GospelRest

The other day Tim and I went for our monthly partying downtown in Machida. After having some good vittles we went to our favorite video game center. We both share a love for video games though I have almost no time to play them, except with Tim. I have stopped being cool several years ago but Tim is very up on the latest games, especially in Japan. After trying a few new games we decided to play Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 3.  I have “driven” (played) lots of race games before but never like this.

After a driving a while at breakneck speeds I kept saying to myself, I know this road. This is a street racing game in the middle of the night down the Tokyo Expressways. We crossed the rainbow bridge, and drove through the tunnels by Hanada Airport. I knew every curve, every exit, every tunnel, and every bridge having driven it many times. This time I was flying through downtown Tokyo with my foot on floor at 220 km (137 mph) in a yellow Porsche (Tim could get his Nissan to go faster).

Usually you learn the game, never before had I known the game from intimate experience.

Besides playing a game there was one thing very unusual. First, driving a Porsche will never happen, end of that. Second, even though it is illegal to drive at that speed, due to the density of traffic you could never drive that fast in downtown Tokyo. Usually traffic is backed up, nearly round the clock, over 30 to 60 minutes. Traffic jams are normal and should be expected. Driving at the speed limit, not to mention exceeding it tremendously, is always a hope and a dream, never a reality, except in video games. Third, the cost was also different. Tolls for the Tokyo Expressway are about $7, but you also pay other tolls to get there. This game just less than $1.

It was fun but the adage, “don’t try this at home” certainly applies.