With a cold wave here, a very timely program is on in the show window in front of Mainichi Hall at the west end of the Palaceside Building first basement
. The exhibition is "For safe driving on snowy roads" =photo above. It runs through the 13th — if you have not seen it, please hurry.
At the left end is a "general" panel =photo left saying "On winter roads, do not forget winter tires or to carry chains!" Winter tires or chains are required on roads clearly judged slippery, with a warning that "violations may be subject to penalties" — a fine of 50,000 yen or less, plus traffic infraction fines of 7,000 yen for large vehicles and 6,000 for ordinary and kei cars.
Then eight keyword panels on snow driving — "Caution," "Sudden change," "On bridges," "Tires," "Hea
vy vehicles," "Reporting," "Sand boxes," "Preparation" — explain what they mean. At the right a panel sums it up briefly =photo right.
We cannot cover all, but the "Tires" panel says "A gentle slope you usually climb with ease. The limit of ordinary tires comes at once." The "Congestion" panel: "If your car is stuck, ambulances and other emergency vehicles are stuck too." =photo below.
In last year's cold wave some 1,500 cars were stranded on National Route 8 in Fukui — an unprecedented jam that shocked Japan. Even in snow country used to snow, carelessness is forbidden; for city drivers unused to snow the danger is real.
If you will drive in snow: carelessness is the enemy; preparedness prevents worry. Drive safely with the panels as a guide!
