My experience of driving in both Japan and the U.S. may provide an answer to the letter in the Oct. 8 edition about Japanese drivers and headlights.
There are mainly three reasons we Japanese keep driving without headlights on till we can hardly see anything. First, we used to save energy (mottainai) as much as possible. Second, we are too shy to stand out in public, waiting for someone else to turn on first. Third, to us a light is used to see something in the dark, while Westerners also think of it as a means of notice, like a lighthouse. We are not used to the Western manner.
NARITA, CHIBA PREFECTURE
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.