I just came to Australia 1 month ago. I am really surprised to see every people cycling ride on the street wearing helmet.
I don't still get to used to it, because I have lived in Japan almost 30 years.

•  Kyoko
• 2011年11月22日 07:38

Hi Kyoko,

Nice to have you with us! Which part of Australia do you live in? Look forward to talking with you.

Hi David and everyone,

I used to ride a bike, and I remember I was scared of cycling on the roads with cars because the roads are usually not wide and also there are too many trafic lights in Japan as you complained before.

I walk on the pavements every day, and I am often almost hit by cyclists. Quite a lot of people ride at really high speeds as you mentioned, and many of them even don't ring a bell to tell us to get out of the way. I hope cyclists walk on the pavements pulling the bikes.

By the way, I will be out till the end of this month. See you in December, the last month of this year, everyone.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年11月22日 09:48

Hi David and everyone,

It's been a while since I last wrote a comment.(Again!) I've been busy with my new business.(It's another one of my hobbies.) While I was away, it seems that a lot of new people have joined the blog, so I'd like to say "Hi" to all of them.
Hi Kyoko, nice to have you with us:-)

As for the topic, I'm not sure which way is the best for all people, pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. When I'm walking, I think cycling on the pavements is dangerous, but when I'm driving, I think cycling on the roads is dangerous. I don't like driving behind cyclists. If you drive behind cyclists like elder people, small children, or mothers riding with their children, you have to drive very carefully because they might fall dawn. I think it's better for these people to ride on the pavements even though it's dangerous for pedestrians. If cyclists ride fast in a bicycle suit with a helmet, I think they should ride on the roads with cars, but it's still dangerous for both cyclists and drivers, so I think this problem will be solved if pavements have a specific space for cyclists or if we have cycling roads.

I'm going out with my friends today. See you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2011年11月22日 10:13

Hi David and everyone,

There have been a lot of accidents in which pedestrians were struck by cyclists on the sidewalks. Some of them died. As David mentioned, riding on the sidewalks is illegal, but there are several exceptions, so the police haven't warned cyclists and haven't keen on cracking down on this problem, and consequently many of them do in the sidewalks,including me. But the police have recently decide to instruct cyclists to ride on the road, and this has been controversial discussion since then.

I drive a car and ride a bike, so from both points of view, I feel nervous about this change.

First, I don't want to ride a bike in the road. It's scary , and it is sometimes difficult and dangerous because there are parked cars. I especially want to avoid riding at night!

Second, as a driver, I don't want to drive with cyclists because they might be knocked down by cars. I understand that it is true there are a lot of dangerous cyclists and the police need to make some efforts to reduce the accidents involving cyclists on the sidewalks, but still thinking about the road conditions, I have negative feelings for the new rule.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, cyclists who break the rules will simply be told to ride on the road and will not get tickets. Thinking about this, I assume one of the purposes of this rule change might be to alert people to the danger of riding bikes on the sidewalks and to let people be more conscious of the situation among them.(←Does this make sense?)
Oh,just for the record, there are some exceptions among cyclists under this new rule; people younger than 13, people aged 70 or over and people with physical disabilities.

Hi tsuneko,
See you in December!

Hi Kyoko,

Nice to have you with us.
So,you are riding on the road,aren't you? Do you feel scared? Or is it OK?
Looking forward to hearing from you again^^)

Hi Tomo,
Long time no see!
Glad to know you were not in bad condition.

Bye for now,

Anne

•  匿名
• 2011年11月22日 17:09

Hi David,

Thanks for choosing a simple topic for me;-)
I am not sure that you remember this or not, but I had an accident several years ago. It happened on my way home. When I was walking down to my home from the nearest station, I was hit by a bike. It was one of the terrible experiences in my life:-( I don't want to go into details but after that I am scared of bikes. When a bike overtake me, I get scared. Of course I can't ride a bike anymore.

>When I first came to Japan, I was really surprised to see people cycling on the pavements
So did I, but the reason was a bit different. I grew up in Okinawa and when I moved to Tokyo, I was really surprised to see a lot of bikes everywhere. I don't know about current situation but when I was in Okinawa, not so many people cycling. Anyway, I am happy to hear that police have started clamping down on this. There are some people riding at really high speeds, and they don't seem to care about pedestrians.

Hi Kyoko,

Welcome to the blog. Looking forward to your next comment.

Hi Tomo,

Nice to have you with us again;-) Busy with your new business? That's a good thing, I suppose. But don't work to hard.

Speak to you soon,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年11月22日 23:12

Hi David,
I don't think cyclists should ride on the road with cars. Because as Japan doesn't have roads for cyclists only. Especially it is dangerous for little children and aged people. And long time ago cyclists were permitted to ride on the pavements.
So, many of cyclists are not used to cycling on the road. As they are cycling on the pavements.

I read an article the same as you read the other day. It seemed the new rule has started in Tokyo.
But I don't understand it is good rule for cyclists or not so far.

Hi Kyoko,
Nice to have you with us.

katherine

•  Katherine
• 2011年11月23日 00:32

Hi David and everyone,

Whether cyclists ride on the roads or not is a controvercial issue. Basically I am against the new law that shut cyclists out from the pavements because that would only increase accidents which cyclists get involved. Japan is a small country and many roads are narrow so the situation is different here from thats of other countries. In Japan, cyclists had to ride on the roads in the past but there were many accidents that cyclists became victims. So police decided to allow cyclists ride on the pavements. And actually that reduced the number of accidents. So the new law doesn't solve the problem. Best solution is make cycling lane on the roads. But not many roads have enough space for that. Police should clamp down on cyclist who ride on the pavements at high speeds.

Hi Kyoko,

Nice to have you with us! I'd like to hear about the life in Australia.

Hi Tomo,

I'm so glad to see your comment again! I hope your new business goes well.

Hi amo,

Oh I'm so sorry about the accident in the past. That was awful. The accident causes kind of psychological trauma doesn't it?

Fumie

•  Fumie
• 2011年11月23日 05:50

訂正；
have recently decideーーーhave recently decided

>amo,
Oh,sorry to hear what happened to you! That is horrible.

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年11月23日 08:04

Hi Amo,

I had forgotten about your accident. That must have been a really horrible experience. Anyway, I'm glad I picked a topic that is interesting for you this time.

•  davidbarker
• 2011年11月23日 12:55

Thanks for your messages Anne, amo, and Fumie:-) I'm doing okay. I'm making children clothes and sell it on the Net(which I used to do it). I made about 15 items so far, and there are only two of them left at the moment, so I think my business is going okay too.

Have a nice day, everyone.

Tomo

PS Panda, I'm sorry I couldn't say this sooner, but... Welcome back!

•  Tomo
• 2011年11月24日 09:25

【correction】

...because they might fall dawn　→　...fall down

(which I used to do it)　→　(which I used to do)　かな？

•  Tomo
• 2011年11月24日 09:31

Hi Tomo,

Yes, "which I used to do" is correct.

•  davidbarker
• 2011年11月24日 11:44

Hi everyone,

The fundamental problem about cycling, I think, is bicycles are not recognized as dangerous vehicles just like cars and motorcycles in Japan. It seems quite a lot of cyclists don’t even know there are traffic rules. Cyclists often run a red light, jaywalk (jayride?) and keep the headlights off in the night. In Amsterdam, which is known as a paradise for cyclists, I saw bicycle paths and pavements divided in two for cyclists and pedestrians. The cyclists give signals like car drivers by a hand when, for example, they turn to the right. I thought the society gives the cyclists their own place and the cyclists keep the rules.

Jazmín

•  Jazmín
• 2011年11月24日 12:15

Thanks David:-)

•  Tomo
• 2011年11月24日 18:04

HI everyone,

Thanks for your words.

As other members said, Japan is a small country and the roads are narrow so it must be dangerous. Even so, I am happy with this new rule. Of course cyclists have to learn about traffic rules, so that they can ride bikes proper way.

Oh, it's already past midnight, and I should be in bed.
Good night and sweet dreams,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年11月25日 00:22

Hi David and everyone,

This is the second time to leave my comment here.

I didn't know there's a recognition that rideing on the pavements with pedestrians is dangerous in foreing countries. Actually, I'm a bicycle commuter and haven't given it a thought. But as I watch a lot of news about it, I gradually came to think it might be dangerous.

I don't think cyclists should ride on the roads with cards though, we have to ride on bicycle with carefully. I can't believe people who ride on a bicycle using their mobile-phone, it's really dangerous! I think this is a moral issue after all.

•  mintia
• 2011年11月25日 11:20

Hi David and everyone,

I have had a busy week so that I posted here with quick comment.

I haven't ridden on bicycle for ages so I forgot how to handle it ;)
I'm not a cyclist but a driver.
I would choose that cyclists should ride on the pavements CAREFULLY.
In my town, you could see lots of elder cyclists.
They usually ride on them with faintness motion, sometimes path a road suddenly with no signs.
As some menber mentioned, to make cyclists-only-road is a good idea whereas it depends on the area in Japan.
I think most important thing is that let every cyclists know traffic rules before they purchase their own bikes.

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年11月25日 15:41