Culture shock?

I don’t know if I’m really suffering from culture shock. The JET Programme people said it would set in around Oct. or Nov. I think but I’ve been hating the same things pretty much since I got here. They also said there would be a point of acceptance but I don’t think I will ever accept these differences because I think they are stupid. For example, since I got here, I’ve been hating Japanese drivers and Japanese roads. The drivers here are probably worse than drivers at home. This coming from someone who comes from a city of immigrants, many of whom are terrible drivers. I will make a list of badness.

1) Japanese drivers don’t stop at stop signs.
2) “Stop signs” are actually just white kanji written on the road so I would imagine it’s not as easy to see as a big red stop sign at eye level.
3) The Japanese have built their buildings right up to the corner of streets. In Toronto we usually have sidewalks and lawns and can see around the corner and watch for oncoming traffic. Here, your car has to pretty much be in the intersection before you can see the oncoming traffic. That makes no sense to me.
4) Japanese drivers don’t always look in the direction they are turning. If they want to make a left turn, they look to the right for a gap, then start to drive without looking left again. I’ve almost been hit a few times. I guess it’s my fault for assuming they’d have the sense to look where they are driving.
5) Japanese roads are too narrow. Yes, their cars are small, but they are bad drivers.

Time for bed. More to come. This is just about the driving.