When I first began going to Japan, in 1971 and then returning every year thenceforth, one of the most striking features of street life was that there were no lines in the streets to divide the lanes of traffic. There was a line in the middle to divide traffic flowing opposite directions but there was no concept of lanes. This was changed in the early 1980’s because Japan wanted to be seen as a ‘Western’ nation.
To put it another way, automobile, bus, truck and bicycle traffic was treated just the way pedestrian traffic is. No lines to tell you to walk in a straight line.
In fact, like most pedestrian traffic, the street traffic flowed smoothly without the lines. Like people on a dance floor.
I mention this so that you can think about the perplexing question of why we Americans create traffic lines.
Is it for Puritan reasons? That we don't want automobiles to act like dancers prancing down the highway. Is it because we are so legalistic that everyone has to have legal boundaries to our behavior. Or is it because we want a very orderly society and we think lines will help?