Safety Tips for Driving in Snowy Conditions

Hello everyone, welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

Thanks for joining us.

Today we're talking about "yuki" - snow.

Our headline is - "Safety Tips for Driving in Snowy Conditions."

Yes. Well, I went to college in Wisconsin, which gets serious amounts of snow!

And I must admit, my first winter there was a major shock.

Wow. That sounds like what we would call "ooyuki."

And we call particularly heavy snowfall "goosetsu."

Of course, compared to some countries, Japan's snowfall is pretty tame, like the cold snap we saw in the U.S. over the holidays.

That's true.

But that being said, some visitors to Japan may be unfamiliar with snow and icy weather conditions.

So in today's show we'll go over some basics.

But before we go to the news clip, let's go over some words to listen for.

"yuki."

snow.

"moofu."

blanket.

"kaichuu-dentoo."

flashlight.

OK, let's watch the news clip.

A lot of snow has fallen in Niigata Pref.,
causing many vehicles to become trapped.

On snowy roads, tires may spin in place,
making it impossible to move forward.

In such situations, clear the snow
in front of the tires with a shovel.

In the event of heavy snow, keep heat packs and
blankets in your car.

You will also need food, water,
gloves, a flashlight, and a shovel.

If your car becomes stuck,
turn off the engine.

If you do start the engine, use a shovel to clear snow from
around the tailpipe, which emits exhaust.

If your car becomes stuck
and you are in trouble, call the infrastructure ministry's
road emergency number, #9910.

Driving in snowy conditions is very difficult.

And if you get trapped or stranded in your vehicle, you're putting your passengers in a potentially dangerous situation.

Definitely, it's a scary scenario.

You definitely want to be prepared for the cold, and familiar with the proper safety measures.

Yes.

OK. Let's review the following sentence from the story.

If your car becomes stuck, turn off the engine.

If you do start the engine, use a shovel to clear snow from around the tailpipe, which emits exhaust.

Now read along with me.

"kuruma ga ugokanaku natta toki wa enjin o tomete kudasai.

enjin o kakeru baai wa haiki-gasu o dasu mafuraa no mawari no yuki o

sukoppu de torinozoite kudasai."

If your tailpipe gets blocked by snow, the exhaust from your engine has nowhere to go but back into your vehicle, putting you and your passengers at risk of "issankatanso-chuudoku."

There's been at least one case this winter where a driver has died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in a snowed-in car that had the engine running.

And we just heard the word "mafuraa," which in this context refers to a car's tailpipe.

"Mafuraa" can also refer to what in English we would call a "wool scarf" - a long cloth worn around the neck for warmth.

And now you know that if your friend says, "kawaii mafuraa o katta" they're not talking about car parts.

Definitely.

OK, let's move on to our next sentence.

In the event of heavy snow, keep heat packs and blankets in your car.

You will also need food, water, gloves, a flashlight, and a shovel.

Now read along with me.

"yuki ga takusan furu toki wa kuruma no naka ni kairo ya moofu o

irete oite kudasai.

tabemono ya mizu, tebukuro, kaichuu-dentoo, sukoppu mo hitsuyoo desu."

Now Tokunaga-sensei will take us through some essential winter emergency supplies.

"Kairo" come in
very handy in winter.

The kanji "kai" refers to
the inside breast pocket of a kimono.

This space is also called "futokoro."

"Ro" refers to a fireplace.

In the past, people put heated stones
in their "futokoro" when it was cold.

This is where "kairo" comes from.

Nowadays, we've developed something
more convenient: "tsukai-sute kairo."

Today's story suggests
carrying them with you to ward off the cold.

The "kai" in "kaichuu-dentoo"
also refers to the "futokoro."

We call small, portable
electric lights "kaichuu-dentoo."

Heavy snow can cause
power outages.

"Kaichuu-dentoo" can come in handy
if you're at home during an outage.

Inside Japan.

Tokyo and Osaka typically don't get much snowfall, but it does happen on occasion.

And because we're not accustomed to it, even a small amount can disrupt traffic and public transportation.

For example, last year on January 6th, central Tokyo had 10 centimeters of snow by evening.

More than 500 people were sent to hospitals due to accidents like slipping and falling on icy roads.

I remember that that was a particularly snowy day, especially for Tokyo.

Yes. Snow can make it very difficult to go about your daily activities.

Now, let's talk a little bit about how to be prepared.

Wintry weather can cause trouble for public transportation systems.

Yes, when snow accumulates on roads and train tracks, it can cause buses and trains to be significantly behind schedule.

Right. Here are a few common expressions you may encounter in such a situation.

"chien" means "delay," "unkyuu" means "suspension" and "daiya no midare" means "disruption in schedule."

"daiya" refers to a public transport timetable.

So on snowy days be sure to check online for the latest updates on train service.

And give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go.

And if you're at the station or on a train, keep your eyes and ears open for any announcements.

You might hear something along the lines of, "yuki de densha ga okurete imasu," "toochaku ga okuremasu."

In snowy weather, you especially want to watch out for potential slip hazards, particularly in shaded areas.

Partially melted snow on roads and sidewalks can freeze into a layer of ice.

Chiara, how do you walk on snowy or icy surfaces?

Well, I try to shuffle my feet and take short steps for stability.

And I also recommend wearing good slip-resistant winter footwear.

Well, that's great advice.

You want to wear shoes that provide traction.

And you want to keep a slight bend in your knees as you take slow, flat-footed steps.

And hold your arms out to help you balance.

Basically, you want to walk like a penguin.

Yes, we definitely all have to work on our penguin walk.

At the end of the day, the simplest way to stay safe in harsh winter weather is to stay indoors - to stay at home.

And keep a flashlight and other supplies on hand in case there's a power outage.

Also be sure to check out the NHK WORLD-JAPAN website and app, which provide disaster-related information and resources in multiple languages.

OK, and that's all for today.

We'll see you next time.

See you soon!