> Did you notice that the instructions are usually written by a
Japanese guy who speaks English, but not very well? My car's
owner's manual says that "before putting fuel to the tank, it is
best to turn to the engine off."

The Japanese culture seems a bit strange to people from the
western cultures. They are so polite in the ways they
speak--no direct orders, just helpful hints. A Norwegian who
travelled around the world on his bike (and set an unofficial
new world record doing it), tells in his book about Japanese
policemen which, after he had passed a couple of red lights,
took a bow and said "Hai!" and politely suggested that they
had a few traffic rules in Japan which it would be nice of him if
he cared to abide by, and continued by explaining what the
colors of the traffic lights meant and which side of the road it
was best for him to use.

Imagine seeing that happen in the U.S., or in Norway for that
matter.

Trav"elling is again a "ho"t topic under the RinkForum vau"lt