Pedal Power

Bicycles are ubiquitous in Yokosuka, despite the hilly terrain, muggy temperatures, and periodic strong winds and rain. The bicycling experience here is fundamentally different than in the US. Here are my observations:

Bicycles here are practical and inexpensive - the vast majority of bikes have front and rear fenders, front baskets and rear racks, kickstands, reflectors, and index shifters. The frame geometry positions the seat low to the ground (like Electra bikes "flat footed technology"), and many bikes don't have top tubes (in the US one might call this a "woman's frame" - yet here there is no distinction). Simple bikes can be purchased new for approximately $100. My bike cost $145 and has an aluminum frame, front basket, six-speed grip-shift, bell, and a front headlight with wheel hub generator. Japanese bikes also have an integrated bicycle lock on the rear wheel (although some bicyclists here use additional locks since bicycle theft is more common than one might expect).

Bicycle parking is available - Most train stations have large designated areas for bikes, scooters and motorcycles to park. Apartment buildings are more likely to provide secure bicycle parking than vehicle parking. Stores and shopping centers (especially newer big-box stores) have large areas in front of the store for bike and scooter parking. Since almost every bike has a kickstand, even if no bike rack or designated area is provided, most bicyclists park in an out of the way location on the sidewalk. (Bikes are not typically locked to racks here - instead the rear wheel is secured with the factory lock, or both wheels are secured together with a loop lock. Presumably all bicycle thefts are "ride-offs" of unsecured bikes, not taken in a van or truck).

Shared sidewalks - many sidewalks are designated as shared use for bikes and pedestrians with a small round blue sign depicting both users. In Yokosuka, even the busier sidewalks immediately adjacent to the US Navy base are designated as shared use, however other sidewalks in the downtown area are not. Recently Japan passed a law permitting those over 60 and under 13 to ride on sidewalks regardless of whether or not the route is designated a "shared sidewalk".

Overpasses, bridges, and tunnels accommodate bikes - As I continue to explore Yokosuka and the surrounding cities, I'm surprised to see so many bridges, tunnels and overpasses where accommodating bicyclists was clearly part of the design requirements. In the US, these facilities tend to be barriers for bicyclists (as well as freeway interchanges and high speed multi-lane arterials).

Safety in numbers - there are so many bicyclists here, of all skill levels, that drivers are very accustomed to sharing roadway space, and yielding at crosswalks / bike crossings. Thus, even when riding in the street, riding a bike here just feels safer than in the US.

Safety at Slow Speeds: Roads in Japan are posted with speed limits that are noticeably slower than in the US. I live close to a "US style" four lane arterial. The roadway has lanes that are approximately 12 feet wide, there is a landscaped center median, and turn lanes are provided at each intersection. Palm trees line both sides of the street, and there is an 8-10 foot wide shared path on both sides of the street. Despite these dimensions, the posted speed limit is only 50 kph (31 mph). Given that there is no on-street parking, I'd estimate that in the US it would be signed for 45 mph. In the narrower roads of Yokosuka, posted speed limits are typically 40 kph (25 mph) or 30 kph (19 mph). What American bicyclists wouldn't wish the guy in the SUV was driving that slow?!

Where are the bike lanes? - Perhaps because of the two items above, I haven't yet seen bike lanes on Japanese roadways. However, a bicycle lane is marked at each crosswalk, adjacent to the zebra striping, always on the side of the crosswalk closest to the parallel street.