Legally parked

... but turns out to be illegally riden!

After five years of riding a bicycle in Japan I discovered today that I live in one of only three prefectures ( think state or county of which there are 47 in Japan! ) where having bicycle insurance is mandatory.

An article in the Japan Times cited incidents in Tokyo of cyclists having to pay up to 95 million yen - over £600,000 gulp! - in fines resulting from accidents.

This evening I am the proud owner of insurance that provides unlimited coverage for cycling accidents, dog bites Ziggy go at it dude! and pedestrian accidents not sure what that covers? All for the princely sum of £7 a year.

It also provides up to 100 million yen in coverage out of Japan! Let’s book that cycling holiday - woohoo!