13. A Nothing-Special Diary [Bicycles Don't Fall Over When Moving Forward]

My 4-year-old daughter straddled her balance bike, which looks just like a Strider, and headed down the farm road.

It has no pedals.

It is a primitive mechanism where you kick the ground to gain momentum.

We bought it as a birthday present when our 4-year-old was still only two.

We bought it too early.

Back then, we didn't yet know how fast a two-year-old would grow.

She kicks the ground and tries to lift both feet.

Then, she tries to place them on the footrest.

But every time she does, she loses her balance and wobbles, nearly falling onto the shoulder of the road.

My daughter asks,

"Why do bicycles fall over?"

I thought that even if I explained the gyroscopic effect to my 4-year-old daughter, she would lack the necessary prerequisite information.

So I...

"Bicycles don't fall over when they're moving forward.
They fall over when you try to stop or when your forward momentum is weak.

So, if you want to ride without your feet on the ground, you need to pick up more and more speed before you put your feet on the pedals."

That's what I told her.

My daughter didn't answer.

However, she kicked the ground with all her might, spread her legs out like the katakana character 'ha', and showed me she could move forward.

"I've gotten better, haven't I!"

She wasn't going fast.

But she kept putting her feet on the ground and kept kicking over and over again.

And the bicycle didn't fall over.

I found that so interesting that I kept thinking,

(Bicycles don't fall over when they're moving forward.)

(Bicycles don't fall over when they're moving forward.)

(I see... hehe.)

I laughed to myself like that, and jogged along, chasing after my daughter's back.