Driving in Japan

Road rules are very similar to those in Australia, and it's definitely a plus that they also drive on the left side. That said, there are a few observations to be made.
Roundabouts and one way streets. These don't seem to exist, although it's possible that I've gone the wrong way down a one way street. Unlikely as it would be signposted. I wonder what Japanese drivers make of roundabouts when they drive here?
Road maintenance men. They are the matadors of the road, brandishing red flags to stop traffic and white flags with elaborate gestures for traffic to continue.
Speeding. Everyone speeds outside of the cities. Some speed limits are definitely too low. If you want to drive at or under the speed limit, be prepared to be tailgated by a convoy. I drive to the conditions and see what other drivers are doing. There are speed cameras so I rely on their local knowledge.
Rain. The roads don't seem to have adequate drainage so there are many MANY puddles when it rains. Large trucks coming the other way can create a tsunami that lands squarely on the windscreen.
Road etiquette. Drivers are quite polite and unagressive. I haven't seen any road rage, I don't think it's in the national character. Quite a relief for me as they tend to be tolerant of my driving!
Toll roads. These are prohibitively expensive, potentially 50AUD for 200 km. Fortunately both Google Maps and the car GPS support route editing to exclude toll roads. I inadvertently found myself on one the other day and I had to make a U-turn quite sharpish.
Tunnels. If you're wanting to drive through scenic countryside, then you will encounter many tunnels. The longest I've driven through would be around 2km. How much money do they spend on infrastructure here?
Hazard lights. Turn these on if you need to street park. Leave your car there as long as you like, even if you're blocking traffic.Read more