Leave repairing bicycles to me. Osaka to Sendai.

Source: Nikkansports

"I can't stand doing nothing!" Norio Gotou, who owns the mobile bicycle repair shop "Shin Kitajima cycle" in Osaka City, spent 16 hours by car to travel Shichigo Elementary school, a designated evacuation area in Sendai City. He encouraged the victims of Tohoku earthquake and tsunami by repairing their bicycles and bikes, fixing flat tires and wheel chairs for free as soon as he got there.

"I couldn't help doing nothing." Gotou drove a car by himself all night. When he arrived at Shichigo elementary school where 1, 200 victims are living, he took out his repair tools and started to ask passing people after another.

"I came here to fix flat tires. If there is something wrong with your bicycle, bring it to me. “ “Osaka City is also cheering up for you guys."

Gotou got an emergency vehicle permit on the 18th from the local police for his car.

Then he left his house in 0saka at 10:30pm. He travelled north until he reached Niigata prefecture through Hokuriku highway all night then went through Yamagata prefecture. He finally reached in Sendai city on the 19th at 2:30pm. Goto said, “My family was worried about me but I thought I had to help while I watched the news about the disaster. I didn't sleep at all but I’m OK.”

He was concerned of running out of gas so he refilled 10 times when he passed by a service area along the highway. With only 2 rice balls to eat, he went on with his journey

After he reached the school which was designated as an evacuation area, he announced that he would repair bicycles. Then people came rushing with their flat tired bicycles for him to fix. He smiled and said, “Don't worry I would sleep in my car so I wouldn't  annoy anybody.”

Gotou's mobile bicycle repair shop in Osaka has been running for 30 years already. He was also a victim of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that happened in 1995 in Osaka. Fortunately, he didn't get heavy damage, but he regret that he didn’t know that there were victims who were had trouble with flat tires. Due to this incident, He said, “I promised I would definitely help the people when the same tragedy happened”