Cabinet Approves Tougher Penalties for Infractions by Bicycle Riders; Riders Still Permitted to Use Sidewalks Except in Extreme Cases
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
A police officer notifies a bicycle rider of a traffic infraction in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, in August 2023.
The Cabinet approved a bill on Tuesday to toughen penalties for bicycle riders who commit traffic infractions, an area formerly treated lightly.
The legislation, which amends enforcement of the Road Traffic Law, will enable police to issue fines — known as 'blue tickets' in Japan — to bicycle riders who commit the infractions.
Among the infractions for which tougher penalties will apply are using a mobile phone while riding a bicycle, riding on the wrong side of the road and riding on the sidewalk.
However, the National Police Agency said that people riding on the sidewalk will only be fined in dangerous or malicious cases, as this is a known area of confusion. Police will only penalize riders on the sidewalk if they recklessly ride in a way that may result in a traffic accident, move too fast, frighten pedestrians or disobey a police officer's instructions.
A total of 113 violations will be made fineable offences.
The fines include up to ¥12,000 — the highest — for using a mobile phone while riding a bicycle, and up to ¥6,000 for ignoring traffic signals, riding on the wrong side of the road, riding recklessly on the sidewalk and other violations.
The revised legislation will go into effect in April next year.
Since April this year, when the draft of the revision was made public, the NPA has received about 5,900 opinions and inquiries, including questions and objections such as 'Will riding on all sidewalks be prohibited?' and 'It makes no sense, as some roads are too narrow.'
The basics of the traffic rules will not change even after the introduction of the new citations. People will be allowed to ride their bikes on the sidewalk if traffic signs allow it and if they are under 13 years old or over 70. They will also be able to ride on the sidewalk if traffic conditions make riding on the road too dangerous.
For example, if an adult with a child on the rear seat of their bike is riding at a slow speed on the sidewalk to avoid busy roads, the police will not stop and penalize them.
'The introduction of the new category of fines aims to prevent traffic accidents,' said a senior official of the NPA. 'We want people to thoroughly comply with traffic rules when they ride their bikes.'
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