Ban on riding bicycle with 2 children likely to be lifted in July

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TOKYO, April 9 Kyodo -
The National Police Agency released a set of safety standards Thursday for
bicycles on which riding with two children is allowed.
A report an NPA task force compiled said the ban on riding with two children
should be lifted if bicycles meet certain safety standards.
Major bicycle makers are developing a prototype model with enhanced safety
features. If things go smoothly, the ban will be lifted possibly in July.
The report said bicycles are an indispensable means of transportation for
parents with two or more children and the rule banning riding with two children
has not at all been observed.
This problem could be solved by lifting the ban on bikes that meet the safety
standards, the report said.
Allowing parents to ride bicycles with two children is necessary given its
economic merits amid the recession and could stem the trend of falling
birthrates, the report said.
The NPA once tried to fully enforce the ban for safety reasons but dropped the
plan amid strong opposition from riders, particularly mothers who say they need
to ride bicycles with their children to go shopping or for taking them to
kindergarten, for example.
The safety standards the NPA compiled based on an interim report last July are
mostly related to bicycle structure.
Specifically, bicycles should maintain sufficient strength when carrying two
children -- one on the front seat and the other on the rear seat -- and the
rider, the report said.
Bicycle must also be able to maintain proper braking functions under such
conditions and should be free from large vibrations that may affect the
steering, according to the standards.
Also required under the standards are a stable and easy-to-handle kickstand and
stopper to prevent bikes from falling when parked, and sufficient strength for
handles attached to children's seats.
The report said stable steering capability should be ensured when the bike
starts, travels, is walked along and stops.
In the report, the NPA asked parents to ensure that children wear a helmet
while on a bike, and to refrain from riding with infants.
The NPA called for municipalities to subsidize the purchase of bicycles deemed
safe for riding with two children and introduce a system to rent them.
It encouraged the bicycle industry to adopt a system to certify bicycle safety.
The ban is based on rules set by prefectural public safety commissions. Based
on the latest report, the NPA will instruct the safety commissions to revise
the rules.
==Kyodo
2009-04-09 21:56:09