Live data from Hacker News

Japan's IC cards are weird and wonderful

aruarian.dance

301–302 of 302 posts

Re: Japan's IC cards are weird and wonderful

#301

What really stands out is the difference in design philosophy. In London, the gates are normally closed and only open if your Oyster card is valid. In Tokyo, the gates are open by default and only close if your card fails. You don’t have to wait for doors to open and close every time—it just keeps the flow moving and feels way faster.

Japan has a fascinating environment. It is very uplifting. Japanese citizens do not seem to participate in crime.

I wondered about this and discussed it with an american friend who lived there for a couple decades and whose kids were born there.

He said that they talk about everything in school. They go through scenarios like stealing, and have long discussions in class. They will discuss what happens, how people feel and what is the outcome. so education.

On the other hand, I commented on the nice society with japanese citizens and they have counterpoints, like "japan is too slow to change" and the like.

Re: Japan's IC cards are weird and wonderful

#302

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, slowing down native users of public transportation because of tourists is a big, popular movement in places like Paris. /s To transform your argument: why do my partially-disabled relatives now need to walk by themselves to their train seats? Just so that people who don't even read the instructions do not make a mistake that is going to result in a slap on the wrist fine (if anything, cause few revisors are goin…

> Yes, slowing down native users of public transportation because of tourists is a big, popular movement in places like Paris. /s This argument falls flat give Japan's transit is infinitely more efficient and handles far more people than Paris. No one is slowed down by Japan's system.

No, it is not. You simply cannot claim a gate-less system can be slower than one with gates. It is physically impossible, as you're literally removing the potential for bottleneck.

Your generic comparison is moot anyway, because in Paris the normal metro system has had barriers since forever. It is the regional train system which used not to have gates.

Post reply on HN