tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post5678909352375406701..comments2023-10-19T01:13:47.983+09:00Comments on Tokyo By Bike : Cycling in Tokyo and around Japan: This Bicycle Accident Could Have Been Much WorseByron Kiddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-8449246490291625172014-03-11T02:19:59.574+09:002014-03-11T02:19:59.574+09:00...I just found your blog, looking interesting. I ......I just found your blog, looking interesting. I was in Japan for few months and yes, bicycles are one of the best ways to really see all the details; anyway, I think rules, and more rules are not the way, we as a societies do not need more rules man; lots are in need of education, in this case transport education, due to you see plenty of moms with their children going cross way in several avenues in Tokyo...that s a nonsense; but in my opinion all that happened due to the bicycles found their way into general public, people who never ever used one, due to the last big earthquake; so many found their ways to home with a cheapo 100 Dollars chari. I ride motorcycles and bicycles and with bicycles I want to be free not tracked in a given path that only bikes can circulate, etc. Uneducated people, retarded people, selfish ego people, dumb people, uniformed people are everywhere, but track all us is not the way, we need vial education in the schools, etc and nothing more; even more in places like Japan that the people obey the rules.<br />Hope someday I can live there too, but seems the only path is be married with a local gal...reverbhttp://www.customshapes.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-28940991309470359562014-02-27T16:39:37.512+09:002014-02-27T16:39:37.512+09:00Excellent. Now I hope this goes beyond rhetoric an...Excellent. Now I hope this goes beyond rhetoric and something actually happens. My personal guess is that if within the next year, we don't see something (not alot... just something) actually built, then nothing will happen and it goes into the political promises bit-bucket. Fingers crossed.Kenseihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00565390186582205147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-40416440724568551022014-02-26T23:51:23.423+09:002014-02-26T23:51:23.423+09:00We've actually had some success raising the is...We've actually had some success raising the issue of cycling infrastructure with Tokyo's newly elected Governor, Yoichi Masuzoe, using the 2020 Olympics as leverage. In addition to this there has been discussion of creating a new Ministry of Bicycle Promotion at the national level.<br /><br />The issue is gaining attention at high levels of government, but we need to keep applying pressure to ensure it doesn't get lost among all the other pressing concerns they have to deal with.Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-54194030228634803552014-02-26T20:04:46.439+09:002014-02-26T20:04:46.439+09:00As others have stated, this isn't preachy; it&...As others have stated, this isn't preachy; it's just telling a story. Based on your description of how the cyclist tried to muscle his way around the pedestrian, I thought he was a high school student. I've often seen them pull this maneuver on a crowded street. I was quite surprised to learn an elderly cyclist was riding that aggressively.<br /><br />Yes, with this many people using bicycles to get around, Tokyo badly needs more infrastructure; which doesn't seem to be on anyones radar. But it also needs a very healthy dose of cycling education and rule enforcement.Kenseihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00565390186582205147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-71443084032865980422014-02-26T19:05:41.314+09:002014-02-26T19:05:41.314+09:00YES! I have seen much the same. Of all people no...YES! I have seen much the same. Of all people not to give consistent instructions to...Ἀντισθένηςhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06199983680204710885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-36142205163258378332014-02-26T18:27:13.931+09:002014-02-26T18:27:13.931+09:00The subway station near my office has makeshift si...The subway station near my office has makeshift signs asking people to keep to the left on the stairs, and other signs asking people to walk on the right in the passageways. THAT is why nobody in Japan can walk in a crowd! :)Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-87041106535704409912014-02-26T18:24:46.301+09:002014-02-26T18:24:46.301+09:00Thats the second time you've called me a "...Thats the second time you've called me a "preacher". I feel like I should start wearing my collar backwards and calling you "my son" :p<br /><br />Its not preaching, its poor writing skills!<br /><br />I was simply reporting on a nasty incident that left my wife quite shaken that happened to involve a cyclist and reminding everyone out there to ride safely around pedestrians as we have a duty of care.<br /><br />If you want take a message from this article then it is this: <br /><br />Despite having tens of millions of cyclists the cycling infrastructure in Japan is severely lacking. This leads to the situation where cyclists choose to mingle with pedestrians rather than take their chances on roads not designed for them. Just as mixing bicycles with cars is a bad idea so is mixing cyclists with pedestrians. Japan needs to step up and face the fact that bicycles are an essential part of the country's transportation network and that cycling infrastructure should receive proper planning and funding so incidents like the one above are reduced, if not eradicated completely.<br /><br />That is the message I preach here.<br /><br />If you're objecting to the word "helmet-less" then I'm sorry I offended your sensibilities.Byron Kiddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11827875619267980053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-21753676965474412742014-02-26T17:58:52.129+09:002014-02-26T17:58:52.129+09:00"A man shuffling slowly down the centre of th..."A man shuffling slowly down the centre of the walkway": legally in Japan, and also ethically, a collision with the pedestrian would remain the responsibility of the cyclist; however, though I don't ride the pavements like the locals, when walking I despise how often people walk down the centre, or if they take a side, do so randomly instead of walking left. How can it be in a nation more crowded than my own (Canada) people don't know how to walk in a crowd?!Ἀντισθένηςhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06199983680204710885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-31996520065160054842014-02-26T17:55:42.091+09:002014-02-26T17:55:42.091+09:00That is an unsympathetic and idiotic comment. Doe...That is an unsympathetic and idiotic comment. Does it represent you well? The post never mentions helmets, but does mention a head injury; given the stridency of your blog against helmets, I suspect this set you off to say something so poorly thought.Ἀντισθένηςhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06199983680204710885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3949781078882383341.post-30152943173615136192014-02-26T16:43:35.086+09:002014-02-26T16:43:35.086+09:00Nothing like a preachy, fear-selling opinion piece...Nothing like a preachy, fear-selling opinion piece to start my day. Colville-Andersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749740728099129703noreply@blogger.com