A Critic on the TV Program "Friday Forum"
(On the air Nov. 3.2000, by NHK Educational TV)

The TV program reported the memorial symposium of 400th anniversary of interexchange between Netherlands and Japan. In the symposium It is reported that bicycle transportation in Netherlands cities and discussed about possibility of its adoption in Japan by specialists and an actress who experienced bicycle riding in Netherlands and so on. But one of them is a leader of the group which plans city from the "citizen"'s view.

We should be careful what the group is. It started with thinking of activation of shopping street in front of a station of Tobu-Tojo Line in Itabashi City (north west of Tokyo Metropolis, next to Toshima City). They were inclined to hate and fleet to "hochi-jitensha" parked nearby the station.

Few commuters who park their bicycles nearby the station, go shopping at the shopping street, shopkeepers and employees are only to see them all the day long. Besides long economic depression severe to them, effected by the administrative authorities' campaign against "hochi-jitensha", they began to hostile and fleet bicycles which seems to bring no benefit to them. Because such a motivation essentially forms their thought, we cannot hope bicycle transportation in the city will be promoted. I think such a motivation and thought bring  no benefit to themselves, too. They must change their own thought and action from on abstract activation to make the shopping street attractive for shoppers enough to go from not only near here but also distance -- by bicycle -- practically.

In the program their plan submitted to Itabashi and Toshima Cities authorities is reported to construct bicycle road from Itabashi City to Ikebukuro in Toshima City. Tobu-Tojo line connects Itabashi City to Ikebukuro in the almost shortest (about 10 km, 6 miles) and is parallel with Kawagoe-Kaido (route 254). So new bicycle road is unable to be shorter than it. It is too doubtful for bicycle riders to bring benefit. Under the name and pose of counter measuring against "hochi-jitensha", the authorities aims at concession from construction. Necessarily through purchasing land, the authorities also aims at breaking and split into dwellers' community.

Being easy to go to Ikebukuro, someone will do so. But we do not forget that bicycle riders have variety and difference in riding and porpoise. For example not a few people need to go farther and are too difficult to go such a length. But it is the plan that is made neglecting bicycle riders. As well as the man said like the administrative authorities' campaign against "hochi-jitensha", he made a illusion as if Toshima and Itabashi City authorities had been kind to bicycles and riders, that neglected and abused ever since. Under the name of "citizen" he did such a harsh thing. How sinful he was!

It is natural right for everybody to transport freely as their own will, before insist on the right of transportation. We could welcome to increase width of choice in general. But we protest against obstructing parking bicycle -- depriving of the chance of park and ride --. Furthermore we have important and urgent problem to stop policies neglecting and abusing bicycles and riders, and to come true policy effected every bicycle rider's will and situation.

(Dec.20.2000)