I was on my bicycle on the way home when, to my surprise, a guy riding one of those LUUP electric scooters tripped and fell in the middle of the road. Luckily, there were no cars around.

I asked if he was alright, and thankfully, he said he was fine.

I couldn’t help but think how different things could have been if there had been cars next to us. Those scooters can go up to 15-20 km/h and usually share the road with cars. They’re also not required to use helmets. The wheels are very small, and I can easily see how they might trip up—just like what happened to that guy in front of me.

I’ve been wanting to try one of those electric scooters myself. I even created a LUUP account just for that. More than a year has passed since I did, and I still haven’t used it.

Maybe that’s for the better.

I feel safer on my bicycle, though I know the same thing could happen to me. I always wear my helmet and stick to the road, but I avoid big roads as much as possible. Tokyo does have bicycle markings, but many cars stop or park on them, forcing cyclists to swerve into traffic to get around.

Car drivers in Japan are generally well-mannered and usually give cyclists extra space. But there’s always that one exception who’ll drive too close—and sometimes, that’s all it takes for an accident to happen.

More than the cars, though, I think the bigger issue is with other cyclists who don’t follow the rules. Many still run red lights. Many still use the sidewalks, even when they’re crowded. And what I hate the most: there are still those who completely ignore the arrows on the bike lane and ride against the flow.

Those ones—I don’t hesitate to call them out.

Most Japanese roads are shared spaces where cars, bikes, pedestrians, and more recently, electric scooters coexist. Because of that, people tend to be more aware of their surroundings and mindful of others. Still, accidents happen. And when they do, it doesn’t matter if I’m on a bike, in a car, or just walking—the risks are always there.

The best we can do is stay mindful and call out those who break the rules and put others at risk.

As for the guy who tripped on his electric scooter—he just stood up, dusted himself off, and walked away, pushing the scooter beside him.

Live to ride another day.