Japan Today
crime

Police panel proposes up to ¥12,000 fine for cycling violations

49 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

49 Comments
Login to comment

Heard lots of people get a lot of grief from the police here whilst cycling, never been stopped myself you see. Mind you I did pass my cycling proficiency test at the first attempt aged 8, i still have my badge and certificate.

-13 ( +13 / -26 )

cyclists will be asked to keep to the left side of the lane

Finally!

Drivers of cars will be required to drive at a safe speed

Even taxis? And oyaji in Toyota Crowns and Beemers?

9 ( +20 / -11 )

falseflagsteveToday  06:33 am JST

"Mind you I did pass my cycling proficiency test at the first attempt aged 8, i still have my badge and certificate".

how perfectly in character..... (^_-)

10 ( +17 / -7 )

I regularly see police on cycles breaching the cycling rules, will they pause and ticket themselves?

Cycles where I live never stop at red lights, often travel the wrong way up the roads (into oncoming traffic) and ignore speed limits on sidewalks (as well as age regulations)

If the cops here actually enforced these rules and issued the fines, the police would need to hire more staff.

16 ( +23 / -7 )

Currently, offenders are handed a "warning slip" for minor traffic violations and red tickets for serious offense

Never seen that for rhe over laden mama charii plowing through pedestrian intersections.

19 ( +23 / -4 )

Excellent..

Must be ¥20000..

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

I propose an expert panel to be convened, comprised of my closest retired police officer friends. This panel of 350 experts will study the problem carefully for 3 years.

compensation for the experts will be lavishly provided , of course. In the end, yellow tickets will be issued, which should be paid promptly. However the key word here is should. Because enforcing the laws requires an active judicial system, which we don’t have.

-2 ( +11 / -13 )

Getting the J cops to do some work where the opportunity to fine someone might very well lead to less accidents.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

I recently watched a guy riding the wrong way down a road, blast straight through a red traffic light at night with no lights, whilst singing to himself with earphones in and no hands on the handlebars. Talk about tempting fate.

Never have I wanted more for karma to send a taxi his way to side check his hubris at 20km/h.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

Finally cyclist not being stopped because cyclist while being gaijin, seen many Japanese people not only cyclist but also car driver watching TV show through their Navi in their car while driving.

Also to avoid false ticketing, it's good time to have bike camera. So they don't made up a fine ticket for you.

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

Also to avoid false ticketing, it's good time to have bike camera.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Please, lets create some nonsensical controversy to distract from the fact that big cities in Japan has some of the worst pedestrians infrastructure in the modern word. So while there are no sidewalks, just blue lines for kids to walk to school, street lights that date back to gas lights and zero enforcement of automobile traffic stopping at intersections we will instead complain about cyclists'. (Disclaimer - I live in a not so city, city in Kyushu)

What are the rules of the road? Police don't know.

Question #1 Legal or not legal for cyclists to ride on the road?

Question #2 Legal or not legal for cyclists to ride on the sidewalk?

Question #3 What is the punishment for not wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle.

And for the a slightly off the subject WTF? Televisions in passenger cars?

Japan is as serious about pedestrian safety as it is removing corrupt politicians.

5 ( +18 / -13 )

Capuchin I recently watched a guy riding the wrong way down a road, blast straight through a red traffic light at night with no lights, whilst singing to himself with earphones in and no hands on the handlebars. Talk about tempting fate.

What you need to check is why this makes you angry enough that you would hope for him harm? What exactly did he do to you? Why karma?

-9 ( +7 / -16 )

We don't see police officers in our location.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

In the 1968 my Father took part in the Cycling Proficiency Scheme.......

I am not sure if this scheme is still running in the UK outside of NI.....

Cycling Proficiency Scheme

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cycling-proficiency-scheme

If a fine is deemed necessary, could it not be taken into consideration if the cyclist in question agreed to sit a similar J scheme.

I understand this scheme finish with a Cycling Proficiency test.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

NSW Australia went down this path...eg $450 fine for not having a bell on the bike.

Beats chasing real crims I suppose.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Itsonly

Dunno if they still do the same lark these days. We went to my primary school in a Saturday morning and took in the playground Had to do all the signals etc and cycle round cones and such, lol

Was a jolly good time and Sergeant Morris from the local police station handed out the certificates and badges.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

That would be perfect for my neighborhood. There needs to be more cameras installed around, too. Too many cyclists here ride past stop signs and/or don't walk crossings. We also have a problem with two people riding on a single bike (I don't mean the mother bikes that holds infants/toddlers.).

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Capuchin

Never have I wanted more for karma to send a taxi his way to side check his hubris at 20km/h.

Maybe some deep seeded resentment? Where you denied a bike as a kid?

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Japan's police agency plans to fine cyclists between 5,000 to 12,000 yen for traffic violations such as ignoring traffic lights or cycling while on the phone

this would mean, the cops would actually have to do, you know, WORK.

they would have to physically get out of the koban and patrol.

fat chance of that actually happening.

When’s the last time you saw j-cops on the street, walking the beat?

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Japan's police agency plans to fine cyclists between 5,000 to 12,000 yen for traffic violations such as ignoring traffic lights or cycling while on the phone,

There are laws and fines in place to penalize car/ truck drivers for "ignoring traffic lights" and "driving while on the phone." Not to mention laws state that children must be properly bucked up.

But do we see any enforcement? The police here are just as useless as the paper the laws are written on.

S

1 ( +4 / -3 )

¥100.000 fine for cyclists turning left/leaving the sidewalk for the road full of oncoming cars without even bothering to look first as if they were the only people on earth.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

A Japanese HS girl using her cellphone rode her bicycle right through a red light in front of me while I was driving. A Japanese woman from my class had a girl on a bicycle using her cellphone crash into her. And on and on it goes . . .

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I recently watched a guy riding the wrong way down a road, blast straight through a red traffic light at night with no lights, whilst singing to himself with earphones in and no hands on the handlebars. Talk about tempting fate.

Or cyclists wearing pitch black gear/raincoats at night and even under heavy rain.

But if anything happens it will be your fault for not paying attention enough!

I always keep my foot hovering over the brake pedal when driving through residential areas especially here in Tokyo where not much people own a drivers license, these people must believe the stop signs are some sort of street decoration

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Ask trade, "Please, lets create some nonsensical controversy to distract from the fact that big cities in Japan has some of the worst pedestrians infrastructure in the modern word" have you ever been to Thailand? The paths are a death trap, a complete obstacle course, the driving standards are appalling, Japan in comparison to Thailand or even England is far better.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

What you need to check is why this makes you angry enough that you would hope for him harm? What exactly did he do to you? Why karma?

Because you as a driver will be in deep trouble if this person happens to kamikaze right into your car, thats why. Only sociopaths condone sociopath behaviour.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Yes, falseflagsteve thats it,

Father went to a secondary school playground for his lessons and test.

He received a knight of the road badge, he displays it next to his orange blue peter badge.

I think fines should be harsh enough to deter some of the most prolific wackos on two wheel.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

My kid likes to stand on the low frame in front of me while I ride him to nursery school and hold the handles and ring the bell.

Much better for speed of getting there and to have a blast for a little boy.

I am not sure if this is a blue ticket thing but in any case he is instructed to yell PO PO if he sees any patrol cars up ahead.

Been successful so far as I dismount and pretend am walking.

Been a few undercover cars in the area pulling up drivers so these would be harder to detect. But we are learning.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Here in Miyazaki I have seen maybe 6 cops and 3 patrol cars in my 20 years.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Here in Miyazaki I have seen maybe 6 cops and 3 patrol cars in my 20 years.

You can tell the same for Toyama.

The best life in Japan is in those charming capitals completely isolated (at the very least 3h drive) from the big hubs.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Had a chuckle reading some of the 3500 + comments on this story on yahoo news. Locals are just as passionate on the topic as the JT crowd.

This four biggest cyling issues for me as a daily cyclist myself are: other cyclists glued to their phone, those holding umbrellas while riding. No lights at night, and riding on the right side

The phone one is becoming chronic, they so oblivious to their surroundings, and weave all over the place. Overtaking them is a hazardous manoeuvre. School kids doing it, get a short loud verbal blast from me as I pass. It's great teaching moment, and the majority seem to get a big shock and immediately fire off a sumimasen.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

I don’t think it’s good. I think it will do absolutely nothing to reduce accidents. The reckless people will still be reckless, because they lack common sense.

They may as well start fining people for general stupidity.

those applauding more police regulation and fines in our lives need to remember…the day is coming when they’ll want to regulate your internet access.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I am looking forward for this. As a pedestrian I had several close calls with cyclists who are driving on the sidewalk while texting on the phone or with those riding on the road and almost hitting me on the crosswalk while they had red light and me having a green light.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I cycle daily in Tokyo, to the rules and have never seen cops out patrolling and enforcing cycling rules.

I hope this happens as they'll be kept very busy and raking in loads of cash.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Japan really is hard up for money.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

But serious offenses that require a lengthy investigation which may result in possible indictments and criminal punishment create a burden for both police

Wow, a burden for the police to enforce the law. What’s their day job, anyway, catching politicians who accept bribes?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I agree with @asktrade regarding poor pedestrian infrastructure in most places in Japan.

As a pedestrian when walking on a sidewalk, I am often worried when bicyclists zoom by, especially those riding e-assist bikes. Still I'm supportive of bicycle riders, except those that refuse to ride in designated bike lanes and instead speed down sidewalks paying little attention to pedestrians. I've had numerous near collisions with bike riders. Also here in my area of Kansai where so many intersections have poor sight lines (because of poor maintenance of vegetation, walls, etc.) many bike riders just speed on without looking out for others. Add vehicles parking within a few meters of a a junction and sight lines are further obscured compounding problems

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I'm a pretty irresponsible father, but I drew the line when my son asked me for a smartphone holder for the bike he rides to school. It's a drop handle racing bike with gravel tyres, or "gravel bike" in modern consumer parlance. I don't let him wear headphones either.

I assume the 12000 yen is the cap for offences like carrying an umbrella that do not involve hitting other people. Anything that takes one hand off the bars should be punished, umbrellas, smartphones, carrying shopping etc.

For actual accidents, there should be no cap at all.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It’s just another paper law. Don’t expect the cops to be dishing out fines.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

spinningplates

They may as well start fining people for general stupidity.

That would not only balance the budget, but create a surplus.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The only times I've seen police activity regarding traffic infractions is when they set up specific traffic traps to catch red light runners and "dangerous criminals" on 50cc scooters making single-step right turns.

I, myself, was pulled over at a huge traffic trap near Expo Park, when I crossed over a yellow line after finding myself in a left-turn-only lane that had no arrow markings until the last second. So, I changed into a straight ahead lane, but had to cross over a yellow line to do it. It was almost as if it was designed to cause drivers to do what I did. (I was still on an International Permit, so they let me go, as it would have been to difficult to process there.)

Other than those carefully-planned-ahead traps, I've seen many instances of cars, scooters, and bikes committing infractions in full view of cops on foot, on scooters, or in cars, who do absolutely nothing about it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The worst case ending for this would be it will create a chilling effect in cycling in general. The infrastructure in Japan really isn't that commuting-cyclist friendly. There is a bicycle lane (or at least a place that allows for cycling) close by but I feel it's more for recreation than practical commuting.

While we are on the subject of Road Traffic Law reform, I can't help but wonder at Japan's idea to allow motorcycles, a more dangerous vehicle at age 16 and even planes at age 17, but cars have to wait for 18. It seems to make more sense to allow for kei cars at 16 and move the age of the motorcyclist up.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think it should be ¥500,000 or so for serious violations. Leave ¥15,000 for first time non-helmet wearers, and then go up each time exponentially.

And please... don't make exceptions for elderly cyclists, like allowing them and small children to bike on sidewalks less than 3M in diameter. They, and the young mamas with three children on those massive tanks, are the worst offenders.

I'm going to go ahead and guess, though, that this will basically be unenforceable.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I had a cyclist hit me whilst driving my car in the UK about 2 yrs ago. I had indicated to go left and was doing so, when he came speeding along the pavement and crashed into the front of the car. Luckily he was not harmed very much but we took him to the nearest hospital and left him there. My girlfriend was with me at the time and she was not pleased with this youth and gave him a good telling off...........I cannot use the same words she did here though. But people riding bikes here are mostly very good, it is mainly the younger youths who just do not care.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think it should be ¥500,000 or so for serious violations. Leave ¥15,000 for first time non-helmet wearers, and then go up each time exponentially.

But they want people to cycle. You have to ask yourself whether you will still commute by a bicycle if you can be fined 500,000 yen for it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites