Japan to introduce 'blue ticket' fine system for cyclists

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/03/06/japan/crime-legal/blue-ticket-fine-system-cyclists/

by PaulHoule • 2 years ago

35 45 2 years ago

japantimes.co.jp

mc32• 2 years ago

Seems pretty reasonable. Since bikes don't cause as much damage/injury as motorized vehicles, it makes sense to have a lower classification and lower fines as well --while keeping them responsible.

nothercastle2• 2 years ago

But a bike dui is dumb.

chmod7753• 2 years ago

In the context of a culture that doesn't see anything wrong with that kind of "disorderly" behavior, yes it would be dumb.

However Japan is not such a place and its laws reflect its culture.

makeitdouble2• 2 years ago

You're still operating a vehicle and can hurt people/damage property.

To note, at no point you're barred from riding a bike or penalized in a critical way, so why not ?

Sakos• 2 years ago

Germany doesn't allow riding a bike under the influence either and will issue fines for it. If your blood alcohol concentration is too high, you can end up paying a month's salary and be ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation, which might even result in you losing your drivers license. They could even ban you from riding a bicycle if it's established you're too much of an alcoholic.

You're potentially a danger to yourself and the people around you. Why wouldn't it be handled appropriately?

shermantanktop5• 2 years ago

If they bring that to Seattle, we’re going to need to print a lot of blue tickets. A lot.

Cyclists here operate in a gray area a mile wide. They are nominally supposed stop at stop signs and red lights, respect pedestrian right of way, signal turns, and all that stuff. But virtually none do, and I’ve never seen any consequences.

Well, I did witness one karmic consequence where one cyclist t-boned another cyclist as they both sailed through stop signs in SLU, sending the victim flying through the air. Luckily nobody was hurt.

Perhaps this gray area is intentional -lax enforcement due to prioritization or even a tacit understanding that cycling needs encouragement, and tickets are a bummer.

matthewbunge• 2 years ago

Man the number of times while I was at UW that a cyclist just sideswiped me while I was in the middle of a crosswalk instead of just reducing speed momentarily. And they didn't even need to be on the road! Burke-Gilman is right there!

pasabagi5• 2 years ago

Cyclists here operate in a gray area a mile wide. They are nominally supposed stop at stop signs and red lights, respect pedestrian right of way, signal turns, and all that stuff. But virtually none do, and I’ve never seen any consequences.

All of the signage and rules were introduced and installed to make driving safe - because, as your anecdote shows, being an idiot on a bike is just not that dangerous.

If cars drove at an average of 15mph, weighed 30kg, and had the all-around vision of a cyclist, then you wouldn't need so many rules for their use either.

dmz73• 2 years ago

Cyclists always have an excuse for not following the rules...until someone else breaks the rule that benefits the cyclist, then it's the end of the world and you get sworn at like you have just tried to murder them. As a pedestrian, I am more afraid of cyclists and scooters than of cars. Cars actually stop and give way to me, cyclists and scooters never do. They block the footpaths and pedestrian crossings, they ride on the footpath (not allowed here), they ride on the wrong side of the road and in the middle of the lane, they ride through red light while pedestrians are crossing in front of them, I have even seen them ride through red light into intersection in front of busses and cars and pretend there was nothing wrong with that expecting other vehicles to stop. People on two wheels are just the most self absorbed inconsiderate a-holes.

shermantanktop5• 2 years ago

In my anecdote, both cyclists had helmets, gloves, and other safety gear. The pedestrians they ride through and around do not.

Cyclists operate in the uncanny valley between cars and pedestrians. They have the speed of cars, the mass of pedestrians, and the predictability of a spooked squirrel.

paholg• 2 years ago

I've seen drivers do a lot sketchier things than cyclists here.

panick21_• 2 years ago

Cars also have bad enforcement with far, far worse consequences. The issue is, policing cyclist when cars murder 100s of people just doesnt make sense.

Any $ spent on policing cycling is a $ not spent on a policing cars.

And arguable one of the main reasons cyclist behave like they do, is because they fundamentally dont operate in an envoirment that is designed for them. The rules as stated dont actually make sense.

What actually need to happen is for the infrastructure to be actually designed will cycling in mind, and with rules that actually make sense for cycling.

Forcing stopping at stop signs is objectivly dumb for cyclists, just as an example.

shermantanktop5• 2 years ago

How about when they are within 5 feet of a pedestrian about to step into the crosswalk? That one happens to me regularly.

The cyclists have eyes only for cars. We pedestrians are treated like NPCs in a game. I kind of understand it —as you describe, it’s a survival strategy. But it’s incredibly antisocial behavior.

ahmedtd• 2 years ago

In Washington, cyclists can treat stop signs as yield signs, as long as there is no other traffic approaching the intersection.

Obviously, though, if you almost hit a pedestrian then you aren't properly yielding.

jesterson• 2 years ago

Lol, this will never be enforced, even if actually implemented. I want to see all mamachari being fined for the way they ride - but that's never gonna happen

anon-sre-srm• 2 years ago

Davis CA enforces BUI.

inference-lord2• 2 years ago

There is so, so much corruption and white collar "Yakuza" crime in Japan, the economy is going totally backwards along with the population and here is where the effort is going?

Good thing the place has it's priorities straight.

I've never seen cyclists more well behaved than I have in Japan so really not sure what problem they're trying to solve here.

rjh29• 2 years ago

A not insignificant number use their phone or headphones while riding, drink while driving, drive on the pavements, ignore red lights, ride two people on one bike and so forth. There have been many accidents at crossings, especially when bikes don't check for incoming cars.

georgeplusplus• 2 years ago

The damage a bicycle can cause is miniscule, as opposed to vehicles and why drunk driving and cellphone penalties are high for vehicles, the fact that doing this in a car significantly raises the risk for damages to property and life of others.

If drunk bicycling should be illegal, walking intoxicated , sleepy, or with your cellphone out shoukd have criminal penalties as well.

methou• 2 years ago

The starting point at 5000 Yen is a lot of money for people earning Japanese salary. Violations like running red lights are common in most of the busy places.

The only problem is that you don't see cops that often, or they aren't very keen to enforce some subset of the traffic rules, so most probably you'll not get caught 99/100. Same as some other road rules. Don't get me wrong, if you get caught, it can be pretty serious.

ThePowerOfFuet• 2 years ago

While drunk driving by cyclists will be subject to criminal penalties,

So you can't even ride a bike after a drink or two? Wow.

Japan to introduce 'blue ticket' fine system for cyclists

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