Fears, founded and unfounded

Two Japanese encounters are especially scary.  First, taxis.  The driver more or less expects you to know where you are going, and he expects you to be able to give him directions.  The first time I tried to get to my old apartment, we drove right past it because I had never approached it from that direction.  I got about 3 blocks away.  Next time I got within a couple of blocks. then I got right around the corner.  

We have practiced giving directions in my Japanese class, and those were very practical lessons.

The new apartment is easier for directing a taxi because it is near a major intersection. It is easy to take a taxi to the station because little direction needs to be provided. 

The second scary encounter is getting my hair cut -- my hair is getting longer and longer while I work up my courage.  When I was here 25 years ago, the first time I went for a haircut, I took 3 dictionaries.  And the first thing they did was take my purse and put it, with the dictionaries, into a locker.  I will keep you posted.  

Actual fears -- getting run over by a car or a bicycle.  Many people get around by bicycle, without either helmets or bike lanes.  They ride on the sidewalks -- which vary from particularly narrow to quite wide.  There is no system for who gets which part of the path, and bicycles seem to assume some right-of-way.  Sometimes they signal when overtaking, but not necessarily.  I try to find someone to walk behind who would be hit before me.....

And the cars also seem to assume some priority, even when I am in the crosswalk, crossing with the light.  They come quite close to pedestrians when making their turns.  

Actual/not?  The Lonely Planet guide suggest that Japan is not a safe place for a woman -- even though it is particularly safe in so many other ways.  I use caution, and stay away from where men have been drinking at night.