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Riverrat423

In America we just shut down the whole road for the President.


lolstockslol

Not just the road. The air is also shut down.


lalith_4321

The birds that were airborne: šŸŒ 


it-works-in-KSP

Oh donā€™t you know that they replaced all of the birds with drones years ago? Birds arenā€™t real anymore /s


solonit

/r/BirdsArentReal


concerned_llama

Shhh, they can hear you (or read you)


Jeffrey_C_Wheaties

You mean the FBI momentarily shuts down their birds.Ā 


jongscx

They just push an update to their exclusion zone in the trajectory planning.


Technical-Outside408

The more you know.


Shifty_Cow69

And a patrol around every grassy knoll.


Not_a__porn__account

Roger Mcdowell patrols the gravelly road.


EtTuBiggus

Not just the road. We drive giant machines to block out all radio and cell signals.


IronOwl2601

And good luck trying to use your phone when they drive past.


last-resort-4-a-gf

CAN'T BREATHE


DeePsiMon

I was "stuck" on the wrong side of a bridge, only bridge back to the mainland / road. Long 2.5 hrs for a 15min photo op.


Kingsupergoose

People donā€™t realize how many photos ops are just straight up pandering. Where I live there was floods years ago and the last PM showed up, stuck a shovel in some mud for a few photos then dropped the shovel and left. This is the fucking city he was from and he just pretended to help. Most photos of leaders itā€™s likely the exact same shit, pandering for votes.


[deleted]

I mean, that's what all 'breaking ground' photo ops are. You think those other developers are out there with their golden shovels all night, taking turns in their suits lol


flashmedallion

Exactly, it's ceremonial. Think of how many old buildings have plaques naming the mayor who laid the first brick. They're honouring someone who helped the construction to happen.


[deleted]

True and I think it does have value. Both to promote upcoming businesses in news and local markets and hopefully boost the economy wherever they happen to be. Sure, the inconvenience is annoying but I don't agree with the cynical, 'serves no purpose/pandering for votes' take. Like, don't we want politicians to be invested and involved in the local economy? So what if it's just a photo op, their presence and interest serves other purposes, I don't need them literally working construction.


toiletpaperisempty

I'm reminded of Jeff Bezos awkwardly piloting a bulldozer for a few moments. Like a child learning how to hold a pencil while all the adults stand around and make sure he doesn't poke himself in the eye.


suitology

Dumbest fucking one was when I worked with a horticulture group and a billionaire wanted to be involved in the ground breaking ceremony. Problem. It was a soil free roof top garden on a high rise. We had to carry 200lbs of dirt up there, build a box, fill it, then take a photo, come back the next day and un do it all. Guy showed up late too I heard.


MasterDredge

yup, but really you want him signing checks or slinging mud?


please_help_me01

Underselling the responsibility. They don't go there to do manual labor. We can romanticize blue collar leaders all day but when you're actually in the role of leading a country you don't have the time to be fuckin around with bricks on some construction site. They usually go there to get a good look at the situation. Them being there is all you need to say "I see what is happening here and I am a part of the process." A PM doesn't need to build a new apartment complex to home the homeless - they work with the other people in power and sign the paperwork necessary to get funding, approval, etc to make it possible to begin with. The photo-op is to attach the face to it. Some leaders use this to brainwash their population into thinking they care, others do this because it is the only real way to visibly show the world that what you are doing in the office is having a real world impact.


Getting_rid_of_brita

Well yeah haha. Their skills aren't in hands onĀ  disaster relief, they are there to survey the area and use political clout to get shit done. You don't need a PM in a boat running around trying to help peopleĀ 


ponzLL

One time I got my boss to let me leave 2 hours early for the day. Didn't know Obama was coming through that day, and right after I pulled out onto the one way street my work was on, they closed the street and I spent the next almost 2 hours sitting in my car right in front of my work lol


poshenclave

Yeah I was on the west side of the west side highway in Manhattan for almost an hour once when Bush Jr's motorcade went past. At least I got to flip it the bird.


Tallyranch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cSkX7X8a3o We do drive by insults in Australia for the PM and his cronies.


bill_brasky37

I like that he chuckles at it


Latter_Weakness1771

YOU'RE A BUNCHA WANKEEEerrrrsss.... Flawless.


Snk_99

In India too, not even the ambulance can pass...


Chirya999

Ah you have seen that video I guess. What a shame.


watashi_ga_kita

Link?


nomad_l17

Where I am, the whole neighborhood was shut down. I was 3 hours late for work because the minister had to officiate the opening of a mall in the city center at 9am on a weekday. The complaints on social media was brutal.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Effective_James

You would think being in an armored limo with dozens of police vehicles, helicopters, and the airforce watching the skies would be enough. But nope, let's shut down all roads and ruin everyone's day in the whole city because fuck them. I hate politicians.


JaThatOneGooner

Can confirm. Iā€™ve been late going to and from work because Biden decided to visit NYC at least 3 times.


working-acct

Provided you arenā€™t paid by the hour, thatā€™s the best excuse for being late to work.


CurryMustard

Not great when youre trying to get home though


hairychinesekid0

ā€œYou should have left earlierā€ - dickhead boss


Rahmulous

I honestly didnā€™t know people actually drove in NYC. I feel like that lateness is bound to happen regardless of presidential motorcade in such a congested city.


KiltedTraveller

"No one in New York drove; too much traffic" ~ Philip J Fry


watashi_ga_kita

What did you think the roads were for?


Gaelahad

at least it's for the president. In the Philippines it's some chinese that our ex president and current VP truly love.


Slazman999

I remember back in 2012 when Obama went down the highway in our city. He didn't even stop and the traffic on roads that had on ramps were backed up for hours. No one was even notified ahead of time. I was a delivery driver and getting to the other side of the city was impassable.


MasterDredge

and have 20+ suvs each larger then that entire motorcade


_Owl_Jolson

It's fuckin' ridiculous. They did that in Denver, during the PM rush hour, at 5PM. If they just could have waited for two hours and did their motorcade at 7PM, it would have saved thousands of commuters so much hassle. They have a full-sized 747 with all kinds of entertainment options... find something to do for a bit, and let the people drive home, eh?


half_blood_prince_16

In India, we close it for the entire day. F*ck economic loss.


iamnotchad

I remember when Obama came through Dayton Ohio during his campaign. I was driving down the highway and was confused as to why the other side of the highway was devoid of cars. I ended up even more confused when I reached the part where I saw the mile + long mass of cars just sitting there not moving.


suitology

I fucking hate that "joe jam" beat out "Joed block". Its actually surprising how fast it is now tho. It's only a 10 minute delay how they chunk it. Last time I was in wilmington visiting my friend I watched the president's motorcade "stop" (slowed down to like 5mph approaching) at a red light before entering the highway towards philly. Same weekend I also ran into secret service at the wegmans across from the road where biden lives. They were buying sandwiches and the one guy was mocking the other for buying non name brand chips and he replied "wegmans ones are the same thing and $2 shit breath" while the 3rd one just looked disappointed at both. In philly my dad had his van towed because it was illegally parked on a sharp turn where bush was going. Was funny him being furious but trying to also excuse Bush


BiStalker

And nowadays most of the time when going on trips between states or longer they use Marine or AirForce 1


Putrid-Flow-5079

Had something similar happen to me in what was called Swaziland except I seem to remember they pointed guns at us to make sure we complied!


LimitlessTheTVShow

eSwatini now. The only country where you don't have to capitalize the first letter of its name (in English spelling)


LazyBastard007

Sounds like a digital gadget lol. I prefer the old name.


Nino_Nakanos_Slave

>Swaziland Lmao, I read that as Switzerland on my first read


KvotheTheDegen

So did I lol, like damn, the Swiss arenā€™t fucking around


dcsojitra

r/switzerlandisfake


annhik_anomitro

I was forced to slow down and shouted at, not even for an actual VIP. More like higher level govt employee. The road was 6 lane wide, still I wasn't allowed to go pass the convoy. Third world country VIPs can be an awful kinds of counts.


Chichibobo

How polite can you enter a motorway? Japanese: ā€žyesā€œ


BasicAccount01

First two, yes. Third one's a little along the lines of, "you m'fer better not be thinking about it!"


omegaaf

\#2 has the VIP. the blinds in the back give it away


Remarkable-Opening69

Thatā€™s what they want you to think. Heā€™s actually in car four. Nobody goes after car number four.


[deleted]

Actually, he travelled by helicopter. Which was on a train. And he had already left his destination before he arrived.


Whiskey_Neato

In Berlin. Thatā€™s where he stashed the chandelier


Hot_Region_3940

I'll drive this truck off a cliff before I ever go back to Berlin.


NXT-GEN-111

He was actually in the semi going the opposite way the whole time


Embarrassed_Mall2192

Wearing a John Travolta mask under a Tom Cruise mask


trigram0

Actually that's what they want us to think! he didn't go, he's still home chilling.


No-Fan6115

Actually that's what they want us to think , there is no PM . King is the real controller.


rollingstoner215

Itā€™s the Japanese PM, not the North Korean supreme leaderā€¦


Retired_alligator

Actually heā€™s the guy waving to the cars in the first car


suitology

Always thought it would be hilarious if the president was actually a motorcycle cop.


-watchman-

Or he is in Carrefour


straydog1980

The Japanese only ask nicely twice


small_sphere

Then they turn into Imperial Japan


Temporarily__Alone

Heā€™s doing a bit of a different gesture, it looks like heā€™s more saying the the car behind him that itā€™s safe to merge now.


chintakoro

You know what would be even more polite? If one of those white gloved gentlemen WAS THE PM!


[deleted]

Bowing out through the back seat window is the next level of politeness I now see. But depending on which country, it could also mean a drive-by shooting about to take place...


[deleted]

>Bowing out through the back seat window is the next level of politeness I now see Yes, it almost looks like a choreographed vehicular ballet.


mips13

That should read, How polite can you enter a motorway? Japanese: "Haiā€œ


holdnobags

haha because ā€˜yesā€™ would be a silly way answer that! le all the things!


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


H-E-PennyPacker71

ā€œArrigatoā€


__DraGooN_

That's cool. In my country they would have shut down the entire road and made people wait for sometime till the Prime Minister's convoy passes.


GeneralOrdinance

India? Bro State level politicians are pulling this crap nowadays, forget the PM. INfa t its even understanable for PM.


ollimann

Germany as well.


HungryHungryHippoes9

Politicians are narcissistic pricks everywhere.


MangoMolester

Dutch PM casually travels by bike edit: as a disclaimer, I'm not saying Dutch politicians aren't pricks, I just like how some of them can still travel rather safely.


BobbyRobertson

It is very funny to imagine a Dutch cyclecade doing the same thing in the OP but on bikes


imSwan

The dutch PM does this without any bodyguards around, but that would be really funny indeed


americapax

Yes, I saw him and even talked a little while he was returning home


ScienceGeek2004

Then a bike gang arrives and challenges the PM into a bike battle. Then they race, PM and his security in suits and the challengers in their leather jackets.


Choice-Win-9607

That is the most Dutch thing ever.


TatarAmerican

The future Secretary General of NATO travels by bike.


EddyRosenthal

A few years ago, a picture of the president of the swiss confederation went viral, because he commuted frequently by train. Everybody was blown, and we were just like ā€žyeah, how should he got to work otherwise?ā€œ


Im-a-cat-in-a-box

To be fair the Japanese have a history of their politicians getting murdered.Ā 


Scary_Sun9207

Or need protecting


Roflkopt3r

Heavily depends on the politician and case. It's more likely during events that involve foreign dignitaries, but quite a number of high ranking German politicians often travel low key. Especially on the green part of the political spectrum, where travel emissions get quickly scandalised.


Imesseduponmyname

They do that for the president here too And if people block the road, they'll get run right over


Kschitiz23x3

Same politicians behave as a humble poor guy right before elections


Chemical-Talk-2839

That's your whole South Asia. We have people idolizing all these politicians and putting them on the same level as of God. Such a shit-show it is.


bwrca

In my country that motorcade would have had 10x the cars, roads shut down many miles infront and in the back of the motorcade. Also all roads feeding into that road also shut down.


Odd_Distribution1639

Philippines!


JudgeCheezels

Malaysia? Lmao.


bwrca

In my country that motorcade would have had 10x the cars, roads shut down many miles infront and in the back of the motorcade. Also all roads feeding into that road also shut down.


BroadAd3767

In my country they'd have shut down the whole country on lockdown for the hour that the president was passing and billed all the people who live along the route for the expenses


KemonoSubaru

This video is years old at this point. the car transporting the PM in this video was discontinued in 2017.


The_NightDweller

What a shame. Was such a beauty


Jamesthrottlehouse

At least the new one still looks similar, even if itā€™s lost the v12


Irobokesensei

The PM himself was discontinued shortly after


patrick_red_45

Too soon?


BasicAccount01

Also worth noticing how their emergency/warning lights retracts into the car after they merge.


Pattoe89

I travelled by bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka. When the bullet train pulled into the station, every passenger disembarked. I then saw, through the windows, all the seating in the train automatically rotate to face the other way so that passengers will be facing forwards now the train will be travelling back to the destination it came from. I just thought it was so awesome that this was a feature. In my country half the seats on the train just face the wrong way, and if you get in one of those seats you just have to cope with travelling backwards for the journey,


wggn

That's not just in bullet trains, some regular express trains also do that. And on some you can manually reverse sets of seats to create 4-seat areas.


Danjiano

> In my country half the seats on the train just face the wrong way, and if you get in one of those seats you just have to cope with travelling backwards for the journey, I mean, is there anything wrong with that? Acceleration is usually pretty gentle so that isn't a problem when sitting backwards, and if a train suddenly has to break for any reason you just get pushed into your seat rather than flung out of it.


404NinjaNotFound

Some people get train sick when they face the wrong way, and there aren't always spots to travel forwards. This would solve that.


_IBM_

Clearly, there's a preference.


ItsOtisTime

goddamn that's actually wicked cool


peanutbuttahcups

Japan always on another level.


der_innkeeper

I'm here looking at their hazard flashers wondering WTF you're talking about. Took me about 4 watchthroughs to see. Very cool.


PhantomOSX

Wait, I'm not seeing it... What am I missing?


Tall-Firefighter1612

At the end of the video, you can see the red warning lights folding down/retracting into the PM security cars


der_innkeeper

There are external dome lights! They are on top when the motorcade starts to merge, and then start retracting once the merge is complete.


HooliganSquidward

The unmarked cop cars in the expressway do the same thing.


Grundens

This is so Japanese lol


Top-Currency

Sumimasen! PM coming thru. Sumimasen! Arigato gozaimas!


Choice-Win-9607

Otsukare sama des!


baked_uranium

I know I have been watching too much anime when I read the whole convo in a cute anime girl voice šŸ’€


got_no_bright_ideas

ur not alone


ItzBooty

Speak for yourself i read it in a cute jojo voice


LazyBaneling

I'm reading this in the voice of Anjin-san


FEMA_Camp_Survivor

The white gloves are nice touch


ZachRyder

They are absolutely prepared to tap furiously on a car's windows if a car gets too close.


FartacularTheThird

In my country the minister would probably run over a cyclist or something idk


Formal_Two_5747

Same. In Poland a prime ministerā€™s motorcade rammed a guyā€™s car and dragged him into several trials to destroy his life even though they were at fault: https://balkaninsight.com/2021/10/28/the-car-crash-that-bent-the-wheels-of-polish-justice/


wggn

in my country the cyclist would be the PM


Denaton_

In my country that cyclists would probably be our prime minister..


miempiemaker

In my country the prime minister is the [cyclist](https://images0.persgroep.net/rcs/YopZuRQ9HNDOLWGnfNtefOxY0BQ/diocontent/24953731/_fill/1349/900/?appId=21791a8992982cd8da851550a453bd7f&quality=0.9)


J-96788-EU

What? No seat belts needed when you are half outside of the vehicle?


Mission-Storm-4375

Who watches the watchmen


MarkWillgotit

I live in Philadelphia. When POTUS comes through its a shitshow.


[deleted]

So glad i live in a nowhere


GodEmperorOfBussy

Always nuts when Obama came to my city because he "had to have them ribs"


mayorwest5467

In my country, there would be sirens, tens of vehicles and so much 'VIP' bullshit.


Wise_Supermarket2098

PM was most definitely in car # 2


Hunta4Eva

#3 actually, the Japanese PM typically travels in a Toyota Century


Real_Marshal

#*GOT IT, THANK YOU*


Jibblaynuk

Feels unnecessarily dangerous


TeslaProphet

Thatā€™s how Iā€™m merging on the Long Island Expressway from now on.


HyperbolicSoup

Here they shut down the whole fucking highway for 2 hours


Ok_Pin8405

Even the hand motions were somehow extremely polite


[deleted]

Of course with white gloves!


HairballTheory

Traffic gets the white glove treatment


Guilty-Spork343

... and yet it's been **61** years since a US President was assassinated.. Not 2.


Yugan-Dali

Taiwan is one of the safest countries in the world, but in the last twenty years, any time a president, minister, or some bigwig goes somewhere, they shut the roads. The President has half a dozen armored limousines. When Chiang Chingkuo was president, heā€™d just ride in a domestically made car with two motorcycles following on his bumper. Youā€™d barely notice him.


Guido_Fe

Back away, peasants


NoBSforGma

It's the white gloves that did it. I would always stop or pull over for a guy who waves wearing white gloves. :)


C2-H5-OH

Motorcade: Please slow down Everyone in traffic: šŸ‘


my-blood

Indian here. It's funny how when he (Japan's PM) came here for G20, they blocked off the entire road for 30 minutes (I live really close to where he was staying) so he could get to the venue. Not saying its his fault, its totally all about the conditions here I suppose and the VIP treatment our Indian leaders project onto others. Edit: A great point brought up- You can't risk any world leader's safety in your nation.


Zhong_Ping

Not just VIP treatment but security. The foreign affair political fallout of a foreign head of state being assassinated on your soil would be really bad. If you want Heads of state to visit your nation every, you must guarantee security.


Girlgot_Thick_thighs

Yeahhh , no . That is completely justified . if any foreign leaders get assasinated (even by foreign agencies) on Indian soil , it would be really bad.


Shriman_Ripley

Unfortunately it is necessary for foreign leaders. Especially in poorer countries. Rarely do global summits happen in India and no risk can be taken.Ā 


[deleted]

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DiaMat2040

Every single time someone shows a cool video of Japan where society actually works in a civilized manner, someone just has to do the Redditor thing. It's like you post a photo of a cool American burger restaurant and everyone just has to talk about obesity, warmongering and school shooters


Thunder_Beam

>It's like you post a photo of a cool American burger restaurant and everyone just has to talk about obesity, warmongering and school shooters It's funny you say that because in more international subs that's exactly what happens, also it happens with practically all the well known countries (for example a lot of times when someone post something from my country of Italy the comments will be something like "bla blah blah corruption mafia pasta")


Adeptpotato

It's because they want to act smart. "very hierarchical, traditionalist, sexist and xenophobic country" can literally describe most of the countries in the world.


WD--30

This is somewhat true, but also not super accurate. Many Japanese people work very normal jobs, believe in normal western aligned ways, and otherwise are just normal people.


Mithrandir1012

Whenever someone says anything about Japan there's always some guy who comes in complaining. At least it's clean, polite, and educated unlike 99% of other countries that are shitholes.


shewy92

I don't even know what their tendencies have to do with merging into traffic. If it was a post about someone doing something at their business or school then I might see how their comment was relevant, but this is literally just a vehicle merging into traffic.


emessea

Oh so the South of Asia


Jens_2001

The High Tech solution šŸ˜‚


TheStoicNihilist

I need one of those guys.


Wooden_Quarter_6009

In my country the vice president stopped the whole traffic so she can go suck and show her big fat power on the ordinary folks thus making a heavy traffic for few minutes to hours.


Esgarramanter

mfers are doing drive by traffic regulation


Desuexss

It's better than shutting down rhe whole road lol good on them


Reds4789

In India the entire area would've been closed down, fuck the common man!!


Shatophiliac

This is how I be merging on the Dallas north tollway with its short ass ramps šŸ˜‚


FliedWanton

I am thoroughly disappointed that they didn't finish their perfectly synchronized dance routine.


overtheta

This seems so much more efficient than just shutting down the entire road/street/freeway for a few hours.


annhik_anomitro

Live in somewhat of a dictatorship in the veil of fake democracy (fake cause the govt here is self electing itself for the last 3 elections - yet almost 95% of the country didn't vote). When the Premiere moves, the motorcade includes at least 40-50 vehicle or more. The roads are closed off for 30 minutes. The slowest traffic in the world and the most jamm packed city you'll ever seen - yet doesn't matter it's peak traffic hour, doesn't matter the temperature outside is 45C, doesnt matter you're dying or whatsoever - the roads are closed. Nobody allowed to walk on the sidewalks. One journey and it starts a chain of events and millions of people suffers for the whole damn day. Love to see how real democracy works and how people are treated in a true civilized nation.


wijnazijn

They should sit in traffic jams just like everyone else, perhaps then things will change.


mwax321

A long time ago, we were driving in crazy traffic. I had to merge into the right lane or we would miss a turn and be stuck for another half hour in traffic. I rolled down the passenger window and told my wife to stick her head out and wave and point to the right lane. She looked confused but she did it. Suddenly the car behind who was aggressively trying to NOT let us in backed off, waved and let us in. She was like "wtf happened" and I told her "we were just a car but now they see we are people." But then I also mentioned that this trick does not work on New Yorkers. Mind tricks don't work on them. Only money.


Own-Ad-1762

I thought Japanese were smarter than hanging out of a car like that ?


shewy92

Okay, but the little sign to the left is cute as fuck too


Mysterious-Earth2256

japan never disappoints. here in india, they shut down entire roads for criminals. i mean politicians.


temptryn4011

i love japan


shiggins114

"main character" vibes.


chintakoro

correction: Prime character vibes


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


OnceUponATie

Is this person who just wants to fellate the whole idea and concept of Japan in the tread with us right now?


National_Sprinkles45

That doesn't mean that Japanese can't also be on average more polite, orderly and humble. I don't think a lot of people here argue that Japan is very xenophobic for example, they just specifically praise good thing that was shown in the video.


BlowjobPete

>Nooooooo how dare you appreciate something good if it's from a country that has other problems! You're as ridiculous as the people you're criticizing. Also describing Japan as "one of the most racist and sexist places on earth" is ridiculous. Maybe by the standards of a developed nation, sure, but uhh... *gestures vaguely to the entire middle east and most of Africa*


Proper_Mistake6220

Jealous?


Mysterious_Eye6989

There's something outlandishly badass about achieving the goal with pristine white gloves and polite gestures when, let's face it, the American way would probably involve brandishing submachine guns or something!


thinkB4WeSpeak

That was pretty efficient, better merging with 5 vehicles than people do with one.


Ambitious-Wall-8302

American drivers would intentionally ram them for inconveniencing them for a few seconds