昨日わが家に帰還。道内旅に引き続いて、所用もあって関西圏に行っておりました。
　写真はその道中、山陽道高速の岡山県内。けっこうな渋滞状況ではあったのですが、標識から前方で「事故発生」のアナウンス。後ろから緊急車両もやってきて、わたしは自車両を左に寄せて追い越してもらった。その後、車列は完全にストップしてしまって、数分後ようやく動き出し始めたけれど、超ノロノロでときどき停止状態。やれやれ、であります。
　で、ほぼ１台ずつの通行でときどき完全停車状態。写真はその事故現場で、ちょうど完全停車状態のときに野次馬的心理からスマホで撮影。警察官ではなく道路パトロールのみなさんが事故対応中のところ。たぶん警察はまだ現場到着していなかったよう。車両の排除のためトレーラーに、破壊の激しい車両が乗せられていたところ。一瞬、方向的には「逆走？」とも思えた・・・。コワい。
　ただ、目視の範囲では人身事故はないようで、事故車に乗っていたとおぼしき男性がふたり道路パトロールの担当員に事故状況説明している様子でした。一方、道路左側には、大きくハンドルを切って停止している車両が4-5台、ほぼ斜めの状態で道路壁側に向かって停車しておりました。とにかく安全最優先、ですね。
　高速道路での危険な運転がどうも最近増えているように思います。
　昨日も北海道到着後、千歳から札幌市内の高速インター・新川まで移動中、道央道から市内環状高速に変わる料金所手前で、前走車がノロノロからついに停車してしまっていた。後続のわたしとしてはやむなく完全停車せざるを得ず、さらに後続車から追突される危険性に直面してしまった。やむなく車両ライトでパッシング対応。
　で、そのクルマは料金所を超ノロノロ通過後、やや左に寄せた高速道路上でなんと完全停車して、駐車ランプまで点灯させる始末。おいおい、であります。あれでは後続車にとって危険性MAX。
　推測すれば、この接続箇所を出口だと勘違いしてしまっていたのでしょう。どうも日本語表示に不慣れな人たちが最近、高速道に増加しているように感じる。日本の安全運転マナーをみなさん、よく理解していただきたい。

　今回の関西圏でのレンタカー走行距離。なんとか安全運転で「冷や水」にはなりませんでした（ほっ）。

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English version⬇　

【Traveling and encountering a traffic accident scene—scary!】
Recently, situations where common sense about “driving manners” no longer applies have been increasing in Japanese society. It’s becoming more crucial to be vigilant about societal safety. …

　I returned home yesterday. Following my trip within Hokkaido, I also had business to attend to in the Kansai region.
　The photo is from that trip, on the Sanyo Expressway in Okayama Prefecture. There was quite a bit of traffic congestion, and signs announced an “accident ahead.” Emergency vehicles approached from behind, so I pulled my car over to the left to let them pass. After that, the line of cars came to a complete stop. It finally started moving again a few minutes later, but it was super slow, stopping and starting constantly. Oh well.
　Traffic was moving almost one car at a time, sometimes coming to a complete standstill. The photo was taken at the accident site during one of those complete stops, snapped with my phone out of sheer curiosity. It shows the road patrol crew handling the accident, not the police. The police probably hadn’t arrived yet. A heavily damaged vehicle was being loaded onto a tow truck for removal. For a moment, the direction made me wonder, “Did it run the wrong way?”… Scary.
　However, as far as I could see, there didn’t appear to be any injuries. Two men, who seemed to have been in the accident vehicles, were explaining the situation to the road patrol officers. Meanwhile, on the left side of the road, 4-5 vehicles had swerved sharply and stopped, parked at an angle facing the road wall. Safety first, above all else.
It really feels like dangerous driving on the expressways has been increasing lately.
　Yesterday, after arriving in Hokkaido, while traveling from Chitose to the Sapporo city expressway interchange at Shinkawa, just before the toll gate where the Dohodou Expressway transitions to the city ring expressway, the car in front of me slowed to a crawl and then finally came to a complete stop. As the vehicle behind, I had no choice but to stop completely too, facing the risk of being rear-ended by the car behind me. I had no choice but to flash my headlights.
　Then, after that car passed the toll gate at an extremely slow pace, it pulled slightly left on the highway and, unbelievably, came to a complete stop, even turning on its parking lights. Seriously? That’s danger level MAX for the cars behind.
I suspect they mistook this junction for an exit. It really feels like there are more people unfamiliar with Japanese signage on the highways lately. I wish everyone would properly understand Japan’s safe driving etiquette.

　This trip’s rental car mileage in the Kansai region. Somehow, I managed to drive safely and avoid getting into trouble (phew).

Posted on 10月 22nd, 2025 by 三木 奎吾
Filed under: 未分類