Group includes a man in his 40s who sees no problem with doing wheelies through Namba Station.

In Japan, there’s a common understanding that public places are spaces are to be respected, which is the reason why people talk quietly on public transport, hold back on eating while walking, and stand patiently in orderly queues.

It’s also the reason why you won’t find people performing rugby lineouts on trains and singing loudly in front of other passengers, so when a video appeared online showing a group riding bicycles through a shopping mall, people in Japan immediately saw red.

Take a look at the video below:

The clip shows at least six people riding their bicycles through an underground shopping mall at Osaka’s Namba Station, coming dangerously close to people walking through the area on more than one occasion.

According to Nankai Electric Railway Co., who manages the station building, this isn’t the first time the group has ridden bicycles through their premises, as the same thing happened in July this year.

Reports say the group is part of an Osaka-based performance team known for performing acrobatic moves on mountain bikes. Members range in age from their 20s to their 40s and they’ve appeared in numerous events and music videos.

The oldest member in his 40s apologised for the group’s actions, but doesn’t believe what they did is indicative of a wider social problem, saying:

“I acknowledge what we did was bad, so I apologise. However, all we did was lift our front tyres to ride wheelies through the shopping area. Is that really such a social problem? I have some doubts. All I want to do is to increase and expand the bicycle competition population.”

People in Japan weren’t so sympathetic to the group’s reported intentions, leaving comments like:

“You’d think a man in his 40s would have more common sense than this.”
“This is like an elementary-school-student-level excuse for doing something.”
“This needs to be treated seriously as their actions could have dangerous consequences.”
“If they really want to film a cool video, they should get formal permission beforehand and pay a fee for it.”
“If they don’t realise how this inconveniences other people around them, they ought to be punished.”
“If they hit an old man or a pregnant woman, the social security costs will be enormous. It’ll ruin their lives and the lives of others.”

There could indeed be expensive and life-changing ramifications if an accident were to occur, and Nankai Electric Railway Co. is aiming to stop this potential problem in its tracks, reporting the matter to police and working with them to ensure an event like this doesn’t happen again.

Osaka Prefectural Police say that if they catch the group violating laws and regulations, they will deal with them accordingly. And if past events have shown us anything, it’s that no matter how hard you try to hide, if police in Osaka want to get you, they’ll stop at nothing to track you down.

Source: Livedoor News via Jin
Images: YouTube/ESPERANZA
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