It’s summer time, and as Kyoto is a relatively flat city, there are lots of cyclists around these days. There are young children with or without their parents, elderly people with or without their canes strapped to their bikes somewhere, middle-aged salarymen and office ladies in their best outfits…
Today I received a little pamphlet in the mail with a list of traffic rules and how they pertain to cyclists. Of course, this being Japan, you can’t just write a plain list – you have to include cute little pictures – which help understanding tremendously:
Some things are very obvious: Don’t jump red lights or train crossings, don’t ride your bicycle in a pedestrian zone or path, don’t drink and cycle, don’t use your mobile when on the bike… It even includes my personal pet peeve: Ride on the correct (i.e., left) side of the road! Interestingly, it does not say anything about using lights in the dark, but maybe the list was incomplete.
However, the pamphlet is very clear on what will happen if you get caught doing any of these 14 things (and possibly more): If you get caught twice or more in a span of 3 years, you count as “repeated offender” and will be sent to a special re-education where you will be instructed as to the rules. These classes cost 5.700 YEN at the moment; I am not sure whether you’ll have to take a test at the end – although, as this is Japan, I would not be surprised.
Expensive, isn’t it? This would be a reason for simply not showing up to the re-education, but there is a catch: If you prefer not to show up to your class within three months of being asked to do so, there will be a fine of 50.000 YEN! I have never heard of such a steep fine being levied for not behaving on a bicycle. Seems to be better to do the right thing after all…