Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: Nagoya Bike Racks

It’s no secret that Japan is one of the world’s great bicycle cultures. The bicycle is a main feature on the urban, suburban and rural landscape. They’ve reached their ’tipping point’ ages ago. Outside train stations all over the nation there is a sea of bicycles in various forms of parking.These photos are from Nagoya, a couple hundred kilometres south of Tokyo, outside the central train station. A simple dual solution to the question of bicycle parking. An orderly way to keep the bicycles in rows and a locking system that is user-friendly. At the stand on the left you select your numbered spot - the little green light indicates that it is in good working order - and pay a whopping 100 yen for 18 hours. That’s a bit over $1.00. :-)Most things are cheap in Japan, but this parking price takes the cake. Brilliant.

This may only be a solution that works in countries that have already reached their tipping point, since I'm sure that someone could nick the bicycle if they wanted to. I wouldn't mind seeing something like this back home in Copenhagen near the train stations.