In places where the people making the laws are cyclists themselves, you will find a lot friendlier environment for riding. My area gets a lot of tourists, so there are a number of rent-a-bike places. There are also the more regular riders from the big cities, particularly the mad house of Tokyo, that will come up this way to ride. I see a lot of opportunity in this, lodges that cater to cyclists, etc., but there isn't a one. I suggest it to people that have bed and breakfast affairs and might be complaining about business with the sick economy, but so far nothing has developed. People that buy $5000 bikes are obviously not poor, can easily pay for supportive lodgings. There is one cycling road that takes you through to a larger town about twenty kilometers away. It is a pleasant ride with no cars, but the path isn't very well maintained. There should be more of these paths, but like the lodge owners, the people in local government don't ride themselves, so any suggestions about creating more pleasant conditions for riders, and the benefits that it will bring to everyone, falls on pretty much deaf ears. Riding to them is little more than being out of breath and their legs aching on a little incline, so they don't do it, and can't understand it. So many people feel the need to get in cars to go to the market five minutes away, where doing it on a bike would be serving themselves much better. Serving the planet better too. There is a direct correlation between cycling and having a more peaceful demeanor, and on a large scale that has very positive implications. For now, it is like a secret cult of riders that only know this. A spandex cult?
Lots of elderly folks here still ride bikes, as in years gone by, and their handling can be a little loose. It's a trick that plays with the car operator's mind, and I consider anything that makes things safer as ok, as long as there is no big inconvenience or no panic involved. Got to survive in the kill zones.
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