Bike to Commute
Many Tokyo residents use bicycle to go nearest station from home, lock it at the bike parking, and then get on train to commute.
In last 10 years, bike commuters have been increasing gradually. These“bike commuters” ride bike from home to their final destination, their offices or school.
There are several pros on bike commuting:
+ You don’t need to get on heavily packed commuting train anymore.
+ Good for physical and mental health, especially for busy people who have no time to go fitness club.
+ You can find new shops on the route, or you can take a side trip to nice park before going back home.
There are some cons also:
- You need to get accustomed to ride in heavy car traffic. The bike lanes are rare in Tokyo, so you need to ride on the side of cars. You need to dodge temporary parked cars on roadside, and some drivers will pass you with too small clearance, too fast.
- Most of bike commuters can’t find appropriate bike parking at destination. Legal bike parking are far from your destination, occupied, and no pole to secure your bike. You may need to lock your bike to a crash barrier or a tree.
- Typical Japanese office doesn’t have shower room, so you need to cope with your sweat after commuting. You may need to change your outfit in the restroom of your office.
I just started bike commuting 10 years ago. 15 km distance was a bit tough for first 2 weeks, but soon I addicted on bike commuting. Riding bike made me happy even in car traffic, rather than getting on the crowded commuting train. I became healthier, and lost weight. It is still a warming up of my brain at morning, and a refreshment at evening. I will continue to ride bike to commute another 10 years.
Maki