Well, it hasn't been yet. But it has been threatened. This is at a Govt funded (quasi-independent,
the management structure is somewhat obscure) scientific research lab in Japan
(jamstec.go.jpengOpen ↗). The main goal of the lab is the understanding and prediction
of climate change, and it issues plenty of warm fuzzy statemente about "Protecting our Mother
Earth", but when the bureaucratic chips are down, it seems that it is more important to issue
diktats and invent rules to outlaw one of the most environmentally-friendly behaviours possible.
The real reason behind this is that my wife and I are recidivist criminals. Yes, we ride a tandem
(we both work at the same lab). It seems that way back in the mists of time, some careless
bureaucrat drafted a law that was intended to prevent more than one person riding on a standard
bicycle, but which accidentally included tandems in the prohibition. (Despite the law, carrying a
passenger is very common, and of course no-one enforces such a petty nonsense anyway.) Some
prefectures have actually changed the law to allow tandems, but unfortunately not the one where we
live and work.
Anyway, we rode a tandem before we came to Japan, and continued after our arrival a few years ago.
Some bureaucrat noticed this immediately, and made disapproving noises, but we ignored him - he
refused to give us an official FRSGC badge for the bike, but we found this apparent reprimand
surprisingly easy to cope with. Three years later, and he (or perhaps some replacement) is back with
a vengeance. He has insisted that we cannot continue to ride the tandem to work. If we continue, he
will ban all cycling for all members of staff. The justification for this escalation (and whether is
it in principle legally possible) is not clear, and we haven't told any other cyclists yet. We don't
want to stop riding the tandem, as it is faster, safer and easier than riding single bikes, and more
fun too. People recognise us on our regular route, and are friendly towards us, plus we've got a
good tandem (um...3 tandems) and no suitable single bikes. Every day we pass the same police boxes,
we have even met some policemen and of course they are not bothered about us "flouting" such a
petty, trivial and obviously accidental law.
In Japan (in a clear contrast with the UK), the commute to work is partly the responsibility of the
employer. For instance, an injury during the commute counts as a industrial accident, and the
employer must pay for subsequent medical bills and sick pay (the latter which for non-work-related
injury and illness does not appear to be a statutory requirement, or even part of our generally
reasonable working conditions). It is not clear to me why this responsibility should give them the
right to dictate methods of travel to work, but I have heard of another company where driving to
work was banned, and someone was fired after having a crash and getting caught.
unfortunately workers' rights are still a rather foreign concept here and it is clear that any
foreigner who kicks up too much of a fuss gets sent home in short order (I have already caused
more than my share of trouble, and now is definitely not a good time to start any more).
Bureaucrats aside, I like it here, and am not in a rush to leave. But I don't take kindly to small-
minded petty jobsworths trying to push me around. Any hints and tips for a sensible strategy will
be gratefully received.
James