Scared of bicyclists riding the wrong way on the sidewalk! I learned the right way to ride a bicycle from the police.

I rarely use my car now and ride around exclusively on my bicycle. (^-^)

I ride my bicycle to work and to go shopping.

I think the area around our house is basically safe, as there are some roads that are not frequented by cars, and there are well-defined roadside strips on large roads and sidewalks for bicycles to pass on.

However…

There are quite a few bicycles coming the wrong way. (>_<)

I’m really scared of bicycles riding backwards and coming towards me from the front!

As you know, it is a rule that bicycles should ride on the left side of the roadway. However, there are so many bicycles that come straight at us on the right side of the roadway without a care in the world.

And only those who ride on the wrong side of the road don’t try to avoid us at all…(>_<) I often feel really scared.

By the way, I understand that this is the case on the roadway, but I often ride on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed. To be honest, I didn’t really know what the rules were on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed to ride.

The way other cyclists ride is also different, and many of them come right at us on the sidewalks where bicycles are allowed, which makes me nervous. (Maybe this one is not called “riding the wrong way”…).

I have been wondering about the rules of bicycle riding, especially the proper rules and manners on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed to pass.

In this article, I would like to write about what the police told me about the correct way to ride a bicycle on the road and on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed, as well as my true feelings about the matter.

Bicycle Riding Rule 1: On the Roadway

Bicycle positioning and basics of how to ride a bicycle

First, the basics! Bicycles are classified as “vehicles” just like cars. (light vehicle).
Therefore, in principle, bicycles should be ridden on the road. And

• Bicycles should ride on the leftmost side of the roadway.
• Bicycles cannot turn right like cars (cross straight and then cross at right angles)

Bicycles are not allowed to make right turns like cars (cross the street straight and cross at right angles).

I am sure everyone understands this.

How do you drive on a road with a roadside strip?

So what about when there is a white “roadside strip” on the road?

The roadside strip is drawn to the left edge of the roadway and is considered an area for bicycles and pedestrians.

I understand that…

There is a neighborhood where there is a roadside strip on only one side of the roadway, and I often see bicycles riding in both directions there.
Also, when the roadside strip disappears in the middle of the road, I feel as if I should not ride from there….

The answer from the Prefectural Police was this.

Whether there is a right-of-way strip or not, even if it disappears in the middle of the road, the general rule is that “bicycles must pass on the left side of the roadway.
Even if there is a right-of-way strip only on the right side of the roadway, it is still a violation to pass on the right side of the roadway.

I see, this seems to be a misunderstanding.

In fact, there are many people who pass on the right side of the road (almost colliding head-on with me) in such places…. Sorry, I am persistent… (^^;)

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Bicycle Riding Rule 2: Can bicycles be ridden on regular sidewalks?

Bicycle Riding Rule 3: Riding on Sidewalks Permitted for Bicycle Traffic

For sidewalks with this sign, there is enough space for bicycles to pass, and bicycles are allowed to pass.

But here is the important thing!

The basic premise is that sidewalks are for pedestrians.
Even if there is a sign that says bicycles are allowed on the sidewalk, the principle that pedestrians have priority comes first.

I was strongly advised to do so by the police,

It is essential to

On top of that…

What I most wanted to ask.

This is something I have always wanted to know.
I have seen other people riding on the sidewalks, but they are all so different.

The answer from the prefectural police was as follows.

The diagram below illustrates this.

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I had always thought that bicycles should pass on the left at both ends of the sidewalk (pedestrians should pass in the middle), so this was a very new realization for me.
This was a very new realization for me.

Well, to be honest, it is quite difficult to ride on the sidewalks where bicycles are allowed, because there are utility poles, trees, garbage collection boxes, etc. But I will leave that aside for now. But I’ll leave that aside for the moment.

And one more big question…

But, one big question arises here.

Under this rule, if both parties drive “close to the roadway”, wouldn’t it look like this? Would this be ○?

Is this what I’m supposed to do…?

Of course, we can’t collide with it, so we have to avoid it…

I asked.

The answer from the prefectural police was.

The rule is that you should pass each other on the sidewalk.

Hmm?

However, I felt this was dangerous even just by imagining it. Even if you move to the left, you are running on the edge of the roadway, and if there is a step on the sidewalk, you may fall on the side of the roadway and fall over.

Since then, when I ride on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed, I ride the way they tell me to, but to be honest, it is really difficult and dangerous.

Often I almost collide with a bicycle coming straight at me from the other side, and I have to stop suddenly or swerve to the center to avoid a collision. In such situations, it is easy to lose balance, and I feel it is quite dangerous.

I feel that it is safer to ride on the left side of the road if the sidewalk is wide enough. I feel that it is safer.

So, I asked further questions to the prefectural police.

I didn’t get a satisfactory answer there, except that “that is the correct way to ride”.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped. Rules are rules, and there is no way that the police would say that it is okay to break the rules. I didn’t ask any more questions either.

In the first place, it is assumed that you should “drive slow enough to stop immediately”.

So,

As a rule, in principle,on sidewalks where bicycles are allowed, bicycles ride close to the roadway (in both directions).

And
When you feel danger, go beyond the principle and take appropriate action to avoid the danger.

I think this is what we should do.

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What I think.

I really learned a lot from the many things I heard this time.

On top of that…if I may express my personal opinion, I think it would be safer for bicycles to ride on the left side of the road on side walks where bicycles are allowed to pass. I think it would be safer.

However, that would mean that the pedestrians would have to walk in the center of the street. If I were a pedestrian, I would understand that it is very scary to have bicycles running on both sides of the road. When I think about it, this idea is not good.

Hmmm…is there any good way to do this?

Maybe make bicycles on the sidewalks one-way?

It would be quite inconvenient, but if only bicycles facing the same direction as the car can ride (closest to the roadway), the danger of head-on collisions would be eliminated. What do you think?

But even for this, it would be meaningless if all bicycle riders did not know the principle.

Finally, I would like to share with you something that the prefectural police said very strongly.

The Bicycle Traffic Safety Book – How to Ride a Bicycle Safely

I received a copy of the booklet “Traffic Safety Book for Bicycles – How to Ride a Bicycle Safely ” published by the All Japan Traffic Safety Association.

This book is very detailed on bicycle rules and manners, so if you are interested, please take a look at it.
If you are interested in this book, you can get it by contacting your local police station or the All-Japan Traffic Safety Association.

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What about riding on the road with a kickboard?

As an added bonus, I also asked about kickboards at the prefectural police station, so I will write a brief note.

For electric kickboards

Effective July 1, 2023, the Road Traffic Law has been amended to relax the requirements for electric kickboards that meet certain conditions, such as no license is required and helmets are mandatory on an effort basis.

Electric kickboards are classified as “motorized bicycles,” but after the law was revised, they are divided into three types: “general motorized bicycles,” “specified small motorized bicycles,” and “special specified small motorized bicycles,

The following changes have been made.

This is good news for those who ride electric kickboards, but we would like to ask you to follow these “conditions if they are met” and ride safely.

↓Please read this article from the Metropolitan Police Department for more details.

Traffic rules for specified small motorized bicycles (electric kickboards, etc.)/Metropolitan Police Department

In the case of non-motorized kickboards

Kickboards are not motorized and cannot be ridden on public roads because they are not vehicles and are not treated the same as bicycles.
They can only be ridden on private property or private roads.

You are not allowed to pedal a kickboard with your feet and use it to commute to work or school! Please don’t do it.

Conclusion

Traffic laws should be obeyed, of course. Basically, I have that in mind as well, and I am not ashamed of the way I ride.

However…the reality is a little different, and since many people ride bicycles in various ways, there are likely to be cases where just following the rules will result in an accident.

It would be a real disaster if an accident occurred as a result of stubbornly following the rules that were set up to prevent accidents from occurring. I think it is important to avoid danger by making decisions on the spot.

At the same time, I believe that it is very important to educate children about traffic rules from a young age and to study and check traffic rules even after they become adults to some extent.