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.

1. When there is no designated area for bicycle, you must slowly proceed on the pedestrian zone closer to the road traffic.
2. 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.

How to proceed the roadside zone

Type of roadside zone

Roadside zone available for bicycles

Roadside zone NOT available for bicycles 

Roadside zone with two white lines means "Pedestrians Only"