Miscellaneous Musings | Bicycles Solve Every Social Problem in Overpopulated Cities (A Bit of an Exaggeration)

Bicycles are arguably the most well-liked mode of transportation, aren't they?

Having grown up in Tokyo, my family didn't own a car, so my primary means of travel for longer distances was the train. Within my own range of activity, however, the bicycle was my constant companion.

Not only did I use one in elementary and junior high school, but I also subconsciously chose a high school within cycling distance (it was accessible by train, but the geography made cycling the fastest route). Once you have a bicycle, it costs nothing to operate other than maintenance. You travel alone. I liked those aspects of it.

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When I became a university student, started a part-time job, and had money I could spend freely, I bought a pretty nice bicycle. I don't remember if it was trendy at the time or not, but I wanted a bike that was faster and more fun to ride than a so-called 'mamachari' (city commuter bike).

Since Kichijoji was within my range of activity, I had long had my eye on a bicycle displayed in front of a sports shop called Oshman's. The price was reasonable (or so it seemed to me at the time). It looked cool. Having money finally gave me the resolve to buy it.

The one I got was a bicycle from a brand called tokyobike. It was in the category of city bikes, and unlike competitive road racers, it was designed for riding through the city.

(As an aside, it cost under 50,000 yen including tax when I bought it, but it seems the price has gone up quite a bit now.)

For a while after that, until about my first year of employment, tokyobike became the principle behind my actions. The means became the end. The bicycle was supposed to be just a convenient way to get around, but riding it became a pleasure and an objective in itself.

I moved in my second year of work (though it was just from Tokyo to Yokohama), and since I left the bike at my parents' house at that time, I entered a life away from cycling.

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It's an article from a little while ago, but it seems that 'as a result of the introduction of a congestion tax in New York, the volume of car traffic decreased, and the volume of bicycle traffic increased in its place.' However, that is not the end of the story.

As a result of more people traveling by bicycle, more people began entering the back alleys and side streets of New York, which in turn led to a decrease in crime rates. Furthermore, it is said that the economy was revitalized as more people began using shops located along streets slightly off the main thoroughfares.

While a bicycle is merely a means of transportation, it is easier to get on and off compared to a car, and it excels on narrow roads and small paths. If anything, it is closer to 'walking that allows you to move faster.' The perspective is the same as walking.

Currently, I regularly use an electric bicycle for carrying children (a 'mama-chari'). I've been using this for about eight years now, so it's starting to show its age. My elementary schooler has already gotten their own bicycle and is in the middle of expanding their range of movement every day. The younger one is currently practicing on a kick bike.

A bicycle is a means to increase travel distance, but I think it is also a means that makes it easy to take a new step forward. Both for people and for the city.

~The End~