i got into trouble for owning a bike in tokyo
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 2024
- My name is Harold and I live in Japan.
In this video, I am showing you my experience owning a bike in Tokyo and some random things in a day in my life as a foreigner in Tokyo, Japan. As always, I also grab coffee from the convenience store and visited a cafe and went shopping at Daiso.
Music: www.epidemicsound.com
Buy me a tea: www.paypal.com/paypalme/Maesulia
#japanvlog #dayinmylife #tokyo #japan #livingaloneinjapan #livingalone #japanlife #japanlifestyle
I made a lot of videos about my daily experiences in Tokyo. Check them out here! ruclips.net/p/PLd2qp8dhU2vU4reSNj5d6SVyn5qW_SSwL&si=7-_U_jV-_Hzmn9cZ
Nice job on the production value of your video & how well you were able to record yourself while riding!
Thank you for your kind words.
There are lots of rules you have to follow when riding bicycles in Japan.
As you probably already know, bicycles need to be registered in you name, not your friend's name.
You are supposed to ride the bycicle on the road with the cars, not on the sidewalks.
And bicycles need to follow all traffic laws, exactly like cars.
But depending on the region, the police may allow bicycles on the sidewalks, particularly if they are parents with kids or old people.
Helmets are not mandatory, but are recommended.
Lights at night are mandatory.
And you cannot honk at pedestrians.
Indeed. I’m currently living at Odaiba, Tokyo and I notice that most of the roads here have a separate lane for bikes which is kinda opposite to what they have in the other parts of Tokyo. But thanks for those kind reminders!
I never see people riding bikes in the street in videos of Japan. They are always on the sidewalks. Even very crowded sidewalks and they are riding at dangerous speeds. I read that 40,000 people are injured by bike riders each year in Japan. Can you explain this?
@@doreybainin Japan, if you hit a cyclist with your vehicle (even if he runs a red light), the fault will be yours as the car owner. I have a feeling that this is the kind of rules that allow many cyclists to be so reckless
@@doreybain The site below is about Kyoto, but the rest of Japan has similar rules:
www DOT pref DOT kyoto DOT jp SLASH fukei SLASH foreign SLASH koki_k_t SLASH jitensha SLASH index DOT html
RUclips does not allow web links on the comments, so replace DOT with . and SLASH with /
Rules and Penalties on Riding Bicycle
Dangerous riding on bicycle and bad traffic manners, ignoring basic traffic rules, are predominant. A severe penalty could be applied on violation of traffic rules by cyclist. Learn to understand traffic rules for safe ride.
Ignoring traffic lights
Imprisonment with forced labor for up to 3 months, or fine of 50,000 yen or less.
Please follow traffic lights.
Please obey a traffic signal.
For a pedestrian signal with the indication "Pedestrians and Bicycles Only", you must obey that indication.
And, for a traffic signal with "Bicycles Only" or "Light Vehicles Only", you also must obey that.
No stopping at stop sign
Imprisonment with forced labor for up to 3 months, or fine of 50,000 yen or less.
You must come to a complete stop at intersection with stop sign.
Abreast riding
Fine of up to 20,000 yen.
Don't ride abreast another bicycle.
Proceeding on right-hand side of the road
Imprisonment with forced labor for up to 3 months, or fine of 50,000 yen or less.
Bicycle should proceed on left-hand side of the road.
Riding without lighting
Fine of up to 50,000 yen
You must not ride a bicycle without turning on light at night. Your bicycle should be equipped with rear light or reflector.
Drunk riding
Imprisonment with forced labor for up to 5 years, or fine of 1 million yen or less.
You must not ride a bicycle under the influence of alcohol.
Abrupt change of direction
Fine of up to 50,000 yen
You must not change lane or direction abruptly.
Riding holding an open umbrella
Fine of up to 50,000 yen
You must not ride a bicycle holding an open umbrella, except on scarce traffic road.(according to Kyoto Prefecture Road Traffic Regulations)
Riding with an open umbrella fixed to bicycle body
could be taken as a violation of Road Traffic Law. Strong wind and intensive rain fall may cause you lose balance and vision.
Double riding
Fine of up to 20,000 yen
You must not double ride, except in the following cases.
A cyclist aged 16 or older carries an infant (under 6 years old) on infant-seat or on cyclist's back firmly tied down with string.
A cyclist aged 16 or older carries two infants on "bicycle especially designed to have two infants"
A cyclist aged 16 or older carries an infant on "bicycle especially designed to have two infants" and another infant firmly tied down with string on cyclist's back.
［Kyoto Prefecture Road Traffic Regulations］
In case tandem (two-person bicycle having a pair of pedals arranged one behind the other) has one passenger other than a driver while driving.
Riding on the sidewalk without "Exclusively for bicycle and pedestrians" traffic sign
Imprisonment with forced labor of up to 3 months, or fine of 50,000 yen or less
You must ride on the left-hand side of the road if the sidewalk is exclusively for pedestrian.
You can ride a bicycle on pedestrian zone
if there is a traffic sign of "Exclusively for bicycle and pedestrians".
if you are under 13, aged 70 or over, or physically disabled.
If you have no alternatives for the sake of traffic safety depending upon road situation.
Riding on pedestrian zone
Fine of up to 20,000 yen is imposed for the following violations.
When there is no designated area for bicycle, you must slowly proceed on the pedestrian zone closer to the road traffic.
You must stop when you are likely to interfere with pedestrians.
You must slowly proceed on the designated portion of pedestrian zone where there is an appropriate traffic sign to do so.
When there is no pedestrian, you can proceed on pedestrian zone in an appropriate speed and manner in accordance with traffic situation.
How to proceed on the roadside zone.
Imprisonment with labor for less than 3 months, or a fine of less than 50,000 yen. (in case you pass the right side of roadside zone)
A fine of less than 20,000 yen or a petty fine. (in case you obstruct passenger while passing the left side of roadside zone)
Light vehicles (including bicycles) can pass roadside zone (excluding roadside zone for pedestrians), except you remarkably obstruct pedestrians.In these cases, you are only allowed to pass roadside zone placed on the left side of the road.
man, you sure about people having to ride on the road with cars? cause nobody does this when I am there every year and I always have to dodge. Not to mention them "honking" to get everyones attention. Kyoto especially bad about that at certain streets.
Enjoy your stay brother.
Thanks bro !
Never once had a cop stop on my bike in Fukuoka, Hakata area. I did get stopped a few times when the new smoking / walking law passed when I was holding a cigar, not smoking it, just carrying it. lol
I don’t want to feel like they’re picking on me as a colored person. But, I told myself to treat it as a unique experience of living in Japan as a foreigner. Thanks for watching bro.
Anyways enjoy Japan,Harold!!
Thank you!
Knowing Japanese people I think it was the skin tone barrier
Quite oddly, I heard it’s their way of checking for thieves plus possible over-stayers as they also ask for one’s residence card for identification. Even white people sometimes face this as well.
Lovely and peaceful video. I kinda think that the cops were discriminating a bit, but who knows.
I am not really sure about their treatment but I was trying to be cool about it although it did test my patience 😆. Thanks anyways for watching 👍
Unfortunately having darker skin AND riding a bike in Tokyo is basically asking to be stopped by police.
@@faiyez that was exactly my thought after the incident. Besides, my broken Japanese wasn't helping either. Anyways, all part of the fun of living in Japan.
@@faiyez I'm white and I get stopped on my bike all the time.
They are always on the lookout for people that overstay their Visas.
They probably thought you stole the bike, you give that theft vibe. LOL.
Hahahaha…this vibe is inbuilt….they need to get to it I guess…hahaha
I know it's the law, but is there another reason why you have to register your bike? Is it to prevent theft?
Yes. It's part of the anti-theft process. I guess that's why they halted me on the road to see whether I was the rightful owner cos I heard that although Japan is relatively safe, people sometimes lost their unlocked bicycles especially in busy spots like shop fronts....
I live in Kyoto, for 18 years now.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS carry a copy of your bicycle registration with you.
Basically the Japanese police can be real A-holes when it comes to foreigners, even white ones like me. I have been stopped numerous times for "bicycle checks". Ha ha ha..........
I once even stopped a policeman to complain about a Japanese salary man walking in the bicycle lane, while he was looking at his phone (aruki-sumaho). Very dangerous as he was in danger of being hit by numerous bicycles. The only response from the policeman was to check to see if my bicycle was stolen. WTF!!! If I had stolen the bicycle would I be stupid enough to go and ask a policemen something? Needless to say he wasn't interested in my complaint at all, even later.
He received a well earned compliment from me - BAKA!!!!
It's nice to hear your experience....reminds me of the night I was stopped by the police. I was so cold and I was rushing to go home from work. After failing to identify my name against the bicycle, they kept interrogating me. I nicely told them that I have my registration documents at home (which was just 15 minutes from the station) and that if possible, I could leave my bike with them for me to head home and get the documents-they didn't agree to the suggestion with a big dameeeee. They kept me there for more than an hour....I guess they ran out of ideas after I told them that I could only fix the problem if they allow me to go and get the documents...so they allowed me to go... But lesson learned, I am carrying my registration document everywhere I go now as of today...
I have lived in Tokyo for around a year now and have been stopped a few times to check my bicycle. Honestly, if you just say you bought the bike and show your residence card you can get going after a minute or two.. I get it, it is not everyday you see a foreigner on a bicycle, just try not to think too negative about it :)
That how it goes bro because they get stolen a lot…..😂 your wrong you rookie learn about the place you live
I heard the two items that get stolen a lot in Japan are bikes and umbrellas…hahaha
@@ExplorewithHAROLD I only stole hearts when I was there……………….
@@anonymousmc7727 lol