August 09, 2004
Commuter Bike
I used to dream how nice it would be if I could use a bike for commuting. Now, I am realizing my dream every morning. The trip is safe, smooth, and comfortable thanks to exclusive bike lanes. It takes about fifteen minuts to the company.
San Francisco people also use bikes for commuting. I see them every day in lanes. Not only students but also business people use bikes.
San Francisco city is kind to bike travelers. What you will find here is not only bike lanes. You will also find a guiding pole at every corner, a bike parking at every destination, and trains and ferries in the outskirt of the city that welcome bikes. You may think as if the entire city is encouraging you to use bikes.
Living here, I cannot stop thinking about Japan. Japanese city municipals are not so kind to bikes. Bike lanes and bike parking are rare. Bike-and-train is out of question. People also are not so kind. “Bad manners of bike travelers” is a pet peeve in news papers. But unfortunately, no one think that such “bad manners” may stem from lack of bike lanes and bike parking. The strange thing is that even in that situation, magazines are full of articles about ultra expensive mountain bikes from good branded manufacturers. Indeed, “bike buying” is somehow trendy in Japan.
