Entries this day: bicycle-lesson me-on-yamanote-line train-was-stopped-this-morning typhooned-river-depth

bicycle lesson

##08:59 Wednesday 20 June 2012

The bicycle parking lot near our house is a tower thing with a door on the bottom. Put bicycle in slot, push button, and a gripper thing comes out, takes the bicycle into the elevator, goes up and places it somewhere. When I come back with my card, the machine remembers where it put my bicycle and retrieves it. Nice system cause the bicycle stays dry and I don't have to lock it.

The system does have a couple of bugs and some weaknesses, one of them being that the gripper, while strong, is no match for me with fingers playing bicycle tug-of-war.

The bicycle stayed with me, the gripper slipped off the axle, then realized there was a problem when its hands closed down on TJ Bike's front wheel.

Oops.

Lin wasn't very impressed.

I told the guy there's a problem and they were like "htf did this happen?"

Realizing there are cameras, I told them (Lin translated) that I had changed my mind and wanted my bike back because it's a nice day and I could ride to work.

He was like, [in that case, just push this cancel button.]

Chapter learned! But it reveals another small unconfirmed weakness in the system: if someone leaves before their bicycle goes up, as Lin is wont to do sometimes, can someone else press cancel and get the bike?

Granted the time window is pretty short, but I think I should test that tomorrow.

me on yamanote line

##10:26 Wednesday 20 June 2012

Photo by Lin in Shinagawa of me on Yamanote line.

train was stopped this morning

##10:09 Wednesday 20 June 2012

See the full gallery on Posterous

I forgot to upload these pics when they were relevant.

Lin and I ate at a cafe featured in the line "fresh like a box of ..." by Beastie Boys while waiting for the crowds to pass.

typhooned river depth

##10:12 Wednesday 20 June 2012