Cops Blame Cyclists for Rise in Accidents

[Captain Japan]

Number of bicycle accidents rises sharply
Mainichi

The number of bicycle accidents has been rapidly increasing over recent years, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).

In 2004, more than 180,000 traffic accidents involving bicycles were reported, reflecting a consecutive rise over four years from 2000 when there were 173,876 such cases.

Law enforcers pointed out that the increase is attributable largely to the bad manners and carelessness of cyclists. The NPA instructed prefectural police departments across the country in 2004 to issue "yellow cards" to violators, and even traffic violation tickets in notorious cases.

Last year, 187,980 traffic accidents involving bicycles were reported, an increase of 6,135 over the year earlier. As the overall number of traffic accidents was 4,198 higher than the year earlier, an increase in the number of bicycle accidents sharply pushed up the number of traffic accidents in general.

The number of those injured in bicycle accidents came to 189,392 in 2004, an increase of 6,159 from the previous year. While the death toll from bicycle accidents, which had remained at the 900-level since 2000, declined to 859 last year....more...

That conclusion is flawed on so very many levels. Anyone who's biked in Tokyo knows that it is a game of death against the whims of the taxis, buses, and daydreaming salarymen.

[FG Lurker]

I ride and drive in Osaka.

There are certainly bad drivers here (80% of taxis suck!!), but so many bicyclists are complete and utter MORONS that I am surprised three quarters of them aren't dead. Some examples of what I see every day:

1. People ignoring red lights at major intersections.
2. Riding on narrow sidewalks not designed for bikes.
3. Riding without any lights or reflectors at night, often wearing dark clothes too.
4. Riding the wrong way on one way streets!!
5. Not stopping for "tomare" (stop) signs, or even slowing down to look!
6. Weaving and cutting in front of cars
7. Riding the WRONG WAY down a major road (ie on the road and riding against the traffic)

I could go on...

It does not surprise at all that the bikes are responsible for the increase...

[AssKissinger]

Driving a car is an incredibly selfish act. Everytime you drive you risk killing someone. I can't understand why anyone would think a car should ever have the right of way. If you drive it is your responsibilty to go slowly enough to never hit anyone no matter how suddenly they jump in front of you. By driving you pollute the air, take up an unfair amount of space, make an insane amount a noise and endanger the entire community. A bicycle can never hurt a car so it is never the cyclists fault in the case of accident. Only the person with the potential to do damage can reasonably be expected to accept blame. It's a disgrace how we came to this point where we think people should be allowed to encase themselves in steel killing machines and barrell through cities at speeds in excess of 30 kms per hour. What it really boils down to is the oppression of the poor. Rich people in cars deserve all the road space and poor people are relagated to the narrow walkways, if one even exists, to the side of the road. Step into the road and you deserve to die.

[FG Lurker]

I went for 9 years in Japan with no car.

Now I drive a high-performance, high-octane-guzzling, environment-destroying monster. And I love it!!

I still bike a lot though.

[amdg]

[MrUltimateGaijin]

agree with the first reply. They DO ride like retards. I love how if theres a huge gap and a small gap they almost always go for the small one

[dimwit]

I ride and drive in Osaka.

There are certainly bad drivers here (80% of taxis suck!!), but so many bicyclists are complete and utter MORONS that I am surprised three quarters of them aren't dead. Some examples of what I see every day:

1. People ignoring red lights at major intersections.
2. Riding on narrow sidewalks not designed for bikes.
3. Riding without any lights or reflectors at night, often wearing dark clothes too.
4. Riding the wrong way on one way streets!!
5. Not stopping for "tomare" (stop) signs, or even slowing down to look!
6. Weaving and cutting in front of cars
7. Riding the WRONG WAY down a major road (ie on the road and riding against the traffic)

1. Guilty especially if no car are coming
2. Guilty. Do it sometimes to avoid those red lights.
3. Guilty. Bike Light slow you down. I do wear a bright yellow jacket if I am riding to or from work
4. Guilty. I couldn't even tell you which way most streets are supposed to go in Matsuyama.
5. Guilty. If I don't stop for light why would I stop for signs.
6. I don't do that often. That is asking for trouble.
7. I try not to do this either...however.

You never mentioned riding down the shotengai (they take it seriously here) or weaving between the sidewalk and the road depending on which is faster.

I had had two accidents in Japan. The first was the result of a broken chain which wrapped around my knee and had nothing to do with breaking any rules. The second time I was smashed into by some chick who was too busy with her keitei to look where she was going.

I suspect this is one of the biggest causes of accidents amoung the young. The other cause of accidents is 80 year old gentleman who are allowed to ride round the streets even though they can barely walk.

[FG Lurker]

1. Guilty especially if no car are coming
2. Guilty. Do it sometimes to avoid those red lights.
3. Guilty. Bike Light slow you down. I do wear a bright yellow jacket if I am riding to or from work
4. Guilty. I couldn't even tell you which way most streets are supposed to go in Matsuyama.
5. Guilty. If I don't stop for light why would I stop for signs.
6. I don't do that often. That is asking for trouble.
7. I try not to do this either...however.

You never mentioned riding down the shotengai (they take it seriously here) or weaving between the sidewalk and the road depending on which is faster.

Sweet Jeebus man! You're lucky to still be in one piece.

That said, I have been guilty (once or twice! ]I had had two accidents in Japan. The first was the result of a broken chain which wrapped around my knee and had nothing to do with breaking any rules. The second time I was smashed into by some chick who was too busy with her keitei to look where she was going.

I suspect this is one of the biggest causes of accidents among the young. The other cause of accidents is 80 year old gentleman who are allowed to ride round the streets even though they can barely walk.[/quote]
I've had 3 accidents here, only one of them my own stupidity. The first two times I was cut off by people who shot out from a side street without stopping/slowing down/looking.

The 3rd time I was a real idiot... After drinking almost an entire bottle of whiskey I decided it'd be real smart to ride my bike home. I could hardly get onto it. Got almost home (about 5km) when I hit something in the road and lost control. My left foot went into the front wheel and I went sailing over the handlebars. Landed in a complete heap on the sidewalk and the bike landed on top of me. I think I passed out for a minute or two... Then I got back on the bike and rode the rest of the way home (only another 500m or so...). Damn lucky to not break any bones -- or worse.

Apart from the drunken lapse of judgment though I think I've done well. For quite a long stretch I rode 100 to 200km per week on the roads at quite high speeds.

[FG Lurker]

A couple of additions:

The "utter moron" comment generally applies to people riding without paying attention! Cutting down a one-way side street is not the end of the world, as long as the rider is paying attention to what's going on. (Keitai users as you note above are the worst! Especially the really retarded ones trying to hammer out an email message as they ride...)

For lights, buy clip-on a cateye LED light. One of the little suckers that takes 4 AA batteries. Lasts well over 100 hours, is intensely bright, and doesn't slow down the bike. Flashing red LEDs on the back are also great.

And from an anti-car perspective... If I didn't have disc brakes on my bike there's a good chance I'd be seriously injured or dead. I think part of the problem is the speed I ride -- many cars are not used to that. Still, they should be watching.

[Big Booger]

[GomiGirl]

Pedestrians are pretty clueless too!! Spacial awareness = nil.

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"

I think this was from a TV commercial.

But it seems that people do not look where they are going here when walking, turning corners and the like. The number of times that people have walked straight into me never ceases to astound me. But it shows a lack of education and public safety awareness.

Don't get me started on the dawdlers around Shibuya!!

But I would suggest that road accidents would be greatly reduced by a major public campaign to raise awareness of everybody.. pedestrians, bike riders and drivers.

A better way to spend some of the April slush money than digging up perfectly good roads.

But then TIJ!!!

[Ketou]

Pedestrians are pretty clueless too!! Spacial awareness = nil.

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"

I think this was from a TV commercial.

Yea, it was! One with Fat Cat.

[GomiGirl]

Pedestrians are pretty clueless too!! Spacial awareness = nil.

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"

I think this was from a TV commercial.

Yea, it was! One with Fat Cat.

Fat cat who was banned from TV as he was deemed innappropriate for childrens viewing? But Humphrey B. Bear who doesn't wear pants is OK?

ah.. natsukashiiiiiiii

[gomichild]

Humphrey has more promotional deals going...he is too valuable to lose

[FG Lurker]

I blew up at one old fart once... Asked him how the hell he had managed to live to 60+ years of age if he was doing shit like wandering into the road without looking first!

He had nooooooooo idea what I meant. Looked at me like I was from some other planet.

(I was pretty angry, but I don't think my nihongo was that incomprehensible!)

[AssKissinger]

I can hear cars driving by my apartment right now. I've never been able to hear the sound of footsteps or the even the wheels of a bicycle from inside my apartment. No walking pedestrian has ever run over a car and killed the driver in the history of mankind. Figure it out. Cars are evil. A playing child has never once killed a car. Get it? I know it's hard for people to see the way things should be when they are only shown the way things are but open your fucking eyes.

[FG Lurker]

I can hear cars driving by my apartment right now. I've never been able to hear the sound of footsteps or the even the wheels of a bicycle from inside my apartment. No walking pedestrian has ever run over a car and killed the driver in the history of mankind. Figure it out. Cars are evil. A playing child has never once killed a car. Get it? I know it's hard for people to see the way things should be when they are only shown the way things are but open your fucking eyes.

Dunno where you get some of your ideas from AK, but I wish you luck living in SUV-land from later this year...

[AssKissinger]

Here's a typical urban scene. Imagine what it might look like without cars. Look at how much space is devoted to the private automobile. Try playing soccer in that street. Try relaxing in a lounge chair. Try flying a kite or doing anything else. If you do you will die. How fucking more obvious does it need to be that the whole system of private automobiles for transportation that every city in the world is designed around is completely moronic and destructive. 90% or more of our open space is devoted to the passageway of cars that create visual, noise and air pollution. It's insane.

[dimwit]

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"

I think this was from a TV commercial.

In Canada we had Elmer the Safety Elephant

Elmer's Seven Traffic Safety Rules

Look all ways before you cross the street.
Keep away from parked cars.
Ride your bike safely - obey signs and signals.
Play in a safe place away from the street.
Walk when you cross the street.
Where there is no sidewalk, walk on the left, facing traffic.
Always wear your seat-belt in the car.

I suspect in Japan people are taught the anti-safety rules.

Look neither way when crossing the street
Get within scrathing distance of parked cars
Bike safety -BAHH
Play on the street
Either dotter or run and trip when crossing the street
Good advice -especially since we drive on the opposite side of the road.
Make sure your kids are standing up and fighting while driving.

[AssKissinger]

I can hear cars driving by my apartment right now. I've never been able to hear the sound of footsteps or the even the wheels of a bicycle from inside my apartment. No walking pedestrian has ever run over a car and killed the driver in the history of mankind. Figure it out. Cars are evil. A playing child has never once killed a car. Get it? I know it's hard for people to see the way things should be when they are only shown the way things are but open your fucking eyes.

Dunno where you get some of your ideas from AK, but I wish you luck living in SUV-land from later this year...

You don't know where I get my ideas from? From looking at the Goddamn obvious that is shoved in my fucking face everytime I go outside. Even in inaka, that's where. Where do you get your fucking blinders from? That's what I wanna know!

[FG Lurker]

I can hear cars driving by my apartment right now. I've never been able to hear the sound of footsteps or the even the wheels of a bicycle from inside my apartment. No walking pedestrian has ever run over a car and killed the driver in the history of mankind. Figure it out. Cars are evil. A playing child has never once killed a car. Get it? I know it's hard for people to see the way things should be when they are only shown the way things are but open your fucking eyes.

Dunno where you get some of your ideas from AK, but I wish you luck living in SUV-land from later this year...

You don't know where I get my ideas from? From looking at the Goddamn obvious that is shoved in my fucking face everytime I go outside. Even in inaka, that's where. Where do you get your fucking blinders from? That's what I wanna know!

If you want to deal with noise, try living next to a train track. 5am to midnight of constant, bone-grinding, earth-shaking noise.

When I am in the city, I live like a city dweller. When I am sick of the city, I get out of it and go somewhere with no cars and nearly no people.

The ironic thing though is that to get away from the city and the people, you need a car. If you go by train you just end up going where everyone else goes. I got very sick of that, and that was one of the biggest reasons for the car purchase.

[FG Lurker]

Ah, and before you say that there are far fewer trains than roads... There would have to be a helluva lot more trains if we were to get rid of most roads. Not a 1:1 ratio of course, but you wouldn't gain everything back, that is for sure.

[Mike Oxlong]

Pedestrians are pretty clueless too!! Spacial awareness = nil.

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"...

But it seems that people do not look where they are going here when walking, turning corners and the like. The number of times that people have walked straight into me never ceases to astound me. But it shows a lack of education and public safety awareness...

But I would suggest that road accidents would be greatly reduced by a major public campaign to raise awareness of everybody.. pedestrians, bike riders and drivers...

I hate how people from the old to the young walk side-by-side on narrow streets, when cars are trying to pass. No matter how little space there is, the pedestrians (and cyclists) REFUSE to go single file! If there are 3 people, they walk/bike three abreast!! Schoolkids in groups are sometimes blocking even more of the road...

[Blah Pete]

FG Lurker wrote:

After drinking almost an entire bottle of whiskey I decided it'd be real smart to ride my bike home.

I think that riding a bicycle drunk is more dangerous than driving a car drunk and i have the scars to prove it.

[FG Lurker]

After drinking almost an entire bottle of whiskey I decided it'd be real smart to ride my bike home.

I think that riding a bicycle drunk is more dangerous than driving a car drunk and i have the scars to prove it.

There is a very big difference though -- driving drunk makes you a danger to anyone and everyone on the roads/sidewalks around you. Cycling drunk is obviously really stupid (I haven't done it since), but at least the main danger is to yourself.

[Blah Pete]

There is a very big difference though -- driving drunk makes you a danger to anyone and everyone on the roads/sidewalks around you.

Yeah, I know but it seems like the car always knows the way home like an old horse always knows the way back to the barn.

Imagine what it might look like without cars.

But then there would be a lot of bicycles and it would look like China, or China 10 years ago...

[Ketou]

Yeah, I know but it seems like the car always knows the way home like an old horse always knows the way back to the barn.

I don't think a horse is quite as dangerous though!
I wonder how the laws go here? I know in Australia one can be charged for drink driving if under the influence whilst in control of a horse. Wheelchair too of all the stupid things. Oh yeah, even a wheelbarrow!!

[FG Lurker]

Yeah, I know but it seems like the car always knows the way home like an old horse always knows the way back to the barn.

I don't think a horse is quite as dangerous though!
I wonder how the laws go here? I know in Australia one can be charged for drink driving if under the influence whilst in control of a horse. Wheelchair too of all the stupid things. Oh yeah, even a wheelbarrow!!

It is illegal to bike drunk here. Never heard of it being enforced though.

Wheelchair I can kinda understand -- you could be a real danger to yourself... Wheelbarrow is a bit much though!!

[Samurai_Jerk]

So AK should we outlaw all cars? Bike can still hurt pedestrians, kids, and kittens* so they must be evil too.

*True story: I had a friend in junior high that accidently ran over a kitten with his bike. It was still alive but the middle of it's body was smashed into the street.

[AssKissinger]

Pedestrians are pretty clueless too!! Spacial awareness = nil.

It was drilled into me while growing up that one always:

"look to the right and look to the left then look to the right again,
then if the road is clear of traffic, walk straight across the road
DON'T RUN!!"...

But it seems that people do not look where they are going here when walking, turning corners and the like. The number of times that people have walked straight into me never ceases to astound me. But it shows a lack of education and public safety awareness...

But I would suggest that road accidents would be greatly reduced by a major public campaign to raise awareness of everybody.. pedestrians, bike riders and drivers...

I hate how people from the old to the young walk side-by-side on narrow streets, when cars are trying to pass. No matter how little space there is, the pedestrians (and cyclists) REFUSE to go single file! If there are 3 people, they walk/bike three abreast!! Schoolkids in groups are sometimes blocking even more of the road...

I hate the way a person in a car takes up twenty times as much space as a person on foot.

So AK should we outlaw all cars?

Only the elderly and handicapped should use cars.