November 5: Around Area 1 (in front of the student plaza)
November 8: In front of Hirasuna dorms
November 9: In front of Ichinoya dorms

The purpose of these events is to educate people about using bicycle lights at night. People will be handing out flyers and calling out to cyclists with megaphones.

1. Changes to the rules regarding bicycles driving on the sidewalk

You may ride your bicycle on the sidewalk under the following conditions.
- If there is a sign that specifically permits riding bicycles on the sidewalk.
- If you are under 13 or over 70 years of age.
- When you have to because of road or traffic conditions.

Cyclists must ride slowly on the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles. However, if there are no pedestrians on the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles, or if there are no pedestrians who are trying to walk on that part of the sidewalk, then cyclists can go at a safe speed using proper and safe riding techniques. Pedestrians must also make an effort to avoid the part of the sidewalk that is designated for bicycles.

2. Children must wear helmets when riding bicycles or when being carried on a bicycle that is being driven by someone else.

3. All passengers must wear seatbelts, including those in the back seat. If the driver or any of the passengers are not wearing a seatbelt in a car that is driving on the toll highways, the driver will be punished.

4. Elderly drivers (above 75 years of age) must display an "elderly driver" mark on their cars. People between the ages of 70 to 75 years of age "should" display the mark. (The elderly driver symbol is in the shape of a tear drop. It is cut down the middle and the left half is orange and the right half is yellow.)

5. People who are hard of hearing are now able to get a driver's license if they use a special wide mirror. They must display a "hard of hearing mark" on their cars. Other drivers are forbidden from cutting off or aggressively passing cars with such marks. (The "hard of hearing" symbol is a green circle with a yellow butterfly inside.)

More Information

• Ibaraki Prefectural Police Website (Japanese)
• Topics on Traffic and Safety on the Police Website (Japanese)
• Amendments to Traffic Laws (Effective June 2008, Japanese)
• Amendments to Traffic Laws (Effective September 2007, English)
• Basic Traffic Safety Instructions (English)

2 Comments

• At May 24, 2008, Anonymous wrote:

  it seems you should insert "not" in your first condition.

• At May 24, 2008, Shaney wrote:

  I'm not sure what you mean. Can you please elaborate?

=============================================

Several traffic laws changed on June 20, 2007 and will come into force within a certain amount of time after that date. For example, it will soon be mandatory for people to wear seatbelts in the back seats of cars, and fines and imprisonment terms for drunk drivers and people who do not stop drunk drivers from driving will be stiffened.

1. Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

(These laws come into effect within three months of June 20.)

a. Rules Affecting the Driver

Drunk Driving
Old Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Old Law: Penalty of less than one year imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

Refusing Breathalyser Test
Old Law: Penalty of less than 300,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

b. Rules Affecting Accomplices to the Driver

Providing a Vehicle to Someone who Could be Under the Influence of Alcohol
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine

Providing Alcohol to Someone who is Likely to Drive
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than two years imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine

Asking or Requesting Someone who is Known to be Under the Influence of Alcohol to Drive and Accompanying Him/Her in the Car
Old Law: None
New Law: In the case of a drunk driver: Penalty of less than three years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
In the case of a driver under the influence of alcohol: Penalty of less than two years imprisonment or less than 300,000 yen fine

c. Rules About Hit and Run

Old Law: Penalty of less than five years imprisonment or less than 500,000 yen fine
New Law: Penalty of less than ten years imprisonment or less than 1,000,000 yen fine

2. Laws Regarding Elderly Drivers

(These laws come into effect within one or two years of June 20.)

Drivers over 75 must take a test within six months prior to the expiry date of their license. (Comes into effect within two years.)

Drivers over 75 must display an "elderly driver" sign on their cars. Other drivers must not interfere with vehicles displaying such marks. (Comes into effect within one year.)

3. Laws Regarding Cyclists

(These laws come into effect within one year of June 20.)

In addition to sidewalks that are designated as open to bicycles, other sidewalks can be used by cyclists who are too young to use the road or who are forced to use the sidewalk because of road conditions.

Children must be told to wear helmets when riding bicycles.

4. Laws to Reduce Injuries

(These laws come into effect within one year of June 20.)

Drivers must ensure that passengers in the back seat use seat belts.

Sources: 広報つくば平成１９年８月１５日号：p4、茨城県警察：道路交通法一部改正

2 Comments

• At August 20, 2007, Dan Waldhoff wrote:

  In my home town, HI USA last year a drunk driver was picked up, jailed and released four different times within a 24 hour span and two of those times were in unregistered, uninsured cars .He was also driving drunk with a suspended driving license. I prefer laws with teeth and their good enforcement. Lucky we live in Japan!

• At September 29, 2007, TsukuBlog » Free Beer in Moriya wrote:

  [...] to the breweries. Just remember to bring a designated driver, or use public transportation as the laws against drunk driving have recently been stiffened. Related [...]

Here are the statistics for vehicle theft in 2006 from the two police stations and the top five satellite offices in Tsukuba.

Tsukuba Central Police Station

Car thefts = 150 (down 26)
Motorcycle thefts = 235 (up 63)
Bicycle thefts = 693 (up 107)

Tsukuba North Police Station

Car thefts = 43 (up 7)
Motorcycle thefts = 7 (no change)
Bicycle thefts = 47 (up 3)

Tsukuba Station Koban

Car thefts = 13 (up 4)
Motorcycle thefts = 89 (up 27)
Bicycle thefts = 401 (up 75)

Matsushiro Koban

Car thefts = 30 (up 3)
Motorcycle thefts = 83 (up 8)
Bicycle thefts = 232 (up 19)

Tateno Office

Car thefts = 12 (down 15)
Motorcycle thefts = 14 (up 5)
Bicycle thefts = 40 (up 6)

Yatabe Koban

Car thefts = 28 (up 5)
Motorcycle thefts = 6 (up 2)
Bicycle thefts = 31 (up 3)

Namiki Koban

Car thefts = 9 (down 14)
Motorcycle thefts = 8 (no change)
Bicycle thefts = 42 (down 5)

2 Comments

• At June 26, 2007, dimaks wrote:

  wow! i wonder where would the thieves bring those stolen cars/bikes/bicycles untraced within Japan.. hmm

  well, better safe than sorry. a friend lost his newly bought bicycle last year, in full chain lock. these guys must be carrying bolt cutter all along :) or perhaps a van to load up.

• At June 26, 2007, TsukuBlog » Receive Area Crime Reports on Your Computer or on Your Cellphone wrote:

  [...] of TsukuBlog readers is a series of motorcycle thefts in the area. As Shaney wrote in her post “Increase in Bike and Motorcycle Theft in Tsukuba,” the bike and motorcycle thefts are on the rise at an alarming rate. Three Namiki residents found [...]

Moving bicycles before opening for business- at the Days Town Parking lot in Tsukuba at 9:30 on a weekday morning

I was without bicycle again. Though Japan is still one of best countries in the world ( if not THE best ) in terms of physical safety and the security of one`s  private property( despite the recent rise in burglaries, confidence games, and sensational murders), my bike was missing AGAIN after I had left it overnight in front of the Seibu Department Store in Tsukuba. To tell the truth, I was not even surprised. I expected it to be missing when I got there, because it had happened so many times before ( no, I DONT learn from past mistakes!). When I got to where I had left it and did find that it was in fact missing, I muttered a fatalistic " I knew it", to myself, and assuming it had been stolen ( since I had locked it and thus if it hadnt been stolen it would certainly be in the same place), I gave up and walked away thinking dejectedly about how I would now have to buy another bike.  I was resigned to a belief  in something I had heard repeated again and again over the years- that in Japan there are two items which are fair game for the taking- unlocked bicycles and umbrellas. And though most of my stolen bikes HAD been locked, because of my accepting that notion, I ASSUMED that all my bicycles has been stolen.

Trick of the trade- putting the locked wheel up on a pallette so that the bike can be rolled away!

But last week, I made a discovery which now makes me bite my tongue for having so often complained of bicycle thieves in Tsukuba ( though there certainly are some). Ironically, it was because I DIDNT have a bike on that day that I was able to do so. That and because it was such a fine INDIAN SUMMER morning. For these reasons I decided to walk to the small shopping center called DAYZ TOWN to get my cell phone fixed. And since I had an appointment at 10:15 AM ( I teach a folk-singing class), I had to get to be at the shop right at the 10 o`clock opening time, so that I would be able to make it to work on time ON FOOT. Not being sure of EXACTLY how long it would take to get to DAYZ TOWN, I gave myself an hour. Much too much time, but I planned on enjoying the beautiful day.

I ended up arriving at the shopping center, about 25 minutes before 10, when all its doors were still closed. I decided to sit on a bench adjacent to the big parking lot which lies between DAYZ TOWN and the big Toyota dealership. I took out my dog-earred copy of Don Quixote ( Cohen`s translation) which I was re-reading, and set about savoring each delicious sentence in the mid-autumn glare.

Then suddenly

RRRRRRRRRRRRRROOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

my concentration was broken. I looked up to see a middle-aged DAYZ TOWN employee walking a bicycle past me. What was making the noise was the pallette on wheels which the bicycle`s back wheel had been placed on.

"What the?", I thought to myself.

Then I realized that the back wheel of the bike was locked and had to be placed on the pallete for easy rolling. I watched as he took his ward all the way to the end of the parking lot, where there seemed to be MANY more bikes clumped together. He dropped it off there with the rest and started back.

 At the same time I noticed another employee, busy at the same task.  He also passed by me bearing a locked bicycle on a wheeled pallette. RRRRRRROOOOLLLLLLL.

It struck me like satori! Locked bicycles CAN be moved without much difficulty! The pallettes! Ingenious!

 Maybe all the shops in Tsukuba ( and Japan) clear the bikes left out in front their entranceways every morning ( or at some other regular intervals). It made perfect sense!

I watched them a their task for 15 minutes, until they had cleared away all the bikes which had been left parked near the shopping center`s and tranferred then to a kind of holding center for bikes at the far end of the parking lot.

I realized that all the bicycles that I had lost around the Seibu Department Store might not have been stolen after all! They might have merely been moved!

Bicycles which have been moved away from the entrance to Seibu Department Store bthetheIt is NO EASY TASK locating your missing bicycle in a place like this

After finishing up my business at the phone shop and then my class over at Tsukuba Center, I immediately headed towards the department store. Walking around the vicinity of where I had left my most recently disappeared bike, I found two area jam packed with bikes, one to the north and one to the south ( though all within a 70 meter area). Looking for one particular bicycle was no easy task considering how densely packed they were standing, but to my great surprise ( relief, embarrassment AND satisfaction) I FOUND MY BIKE. Still locked. As final proof that it was mine, I slipped the key ( which I still had in my pocket) into the lock, and VOILA!

I had never thought of looking at any separate areas before because I had assumed that moving locked bikes would be to troublesome of a task. I never had imagined that they would use wheeled pallettes to due the task!

I plan to go back and do a bit more rummaging. I might find some of my older missing bicycles!

A cluster of relocated bicycles near Seibu in Tsukuba

So if you`ve  had a bike that you thought had been stolen (which had been left out overnight ( for some reason) in front of a shop or shopping center), you too might find them -  moved out of the way, to some nearby location- by Tsukuba`s indefatiguable early morning bike-movers!

Sorry. I cant help you with your lost umbrellas!

Mt. Tsukuba Rent-a-Cycle

Available until November 30
Rent bicycles between 9am and 3pm, return them by 6:30pm
Fee: 500 yen per day (Elementary school students and under 250 yen)
16 bicycles for adults, 2 for children
Kanto Tetsudo North Parking Lot (029-866-0510)

Tsukuba Station Rent-a-Cycle

Available every day except between December 29 and January 3
Rent bicycles between 9am and 4pm, return them by 6:30pm
Fee: 500 yen per day (Elementary school students and under 250 yen)
29 bicycles for adults, 6 for children
Tsukuba Tourist Office (in Tsukuba Station) (029-855-8155)

For more information, contact the Tourism and Local Products Division of Tsukuba City Hall (029-836-1111 ext.3246)

Okay, I may not have succeeded in making it sound like fun to fill out a traffic survey, but I think it is important to think about things like improving the infrastructure of our city every now and then. It's especially important these days because the population of the city is growing -- and judging by all the horrid mansions (condos) going up around the city, we are in for a major population boom in the next little while. If traffic flow is a problem now, it is only going to get worse when we add more people into the mix.

The National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management is doing a survey on traffic problems in Tsukuba and the results of the survey will be shared with the city and prefectural governments. The survey is only available in Japanese, so you might have to get some help filling it out if you can't read kanji. The questions are really simple, though. There are three separate streams, with questions covering traffic jams, dangerous spots, and places where bicycles are parked illegally. In the stream covering traffic jams, you are asked to identify a spot in Tsukuba where traffic jams often happen by clicking on a map and then you have to indicate what times of the day are the worst, etc.

The deadline for responding is March 26, 2007.