What is the law in Japan regarding seating a child at the front and a child at the rear of the bicycle?
May 25, 2011 12:35 PM Subscribe
What is the law in Japan regarding seating a child at the front and a child at the rear of the bicycle?
I heard that it is illegal to ride on a bicycle in Japan with one child on the front and one at the rear (on a child seat). Is this true? Is this rule enforced?
If it is, what is the fine?
I heard that it is illegal to ride on a bicycle in Japan with one child on the front and one at the rear (on a child seat). Is this true? Is this rule enforced?
If it is, what is the fine?
It may depend on the prefecture. This page for Shizuoka says that Shizuoka laws were recently changed to allow it if the bike meets certain requirements:
http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/kenmin/km-130/zitensyadouzyou210701.html
I can't imagine that Shizuoka is the only place to allow it, and I've seen folks doing it here in Kanagawa, but idle googling didn't turn up any laws at the national level. If you don't live in Shizuoka, I would search your prefecture's web site and/or just ask at city hall and/or the police.
IANAL, etc.
posted by No-sword at 3:36 PM on May 25, 2011
http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/kenmin/km-130/zitensyadouzyou210701.html
I can't imagine that Shizuoka is the only place to allow it, and I've seen folks doing it here in Kanagawa, but idle googling didn't turn up any laws at the national level. If you don't live in Shizuoka, I would search your prefecture's web site and/or just ask at city hall and/or the police.
IANAL, etc.
posted by No-sword at 3:36 PM on May 25, 2011
I can't really help, but maybe you could find an English-speaking policeman and ask (unless your Japanese is up to scratch). Japanese police tend to be pretty helpful, and it's my understanding that it shouldn't be too hard to find someone with a reasonable level of English ability in the major cities anyway. It's also possible debito-san might be willing to take on this question, though he generally deals more with immigration/foreigner issues.
posted by zachlipton at 3:44 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by zachlipton at 3:44 PM on May 25, 2011
TECHNICALLY I think it's illegal.
I ride my kids in Japan every day on the bicycle, though, and no one obeys the law.
Basically, they made having two kids on a bike illegal a year or so ago, but the real power in Japan, ie the moms, rose up in anger, and the government/police quickly made it clear this is one law they won't be enforcing.
Technically helmets are also required, but most people don't use them (I do). In fact, most moms roam around Japan with two kids on the bicycle, no helmets, and not even bothering to use the safety straps. Police don't care.
Car seats are also technically required in Japan, but again most people don't use them. It's really disgraceful, actually.
posted by zachawry at 5:11 PM on May 25, 2011
I ride my kids in Japan every day on the bicycle, though, and no one obeys the law.
Basically, they made having two kids on a bike illegal a year or so ago, but the real power in Japan, ie the moms, rose up in anger, and the government/police quickly made it clear this is one law they won't be enforcing.
Technically helmets are also required, but most people don't use them (I do). In fact, most moms roam around Japan with two kids on the bicycle, no helmets, and not even bothering to use the safety straps. Police don't care.
Car seats are also technically required in Japan, but again most people don't use them. It's really disgraceful, actually.
posted by zachawry at 5:11 PM on May 25, 2011
Shibuya-ku recently made it illegal, but it was quite the objection against it, that it was relaxed again. I believe it is acceptable if your bike follow some requirement, ie, having being made to carry two (rather than just added on).
Shibuya-ku posted a bilingual sign on the rules by the bike parks, I can probably take a picture of it if you want.
Personal feelings aside, statistically speaking, their system is working.
posted by lundman at 6:57 PM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Shibuya-ku posted a bilingual sign on the rules by the bike parks, I can probably take a picture of it if you want.
Personal feelings aside, statistically speaking, their system is working.
posted by lundman at 6:57 PM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
The rule that was introduced (then pulled, or not enforced) said that to ride a child on a bike, the bike had to be one of the electric assist models (which tend to start around $700). Supposedly one is legal, two is not, but at least here in Chiba, you'd have to do something pretty amazing to get the police to even wake up, let alone chase you down. I see parents with two kids on their bikes every day, not a few of them riding one-handed while texting with the other hand, with neither kid wearing helmets.
What the law says, and what the police will do are often two very different things here.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:30 PM on May 25, 2011
What the law says, and what the police will do are often two very different things here.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:30 PM on May 25, 2011
Best answer: It's legal -- on certain kinds of bicycles.
The Road Safety Law was amended in 2009 to allow three riders on a bicycle, taking effect from July 1, 2009. Bicycles that are safely authorized to have three riders (an adult and two children) are supposed to have this mark affixed somewhere. These authorized bicycles tend to be expensive, with the cheapest non-electric models starting at around 30,000 yen and electric-assist models from 100,000 yen. Obviously helmets are required for the children.
You will sometimes see two teenagers/adults riding on a bicycle (the passenger usually riding sideways on the rear rack). This is and has always been illegal, and I have seen police yell at people to get off when they see it.
posted by armage at 9:20 PM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Road Safety Law was amended in 2009 to allow three riders on a bicycle, taking effect from July 1, 2009. Bicycles that are safely authorized to have three riders (an adult and two children) are supposed to have this mark affixed somewhere. These authorized bicycles tend to be expensive, with the cheapest non-electric models starting at around 30,000 yen and electric-assist models from 100,000 yen. Obviously helmets are required for the children.
You will sometimes see two teenagers/adults riding on a bicycle (the passenger usually riding sideways on the rear rack). This is and has always been illegal, and I have seen police yell at people to get off when they see it.
posted by armage at 9:20 PM on May 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oh, and the fine for riding with one or two passengers on an unauthorized bicycle (or doing so with passengers who are not children) is no more than 20,000 yen.
posted by armage at 9:25 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by armage at 9:25 PM on May 25, 2011
What armage says about a fine might be true, but you have about as much of a chance of being fined for this as you do for spitting in NYC.
posted by zachawry at 10:05 PM on May 25, 2011
posted by zachawry at 10:05 PM on May 25, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks everybody, great answers.
armage, great link.
If I could be more specific, I'm wondering particularly about Sapporo.
lundman, I would like to see a picture if it's not too hard.
posted by ovesh at 2:05 AM on May 26, 2011
armage, great link.
If I could be more specific, I'm wondering particularly about Sapporo.
lundman, I would like to see a picture if it's not too hard.
posted by ovesh at 2:05 AM on May 26, 2011
The Road Transport Law is a national one, so the rules set down by the National Policy Agency apply nationwide.
And zachawry is right -- I've never heard of anyone being fined for just having two people on a bicycle. If you cause an accident, though, I expect that would change.
posted by armage at 4:18 PM on May 26, 2011
And zachawry is right -- I've never heard of anyone being fined for just having two people on a bicycle. If you cause an accident, though, I expect that would change.
posted by armage at 4:18 PM on May 26, 2011
In fact, most moms roam around Japan with two kids on the bicycle, no helmets, and not even bothering to use the safety straps.
I saw one young (hot) mama climb out of her car from behind the steering wheel clutching her toddler, a ciggie, and a cell phone.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:52 AM on May 27, 2011
I saw one young (hot) mama climb out of her car from behind the steering wheel clutching her toddler, a ciggie, and a cell phone.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:52 AM on May 27, 2011
Oopsie, I forgot all about it. Took this on the way home today, it's just from my mobile phone.
posted by lundman at 3:07 AM on June 1, 2011
posted by lundman at 3:07 AM on June 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by KokuRyu at 1:41 PM on May 25, 2011