"James Annan" <still_the_same_me@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:400e7c6c$0$586$44c9b20d@news3.asahi-net.or.jp...
> 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 (http://www.jamstec.go.jp/frsgc/eng/).
> 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.
>
> In the UK, I would happily tell the bureaucrat to fuck off, but
> 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.

It sounds like the boss has some good reasons for his decision ... not
great, but good.  I'm sure he doesn't appreciate a foreigner trying to push
him around either.

If his beef is that the company may be responsible for you while you're
commuting to work, couldn't you relieve the company of this burden?  Have a
lawyer draw up some legal jive saying you exempt the company from any
responsibilities outside of work.

If you feel that strongly about it, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind giving
up your medical coverage in case of an accident, or any kind of benefits you
would receive if injured while commuting.

C.Q.C.