Bilboburglar:

So, you don't have any quantifiable data.

You think Boston during the never-ending Big Dig is an example of what drivers landing at Heathrow might encounter.

You use the pejorative term "Japs."

End of discussion.

sheesh - once again US usage is determined by the thought police to be the <i>only</i> correct usage.

Yes - &quot;Japs&quot; is very derogatory to Japanese Americans, Japanese Canadians etc. And it sounds really REALLY offensive to our American ears.

In other parts of the world that ain't necessarily so.

Even wiki (which is mostly as PC as they come) says &quot;<i>In Singapore and Hong Kong, the term is used freely as a contraction of the adjective &quot;Japanese&quot;. The Australian news service Asia Pulse also uses the term. In 1970, the Japanese fashion designer Kenzo Takada opened the &quot;Jungle Jap&quot; boutique in Paris. In Japan itself, most Japanese are apathetic about the term, according to a 2004 study.</i>&quot;

So to assume because one uses the term they are being racist and to shut of conversation seems pretty chauvinistic.

I also don't have &quot;definitive data&quot; about the number of injury accidents caused by jetlagged visitors. But I have had at least 4 or 5 different rental agencies (at LHR and EDI) specifically warn me about the &quot;blood alleys&quot; around the airports because of loopy tourists' dangerous driving. One actually told me they wished the gov't would make it illegal to drive after an overnight flight because they lost 1 - 2 cars a week.

Just anecdotal, but when I was a vice consul in London I had to help two American women who'd got off the plane and set out in their rental car. They ended up on the wrong side of the road, rounded a curve, and ran into a milk truck and killed the driver.

I think it's a good idea to rest before you start driving in a country where the traffic laws and cars are so different.

janisj,

While I thank you for the references from wiki, I remain offended by the term &quot;Japs,&quot; and for that reason I don't want to continue a discussion with Bilboburglar. I'm sure he or she won't lose any sleep over it.

I'm also quite offended by the phrase &quot;everything the wrong way around&quot;.

Really sorry if Japs is a bad word, not my intention or even in my awareness. I thought the bad word was Nips. (please I'm not making any point here just that was what I thought) I certainly never intend to use words that cause offense.

In terms of the big hole, it is nothing like the traffic problems outside Heathrow but I was tired and things were the wrong way round.

Yes Caroline I agree a better description would be &quot;different to that which I normally expect&quot;.

I have loads of stuff on road safety, causes etc etc as I work in a company which spemds a fortune on Health and Safety with a big load chucked at drivers. the stats are so bad that we have rules about car hire after length of flight (&gt;4 hours must use taxi or public transport less if landing in some European countries) etc etc. I also get regular defensive driving training (half a day a year) as do all my colleagues and we would be dismissed if we did what many people do on a holiday i.e. drop over the pond and pick up a rental.

'Nuff said and I'm still sorry if any of my Japanese friends take any offense for my lack of PC knowledge

You should hear what the Koreans and Chinese call the people from Japan!

Not sure I understand how the term &quot;Japs&quot; is insulting, does that mean &quot;Brits&quot; is insulting too. It's only shortening the word after all (something that Americans are very fond of doing). Maybe some people look for insults where there are none.

From Urban Dictionary:

An insulting and racist method of refering to Japanese people of the Empire of Japan

From Wiki

Jap is an English abbreviation of the word &quot;Japanese.&quot; Today it is regarded as an ethnic slur, though English-speaking countries differ in the degree they consider the term offensive. Japanese Americans have come to find the term controversial or offensive, even when used as an abbreviation.

You are of course, certainly welcome to use the term. Likewise, I'm sure you'll agree I can take offense to its use.

once again -- Japanese-<u>Americans</u>. You do know there are other countries in the World - right?

I am not saying it is a great word to use. A word that means something in one place doesn't necessarily have the same meaning/baggage elsewhere.

If this is an international site - international sensibilities should be taken into account. If it is a US-only site . . . . not so much.

Back to the issue before this went off in the Jap/Japanese ditch -- Driving after an overnight flight should be avoided if at all possible. It is irresponsible and can be very dangerous. Sure - it is done, and sure - folks mostly survive w/o a scratch. But one does not KNOW how they will feel until after they get there and then it is too late since rooms have been booked and plans made. It is much smarter to plan an easy, preferably non-car, arrival day.

BTW - in case you jump to conclusions. I have personally never used the word myself. I had elderly relatives who fought in the Pacific theater and used the word all the time because they truly hated Japan. Other friends/family used the word w/o thinking and not meaning anything derogatory -- i.e. &quot;Jap car&quot; when talking about their Datsun or whatever. From my earliest memory in the early 50's it always sounded wrong. But I understand not everyone means it the same way.

I have several several Japanese and Japanse-American close friends/ex-boyfriends -- mostly Nisei. Their feelings about the &quot;J&quot; word are all over the board.

If even one part of this international community might take offense to a term, don't you think that opinon should be respected, even if it is held by an American?

From your reaction, I'm beginning to feel like I am the one who used the term rather than reacted to it.

As to &quot;knowing there are other countries in the world&quot;, I have lived and worked in the UK (5 years), Ireland (1 year), Switzerland (18 months), and for business or pleasure have been in most western and central European countries for extended stays. I have also lived in two very different regions of the US.

I would not have been able to hold international management positions with a Fortune 25 company if I did not have sensitivity to other cultures and beliefs.

I also hold a very hard-earned UK drivers license. When the UK government tells me to stay off the road after a 6-hour flight, I will.

&quot;<i>If even one part of this international community might take offense to a term, don't you think that opinon should be respected, </i>&quot;

Sorry - but how on earth is that even remotely possible? Many, MANY words used every day in normal conversation w/o meaning/causing offense will offend someone somewhere.

You're right, probably an impossible if not totally unworthy goal.

Still, I am not sorry I didn't just &quot;let it pass,&quot; maybe people will think more before using it in the future.

&quot;Not sure I understand how the term &quot;Japs&quot; is insulting, does that mean &quot;Brits&quot; is insulting too. It's only shortening the word after all (something that Americans are very fond of doing). Maybe some people look for insults where there are none.&quot;

So, Hooameye, does that mean that in your world &quot;Paki&quot; would not be insulting ?

I'm not sure why there must be governmental regulations or definitive evidence before one considers their actions. Why not take some personal responsibilty and exercise a little common sense before trying to drive any distance after a long flight?

History,

I do take a great deal of personal responsibility. I have never had so much as a parking ticket after 20+ years of driving in the UK.

I know my limitations when I've been on a flight and I pull over if I need to.

Give some of us credit for adult behavior and good judg(e)ment. I have anecdotal information that it's not a good idea to drive with a screaming child in the car (in a proper, government-specified car seat). Does this mean no one should drive with a child in the car?

Caroline-Edinburgh,
&quot;So, Hooameye, does that mean that in your world &quot;Paki&quot; would not be insulting ?&quot;
Would'nt be insulting to me but as I am at work I've showed your post to 2 Pakistani's that are on my shift, both said (and I totally agree) that they do not find that word itself offensive but what they would find offensive is the threat of violence, discrimination etc that MAY accompany it. I also have a Malawian work collegue who calls me &quot;whitey&quot; which I have no problem with but I would do if it was accompanied with &quot;I'm going to burn your house down or kill your family&quot;.
&quot;Paki&quot; after all is just a shortened form for Pakistani, there are some more &quot;colourful&quot; terms out there for all races including mine (English) but as this is a travel forum I don't we should go there.

Regards.

Ok, so that applies in your country. In this country it is an offensive term, probably because of its use in a derogatory way by racists.