Bicyclists (and Kickbike/kick scooter users) often find themselves trapped in the middle between pedestrians and motor vehicles. The pedestrains don't want the bicycles on the sidewalks, and the drivers don't want to share the streets with them. Many countries and municipalities have regulations against riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, and Japan is no exception. The official regulations vary from prefecture to prefecture, but as a general rule it's illegal to use your bicycle on the sidewalk. Of course, you would never figure that out by observation since people here constantly do it.
An article recently posted on the Japan Today website in the Kuchikomi (word-of-mouth) section highlighted what appears to be a burgeoning liability awareness here:
"A high school student pedaling his bicycle furiously down the sidewalk of a Tokyo neighborhood bowled over a housewife, breaking her femur. The district court, citing the student's "negligence in his obligation to ride safely," ordered him to pay her 1.4 million yen in damages."
"... police are starting to clamp down on traffic violations by cyclists, including riding under the influence (up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 yen); riding at night without proper illumination (fine of up to 50,000 yen); and riding on the sidewalk except where specifically permitted (up to 3 months imprisonment and fine of up to 50,000 yen).""... Both cycling with an open umbrella or while utilizing a cell phone - violations probably committed by roughly half the riders in central Tokyo - are punishable by up to 3 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 50,000 yen."
Comments