Here is how I cross the road in Japan: I wait at a place that I want to cross, but I turn my body away from the road. That way they think I am just standing there and drive past (instead of awkwardly stopping, etc...).
A lot of Japanese people that I've talked to don't have driving licenses. One person specifically said that it was because she was afraid of hurting others. That is quite different from my country's SUV style entitlement.
Come to think of it, I didn't think there was another Greek HNer in London, this is definitely worth a beer. Drop me an e-mail, or come to the next HN meetup this Thursday.
I'll send you some sun!
In China there was a story about retired professor that took care of that - by striking the cars with brick.