Article from Japan Today here -
Tokyo Police ask Cyclists to Exercise Caution
My thoughts on this.
There is a certain percentage of people who will always be selfish idiots whether they are walking, on a bike, or in a car. We can say the number is the same, although I think one could make the case that there is a greater number of selfish idiot car users in the city because only a selfish idiot could not see how unnecessary, polluting, space-wasting, and potentially dangerous it is towards others - or they do and just don`t care. The bicycle user might go through a light because he is an idiot, or maybe because no traffic is coming and he would like to get away from the auto traffic that might kill him. He is no (serious) danger to anyone but himself and his actions are governed by his much greater vulnerability and desire to stay alive. A bicycle is a bicycle - it is not a car nor pedestrian. The authorities try to make cyclists fit into one or the other category but the fact is that cyclists need dedicated protected bicycling space.
Having said that, and getting to the point of posting the article - by using resources and valuable time to give these "warnings" to people on bikes (these are people just randomly stopped here, not people seen breaking a law) - I believe this is intended to harass, - and to discourage bicycle use.
What they should be doing is saying, "Thank you very much for unselfishly choosing to use your bicycle today despite the dangerous conditions brought about by a lack of adequate infrastructure and any interest in creating safer streets by going after drivers who break traffic rules. Please be careful."
And here is why I care so much about this and why I feel these efforts are so misplaced.
These are from the past few months - just Japan and not a complete list. Hundreds of years of life taken away. Motor vehicles are the only common factor in all of these deaths. Not one death caused by a bicycle. This goes on year after year and will continue if we continue to design cities for motor vehicles over places for people.
6-year-old boy playing tag with friends hit and killed by car in Tokyo Link
8-year-old girl killed by truck while crossing street with mother, sister Link
Two pedestrians Killed as Minivan hits Car Link
4-year-old boy dies after being hit by car Link
Student dies after she is hit by car being chased by police
Link
3-year-old boy killed by car in Chiba parking garage Link
Man killed in hit-and-run in Aichi Link
6-year-old boy hit and killed by car while playing on skateboard Link
Visually-impaired woman in coma, guide dog killed after being hit by car Link
17-year-old girl killed after car crashes into wall in Ibaraki Link
Car slams into 7-Eleven store, killing employee Link
83-year-old woman driver dies after hitting 3 pedestrians Link
3-year-old girl hit and killed by car in Osaka Link
Man held over hit-and-run deaths of 3 women in Otaru Link
7 year-old boy hit and killed by truck Link
Car crash claims 3 lives including cyclist Link
13-year-old on bike dies after being hit by truck driven by 83-year-old man Link
