I commented on twitter that it is a nice gesture, but that I'd like to see a national standard as too many prefectures around Japan are making up their own individual cycling policies with no overriding direction.
Afterwards I re-visited the article and noticed the accompanying picture. Can you see what is wrong?
Thats right, the cyclist in the picture is on on the wrong side of the road, if there were traffic on the road they would be cycling into it. Salmoning, if you will.
So what is the photo telling us? That it's safe to ride on the wrong side of the road as long as we stop at the intersection and look both ways?
Sorry folks, this is a bicycle safety fail.
But it is the norm here. I'd have a heart attack if I saw most cyclists actually obeying cycle laws (some violations of which are violations of criminal law which is supposedly on reason cops are reluctant to enforce them)
ReplyDeleteTokyo has so far to go to institute some sort of real, uniformly and consistently enforced cycling policy, it will take years. One of the first things that could be tried is to educate the police themselves on how safely ride a bike.
Oh, the stories I could tell...
Maybe it's just safer to ride opposite the traffic so that you can watch it ahead. We are taught to walk on the roadway this way here where I live. However, never tried it on a bike :)
ReplyDeleteHello to all, I've just spotted this place :)
Mr. Cube,
ReplyDeleteCycling against the flow of traffic is illegal in Japan, not only that but its just a decidedly dangerous thing to do.
Bicycles on the road are traffic and should behave as such. I'd recommend you go with the flow.
I've come face-to-face with a guy bombing it downhill on the wrong side of the road in Kamiyachou, emerging late from behind a parked lorry ahead of a major intersection. I had to swerve into traffic to avoid him. Cycling safety phail.
ReplyDelete