Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Won't Miss #137 - kiddy seats on bikes


One of the amazing things you see in Japan are bicycles with the equivalent of a baby seat attached to the front and/or back. What is more surprising is the way you see mothers (and on rare occasions, fathers) lurching or speeding around with their kids plopped into them. They are often helmet-less and not strapped in. If the mother were to lose her balance or have an accident, the kid could easily crack open a head. Since they aren't carrying my kid, I guess this isn't my business, but what does tend to be an issue for me is the parking of these massive bikes with their over-sized front and back baskets. Since most bicycle parking in Tokyo is packed, having one of these monsters parked (that is, crammed in) next to my bike results in my handlebars getting jammed and wedged into first the front and then the back kiddy seat.

I won't miss these unwieldy baby-carrying vehicles.