I've taken my time in writing this, because it seems to be a sore point for a lot of riders out there. But here are my views:
Firstly, everybody agrees that the bill is "illogical", "stupid", "daft" and "unnecessary", as well of a whole heap of other less politically correct descriptions. And I'm with all of you on that one.
However, I can say that I'm NOT 100% against it either.
The main reason is… "The Mamai-Chari"!
I've ridden on most roads around this country, fairly comfortably. I've been surrounded by "good drivers", "bad drivers", "trucks", "tour buses" and "taxis".
And I can live with them all – That I'm still alive is testament to that!
But, if this bill doesn't get passed, and things swing the other way, where the NPA decides to say, "OK! Let's kick all bicycles onto the road with the cars", the absolute last thing I want to do, is "SHARE THE ROAD WITH A F#@KING MAMA-CHARI!!!!"
Also, as was mentioned in a previous post, the police over here will turn a blind-eye!
They are extremely ineffectual at stopping what "the majority" are doing.
It almost happened to me in Kyushu, but after finding out the current laws, the policeman himself, was breaking the law in telling me to ride on the sidewalk.
IF I was asked to come up with a solution for the whole problem, it would be this!
Split the bill in two:
Riders WEARING helmets must use the road!
Riders WITHOUT helmets must use the sidewalk!
That includes those daft-arsed bicycle messengers that I see everyday riding through the middle of Tokyo without helmets (and without lights at night – in dark clothing – and some of them on single/fixed gear bikes, and no brakes). IDIOTS!
The majority of mama-chari riders on the sidewalk never wear a helmet, so the sidewalk is where they should stay – usually they are only travelling less than 3km from their homes to the shop and back.
Seriously, I don't want to see them on the road.
And finally, if this idiotic bill IS actually passed, I will only have one thing to say to every policeman who tries to stop me… "Catch me if you can, Mutha-Fu@ka!"
I've never heard of anyone being deported for riding a bicycle on the road in any country.
Let them do as they will, and let us just keep riding – as we will! T
as a cyclist new to Japan and new to road cycling, I have to agree. Mama Chari riders nearly kill me on a daily basis. I had one yesterday that forced me off the path (I was sidewalk riding, not much choice though with my route) and into the rocks. Luckily, since I used to MTB in Texas, I jumped from the rocky shoulder off the fairly high curb and back onto the road and didn't fall over.
Guess what the chari-rider was doing, when I looked back?
TALKING ON HER PHONE.
as if driving a car and telephoning wasn't enough, she was having a full out conversation.
If my phone rings, I stop.
Road bikes are for the road, hence the name. What they should do is restrict ROAD bikes to the road. =)