Re unicycles in Japan, the kids at my daughters pre-school were all taught to ride unicycles. Kinda
humbling to see 4 and 5 year olds hooning around the playground on their unicycles.
On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 23:54:06 +1100, hippy said (and I quote):
> "Andrew Swan" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news4sNb.353
>> <unrelated-rambling-reminiscences> In the 15 days I spent in Japan, including 10 days on a bike,
>> I saw *one* local wearing a helmet. One. After I broke my own lid in a fall (requiring a CAT
>> scan, my first and last so far), I couldn't find *any* for sale in the LBSes. Luckily (for me)
>> one of the guys on our tour broke his hand on a guide post and let me wear his.
Depends on the LBS. There are a few "proper" LBSes in Japan that have things like helmets. But
generally the only people you see wearing helmets are the high school kids, as the school rules
require it, even for when the kids are out of school. Their helmets are all the same - these
standard issue things that look like buckets, and the cool way to wear them is at a jaunty angle
balanced on the back of the head.
School kids also get taught that the saddle on a bike should be low enough for you to be able to put
your feet flat on the ground. Otherwise its *dangerous*. And then there's the bizarre way that
Japanese people get off and on a bicycle. I can't even begin to describe it.
> I love the way that in the cities you'll see a 20 year old Japanese women in mini-skirt and thigh
> boots riding to work and in the same glance, right next to her, will be a 70 year old woman out
> getting her groceries! Both of them will be riding one-handed, no helmet with their spare hand
> used to hold up an umbrella!!
If it's not an umbrella in the hand it'll be a keitai (cellphone), and the rider will be sending
mail with it.
I've seen cyclists using umbrellas in snowstorms, and a few being used as shade on hot sunny
days. Speaking of snow, I've been riding to work the last few days over snow and ice. Makes
things exciting.
But the best site is the old folks getting down the street on their tricycles. A pretty common sight
in my town.
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