing some notable physical disruption in the environment, like putting a can of tomato sauce, upside-down, close to the exit.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, my reaction is exactly the opposite. Good on the Japanese railways for employing intelligent and responsible adults to care for everyone's safety instead of cheaping out with cameras and computers. These are solid, respectable jobs, and it means there will always be competent people around to help when things go awry.

Should a human being have his life's work be forty years of checking if bags are caught in a door? Modern society is weird. Automation can free us from humans having to be automatons.

I have seen for numerous times that said human also help tourist (although local tourist, because most of them don't speak English well) confirm this is the train to take, and also help signaling the conductor that there are more people running to board etc.

They are not there just for checking bags. There are customer service providers.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, my reaction is exactly the opposite. Good on the Japanese railways for employing intelligent and responsible adults to care for everyone's safety instead of cheaping out with cameras and computers. These are solid, respectable jobs, and it means there will always be competent people around to help when things go awry.

Should a human being have his life's work be forty years of checking if bags are caught in a door? Modern society is weird. Automation can free us from humans having to be automatons.

Automation must not be not become destiny.

I would not choose to do that job. Neither would you, of course. Yet there are many who do willingly sign up for such work. And there is little doubt that they are largely fulfilled and do contribute to society.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, my reaction is exactly the opposite. Good on the Japanese railways for employing intelligent and responsible adults to care for everyone's safety instead of cheaping out with cameras and computers. These are solid, respectable jobs, and it means there will always be competent people around to help when things go awry.

Should a human being have his life's work be forty years of checking if bags are caught in a door? Modern society is weird. Automation can free us from humans having to be automatons.

It's a caring profession. People spend their working lives mopping floors, wiping noses, changing bedpans, picking up road kill, helping little kids cross the street, caring for the elderly and disabled. Others -- repetitively -- cut up chickens all day, fasten on car doors, or fill out tax returns. How is that any different as a means of earning a living?

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#37
post #4

Wow this is fascinating. Clockwork, like everything else in Japan. I first noticed this when in Kyoto. The driver would point at the schedule, speedometer, sensors and all else. I found it slightly odd but made a mental note to google it later, which I eventually forgot.

>> made a mental note to google it later, which I eventually forgot. Perhaps you should have made a large "search" gesture while calling out potential keywords.

It's funny because that's probably how "googling" will be done in the future.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#38
It makes a lot of sense, you are performing a physical act, a visual act and a verbal act together, all reinforcing each other. Once it becomes an ingrained habit, anything that doesn't match the common result sticks out. I presume overcoming your fear of looking stupid is the hardest part.

Re: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Point at Things

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Should a human being have his life's work be forty years of checking if bags are caught in a door? Modern society is weird. Automation can free us from humans having to be automatons.

I have seen for numerous times that said human also help tourist (although local tourist, because most of them don't speak English well) confirm this is the train to take, and also help signaling the conductor that there are more people running to board etc. They are not there just for checking bags. There are customer service providers.

I think this is a key philosophical difference: if you think of the job as finding the cheapest way to avoid bags in the doors, with low respect to match, you're missing out on so much that a human can do. If the job is smoothing operations and helping people, however, you get a much better return.
Post reply on HN