Cycling in Tokyo is a bit of a paradox. There’s only about 6 miles of cycling lanes in Tokyo, a tiny amount for a huge international city, yet many people ride their bikes in this densely populated city without a second thought. Why?
This StreetFilm video offers an explanation.
I’ve cycled in Holland, and it wasn’t was very similar to this. For a cycling novice at the time, used to riding on the other side of the road, it was quite intimidating. I got yelled at a few times and there was lots of bell ringing and shouts of “Pass Op!”
“This is an ordinary Wednesday morning in April 2010 at around 8.30 am. Original time was 8 minutes that were compressed into 2 minutes, so everything is 4 times faster than in reality. The sound is original.
This is one of the busiest junctions in Utrecht a city with a population of 300,000. No less than 22,000 bicycles and 2,500 buses pass here every day. And yet Google Street View missed it. Because private motorized traffic is restricted here.”
Video courtesy of Bicycle Dutch, and more info on cycling in the Netherlands
The electric bicycle business is a rapidly growing $30 million dollar sector, that shows no signs of slowing down.
Ford has announced a its first ebike, the MoDe Flex eBike, and it is pretty cool. It has few innovative safety and riding features that make it attractive for commuters.
Some of the highlights:
