On 12/05/2013 12:52, Mizter T wrote:

On 09/05/2013 13:10, Recliner wrote:
Following the Pyongyang Metro pictures I posted, here's some I took
above ground, with a particular concentration on the over-crowded
public transport system.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recline...7633439541991/

Pyongyang is North Korea's showpiece city, so many of the buildings
are rather smart, and the roads are wide and often tree-lined. The
roads are also quite well maintained; the standard drops the moment
you get past the police checkpoints on the city limits.

Citizens are not allowed to own cars, and cycles were also banned
until recently, so many commuters have to walk if they can't squeeze
on to the packed, battered old trams, trolley buses and diesel buses.
There are a small number of smart, modern (mainly Chinese) cars, but
you probably have to be someone fairly important to be able to travel
in one. Mobile phones are now available, but you don't yet see many
people walking along, deep in conversation. You also see very few
overweight people; most have a vigorous style of power walking.


V interesting stuff.

Do you know what the logic was in banning bicycles (until recently) in
Pyongyang? The regime fearful of the city masses having independent
mobility perhaps.

Aesthetics, I am guessing.

I have seen other videos of Pyongyang, which did indeed show people on
bicycles there.