tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post4739324274576516962..comments2023-10-19T01:13:47.983+09:00Comments on Tokyo By Bike : Cycling in Tokyo and around Japan: Japan's National Bike to Work BanByron Kiddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-85752923724406838652014-05-31T00:14:18.666+09:002014-05-31T00:14:18.666+09:00Another problem is that rail and subway transit in...Another problem is that rail and subway transit in Japan is not bike-friendly. You have to put a bike into a "Bike Bag" or a bike case to take it aboard the JR. In the US, which is usually behind the rest of the world, you can make arrangements to take your bike on Amtrak, and here in Los Angeles Metro Rail, Metrolink and Metro buses do not require any prior arrangement to take your bike aboard, it's first come first serve for all bike amenities.Michelle Klein-Hasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13379713170249673023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-88000711818671186412013-11-10T17:03:28.114+09:002013-11-10T17:03:28.114+09:00For what it is worth, Panasonic insurance would co...For what it is worth, Panasonic insurance would cover me cycling to work. But for a few onerous provisos.Bunnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16780064784737445506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-51806011281233624682013-11-01T19:14:37.095+09:002013-11-01T19:14:37.095+09:00I have heard similar stories from friends using mo...I have heard similar stories from friends using motorbikes or scooters to commute to work. It seems companies also prefer the safety of public transport than losing some (partially paid, I guess) days worth of employees' work to some accident on the daily commute. <br />This would also explain why companies don't simply insure their workers also for bicycle accidents if they choose to commute that way and it is so cheap as the article suggests.On Top Of The Wallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16934500152622057390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-51076294567537794782013-10-29T22:08:29.804+09:002013-10-29T22:08:29.804+09:00"I wonder if the company's stance would c..."I wonder if the company's stance would change if your friend could arrange legal parking for his bicycle in Tokyo in addition to private insurance?"<br /><br />Byron, I asked Ken about his company's policy and basically it is the same policy used for people who want to drive in. <br /><br />For example, out in Tochigi, many people drive to work. They are given subsidies and coverage for fuel, insurance, etc. and park free at the plant. Cyclists are given the same consideration with regards to insurance and parking. <br /><br />In Tokyo, no one is permitted to drive because the parking is too expensive. Evidently, if an individual wants to personally take on the expense of parking and insurance, the company does not care. I assume their official ban on driving excuses them from liability of any sort- same for cyclists. <br /><br />That's what I understand. Not sure if that matches others experiences.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-16402176039617617202013-10-29T16:38:13.645+09:002013-10-29T16:38:13.645+09:00Awesome, thanks a lot!Awesome, thanks a lot!Konstantin Gregerhttp://www.konstantingreger.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-75481948390922276622013-10-29T01:13:58.876+09:002013-10-29T01:13:58.876+09:00"...despite this few employee insurance polic..."...despite this few employee insurance policies include cycling insurance"<br />So which are the few that do include cycling insurance and who are the said insurance companies? Let's try and support them.<br />"a handful of forward thinking companies have devised internal policies to support bicycle commuting"<br />Who are these companies? Let's try and support them as well. <br /><br />I think that once people know there are alternatives to this state of affairs, it makes it easier to make positive change.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-77255942949434778532013-10-28T22:22:37.339+09:002013-10-28T22:22:37.339+09:00Scooters have disappeared since there was a crack ...Scooters have disappeared since there was a crack down on parking. You used to be able to park anywhere but you can't anymore without getting a ticket.<br /><br />As a car driver (and motor cyclist & cyclist) I find bicycle riders way more annoying than people on scooters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-56980010525264754892013-10-28T21:32:42.715+09:002013-10-28T21:32:42.715+09:00avoid all that shit, just dont get insurance and b...avoid all that shit, just dont get insurance and be carful when riding. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311998088779810850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-48647753647198834452013-10-28T17:16:20.158+09:002013-10-28T17:16:20.158+09:00Its true many people do cycle from their homes to ...Its true many people do cycle from their homes to the station before taking a train to work. Technically this is not allowed by the insurance policy either, and should also be banned by companies if they wish to remain consistent. But as this is impossible to police it goes ignored. The system is full of holes and should be redesigned taking into account all transport options.Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-88259137644039545412013-10-28T16:30:36.253+09:002013-10-28T16:30:36.253+09:00I think it may have something to do with parking e...I think it may have something to do with parking enforcement. Reforms in 2006 made it easier for all parking rules to be enforced in Japan, including stopping these scooters from parking illegally on footways, etc. But I hear that there was little effort to create appropriate legal places for scooters (and even a big effort would still leave scooter parking much less convenient than when they could park anywhere). Hence a key reason for their convenience (ease of parking) disappeared. Paul Barterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05442704054375929398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-20121086280743134822013-10-28T16:19:01.891+09:002013-10-28T16:19:01.891+09:00So I guess they can still bike to take the train b...So I guess they can still bike to take the train but not all the way to the office?TKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02161905145544905643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-3950803114560077732013-10-28T12:32:31.578+09:002013-10-28T12:32:31.578+09:00Bicycle insurance policies have been in the news r...Bicycle insurance policies have been in the news recently so I pulled those figures from a number of recent articles including : <br /><br />Bike insurance products diversifying in Japan<br />http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000725324<br /><br />Bike insurance increases in product variety<br />http://prolink-consulting.com/japan-bike-insurance-increases-in-product-variety/<br /><br />Information about specific cycling insurance policies, including annual payments and total payouts, can be obtained by calling insurance providers directly.<br /><br />I had a feeling you'd ask, so kept those URL's around. Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-59550165008417439552013-10-28T11:56:34.775+09:002013-10-28T11:56:34.775+09:00Thanks for this interesting write-up of all the di...Thanks for this interesting write-up of all the different perspectives on this topic. <br /><br />I'd like to put a focus on this issue in my bicycle-traffic-in-Japan-related research. Would you happen to have sources for the data you provided here (especially the number of bicycles and bicycle insurances in Japan)? <br /><br />I hope to be able to publish something in the near future (~early 2014) and will make sure to keep you posted!Konstantin Gregerhttp://www.konstantingreger.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-70838500021453652292013-10-28T11:24:13.604+09:002013-10-28T11:24:13.604+09:00I believe back in the days when Japanese companies...I believe back in the days when Japanese companies offered lifetime employment, employees accepted more strict company control in return for well paid, secure employment with retirement benefits. Those days are long gone but companies still feel they can make rediculous demands to their employees. It's a bit of a stereotype, but Japanese people do not like to make trouble and will do their best to avoid confrontation so rather than challenging their employers they simply cave in to their demands.<br /><br />While it is easy to direct our anger at employers, they are simply playing by the rules laid down by the government and their insurance companies. Ultimately if companies are required by law to provide travel insurance to their employees then insurance policies must change to cover cycling.<br /><br />Sadly there is no uproar here in Japan, which is why I'd like this article to make it to the mainstream press so this dirty little secret becomes widely known and the situation changes so that bicycle commuters can do so freely.<br /><br />Please do share this article around and help us make some noise around this issue!Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-62875331823669023732013-10-28T11:14:03.148+09:002013-10-28T11:14:03.148+09:00I wonder if the company's stance would change ...I wonder if the company's stance would change if your friend could arrange legal parking for his bicycle in Tokyo in addition to private insurance?<br /><br />I've not been paying attention but now that you mention it there really are much fewer 50cc scooters on the roads compared to 10 or 15 years ago. I wonder what has caused them to disappear? They used to be driven mainly by students and younger people. My guess is that in these hard economic times people just don't have the money to buy and run them.Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-36707166419560988182013-10-28T10:55:29.064+09:002013-10-28T10:55:29.064+09:00This to me simply sounds incredible. There would b...This to me simply sounds incredible. There would be outcry if companies banned their employees from cycling - what better way to stick two fingers up to the environment and to caring about your workforce! Thanks for reporting.Andreashttp://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-40176145039125242512013-10-28T10:10:20.069+09:002013-10-28T10:10:20.069+09:00Terrible, but not surprising. Yesterday, I was tal...Terrible, but not surprising. Yesterday, I was talking with a cyclist I know who told me his company had banned commuting by bike to the office in Tokyo- ostensibly for parking reasons. Which he suspects is true, because facilities outside of Tokyo allow cycling but require cyclist to have insurance which this guy's company helps arrange. <br /><br />I have been here since the late 80's, and I really notice much fewer scooter type vehicles on the road. I am not sure why they disappeared but I suspect drivers did not like them. As a cyclist, I did not care for them either- they were hazards. Unfortunately drivers do not like cyclists either, so I suspect this type of pressure will continue. <br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-50124242096622027682013-10-28T09:25:05.130+09:002013-10-28T09:25:05.130+09:00Someday I'm going to have to get a "real&...Someday I'm going to have to get a "real" job here in Japan, but for now at least, working at Yokosuka Naval Base I don't have to put up with this nonsense...Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01274918059193803558noreply@blogger.com