A recent report by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan concluded what many commuters already know: Hand-pulled bags on casters are dangerous. Anyone taking the train or walking through a crowded place in a large city in Japan has surely stumbled over these menaces. The bags turn into hazardous, under-foot hurdles and one more headache most pedestrians can do without.
Among the many problems of big cities, pull bags on casters may not seem top the danger list. However, the NCAC has documented many cases of injuries requiring medical treatment. Not only do pull bags cause people to stumble and fall; but the casters roll over people's feet, overloaded bags turn over and bag-pullers can sprain their own wrist. In several cases, heavy bags tumbled downstairs, hitting people below.
The bags also were found to cause escalators to stop and bus doors to jam, and prevent train doors from closing. These problems are exacerbated during crowded conditions and when some bag-pullers try to pull two bags behind them!