JAPAN/FILE: Memories of public transport chaos during Japan's March 11 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster boosts the number of cyclists on the streets of Tokyo

Record ID: 466095

  • Title: JAPAN/FILE: Memories of public transport chaos during Japan's March 11 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster boosts the number of cyclists on the streets of Tokyo
  • Date: 29th February 2012
  • Summary: CLOSE OF HANDLEBARS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MANAGING DIRECTOR, JAPAN CYCLING ASSOCIATION (JCA), KEIICHI NAGASAWA, SAYING: "Parents tell children they should cycle on the pavement -- and because of that bad habit, accidents are increasing on the sidewalks. It also leads to a tendency for people to ignore the rules when they're actually on the road, like running red lights or not cycling on the left. That's why accidents are increasing." TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 27, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HAYASHI ARRIVING AT OFFICE HAYASHI WALKING INTO OFFICE
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Disasters,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVABR0J7SA51QQ2PH9QZ3KJAYU06
  • Story Text: Stations shut, passengers stranded -- this was the transport chaos in Tokyo after a massive earthquake struck the country's northeastern coast on March 11, 2011.
    Thousands were unable to get home, staying overnight in offices after engineers closed most of the city's subways and commuter lines.
    But cyclists like Masaaki Hayashi faced no such problem.
    After the quake rattled the capital's transport infrastructure, Hayashi weaved his bike through bumper-to-bumper traffic on a 20-kilometre (12.4-mile) ride home into Tokyo's suburbs.
    "On March 11 I was working at the office when a big earthquake hit and the building began to shake really hard. On the television, I heard that the transport system had ground to a halt. There were some people at the office who stayed there overnight, others who walked home. But because I was commuting into work by bike, I was able to cycle all the way home," Hayashi said, on his way to work on Monday (February 27).
    He added that it was a good way to anticipate any future transport breakdowns.
    "You remember the streets -- so if there's an earthquake and the transport system is down, you can get home. It's a good way to prepare," he added.
    Bicycle groups said the number of cycle commuters has spiked since the earthquake.
    Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute said in the six months from March to August last year, domestic shipments of new bicycles boomed more than 15 percent compared to the same period in 2010.
    Bike shop manager Hiroshi Uehara said sales of mid-range commuting bikes at his shop in central Tokyo are up by at least that much, with an additional boost to profits from customers bringing old bikes in for repair.
    "Well you never know when the next disaster will hit, so we're seeing a big increase in customers just wanting bikes that can get them into work on their own steam -- you know, looking for bikes that you don't have to be an athlete to ride as there are some people still afraid of the high-end ones. There's also been an increase in customers who already have bikes, looking to get them repaired," Uehara said.
    With many commuters dusting off old bikes rather than buying new ones, Japan Cycling Association (JCA) said the real increase in cyclists on the streets could be as high as five times the level before March.
    But the worry for the JCA now is ensuring the safety of Tokyo's new cycle aficionados.
    Government statistics in 2010, showed that cyclists made up 16 percent of road fatalities in Japan, compared to 3.7 percent in France, or 5.8 in the UK.
    JCA managing director Keiichi Nagasawa said the reason was due to the Japanese habit of cycling on the sidewalk, not on the road.
    "Parents tell children they should cycle on the pavement -- and because of that bad habit, accidents are increasing on the sidewalks. It also leads to a tendency for people to ignore the rules when they're on actually the road, like running red lights or not cycling on the left. That's why accidents are increasing," he said.
    New police guidelines issued in October, in response to the surge in bicycles on the streets, recommend most cyclists to use the road, with sidewalks limited to elderly or younger riders.
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