Darin McGrew <mcgrew@stanfordalumni.org> wrote:

> Louise Bremner <log.NO.SPAM.HERE@gol.com> wrote:
> > Since it's technically illegal to ride a tandem, wouldn't it still be
> > illegal if there's only one person on it?
> 
> My guess is that the law in question prohibits two people riding a bike (of
> any configuration), since supposedly it was intended to prohibit doubling
> up on a single bike, and prohibiting tandems was merely an unintended side
> effect. But IANAL, and I know nothing about Japanese law.

I'm shaky on it too, since it clearly doesn't prevent the doubling (and
trebling and quadrupling) involved when a mother has one or more
children on the bike with her....
> 
> > (How controllable is a tandem ridden by one person, anyway?)
> 
> The first time my wife and I rode a tandem, I was encouraged by the bike
> shop owner to ride the tandem by myself for a while to get the hang of it.
> It's a bit unwieldy compared with riding a single bike, but it's easier
> than riding a tandem with a stoker.

Don't know what a "stoker" is in this context. Maybe I'm better off not
knowing, since I never really learnt to ride a bike myself? 

________________________________________________________________________
                   Louise Bremner (log at gol dot com)
   If you want a reply by e-mail, don't write to my Yahoo address!