[sustran] Re: [WorldCityBike] "Everything's different"

[Todd Edelman]

In regards to Shimano:

/Earthquake: No Direct Damage to Shimano Production in Japan

OSAKA, Japan (13.3.2011) -- The massive earthquake and tsunami that hit 
the Northern regions in Japan last Saturday didn't damage the Shimano 
factories in the country. On questions Bike Europe received this 
statement from Shimano Europe commercial director Frank Peiffer: "No 
direct damages to Shimano or problems in our delivery/production flow. 
Of course if the story with the nuclear power plants goes further that 
might still create an effect. In the coming days Shimano will present 
more information on this situation."/ - 
http://www.bike-eu.com/news/4842/earthquake-no-direct-damage-to-shimano-production-in-japan.html

- Todd Edelman

On 03/16/2011 02:23 PM, eric britton wrote:
>
> "Everything's different", are the words of my Japanese friend in Tokyo 
> to describe the current situation there.
>
> When I lived in Tokyo, I'd adjust my watch not by other clocks, but 
> the train as it arrived at the station platform.  Only twice in the 
> year I was there was my train, which ran on 8 minute frequencies, not 
> bang on time, being 4 minutes late on both occasions.
>
> Tod ay, my friend tells me that the trains are chaotic.  They run not 
> to timetable, but to the amount of available energy they have, and 
> trains are also subject to the rolling blackouts, closing lines for 
> parts of the day.  My friend, who on the day of the quake spent 3 
> hours walking home (probably it would have been two hours or less walk 
> for me) is working half days due to the lack of trains.
>
> A fellow employee has like many Japanese started cycling.  One lady at 
> my friends' office spent 4.5 hours cycling to work on a newly 
> purchased bicycle, though my observations of Japanese cyclists was 
> when I was overtaking them whilst walking... so the distance might not 
> be so great.
>
> My friend says that bicycles are too expensive for her to purchase, 
> but many did purchase bicycles to get home after the quake and 
> bicycles can be seen on the streets cleared of tsunami debris.
>
> Petrol is being rationed where it is available, oil refineries have 
> been devastated as well as the nuclear energy supply.  This is making 
> driving difficult.  I'm informed that the car plants that make the 
> Prius and other "green" Japanese cars are no longer functioning and 
> the Just In Time (JIT) supply chain is in ruins.  This affects car 
> assembly throughout the world, so expect to see less new "greenwash" 
> vehicles on our streets once the s tockpiles are gone.
>
> But... before you think that this will boost bicycle sales, Shimano, 
> the world's leading supplier of bicycle components/parts is Japanese.  
> Although based in Osaka, it is possible that some of their components 
> are made in the affected region of Japan, and if not, their production 
> is likely to be affected by the lack of energy.  Shimano has such a 
> massive market share that we are likely to see changes in the bicycle 
> market over the next months.
>
> What is clear is that Japan will not have so much energy for many, 
> many years as it did before the quake an d tsunami.  In all aspects of 
> life, changes will need to be made to live of what can be produced 
> safely, though Japan is "blessed" with the possibility of much 
> geothermal energy.  If Japan redesigns itself as it did intercity rail 
> in the 1960's we could see some fascination innovations.  
> Interestingly, the Maglev train might be part of the solutions, 
> apparently requiring less energy to run than trains on rails and this 
> summer, the trains will not be "ice-cold".  People will be moving much 
> more in high humidity without air-conditioning.
>
> Trains, cars, the fishing fleet that provides so much food to the 
> nation, famous neon signs, escalators, moving walkways, the levels of 
> electrical gadgetry are all affected (phones, heated toilet seat s, 
> etc.) and levels of air-conditioning are all affected.  Even in 2003 
> Japanese office workers were being asked to turn off their 
> air-conditioning as Japan did not have enough energy to run everything 
> people had purchased and wished to use.  Even in 2003, Japanese people 
> believed Japanese nuclear power plants were dangerous and they had a 
> poor reputation for safety and had tried to cover up a number of 
> incidents... though a sloppy UK newspaper has only found concerns from 
> 2008.
>
> As we witnessed in Christchurch when a newly discovered fault 
> destroyed that once beautiful city we do not know much about this 
> planet.  Hopefully the Japanese will take into account what we don't 
> know and what we don't know we don't know when rebuilding their 
> infrastructu res and systems.
>
> *The one thing that is clear is that the streets of Japan will be very 
> different following the recent events and we may be able to learn many 
> things from them. *
>
> *Sent:*Wednesday, 16 March, 2011 12:37
> *To:* sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org; NewMobilityCafe at yahoogroups.com
> *Subject:* [NewMobilityCafe] "Everything's different"
>
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-- 

Todd Edelman
Green Idea Factory,
a member of the OPENbike team

Mobile: ++49(0)162 814 4081

edelman at greenidea.eu
www.greenidea.eu
todd at openbike.se
www.openbike.se

Skype: toddedelman

Urbanstr. 45
10967 Berlin
Germany

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