Traffic Offence

[gentleman quality]

has anyone on here ever been busted for a traffic offence? i've had many run-ins with the law both in a car and on a scooter but never have had to pay before. lots of butt-kissing and excuses have got me off the hook, but now i think i'm in over my head.

they got me for driving without a license on the scooter recently. i knew the int'l license was expired and wasnt even valid anyway- and i told them. since its the third time i've been caught in the same area (chuo-ku, tokyo), looks like they might drop a massive fine on me (300000 is the max i heard). the penalty is still pending.

i heard that the baseball player tuffy rhodes got fined for driving on an expired license recently. but i'm hoping this isnt the precendent.

anybody else have any experience with talking to the cops?

[kiisu]

If you don't mind me asking, I'm very curious as to why you keep getting stopped by the police while you are riding your scooter? What are you doing?

[Dr.Drew]

Dude, like the old song goes:


"I fought the law and the law won..."

You knowingly broke the law in Japan, not once, but SEVERAL TIMES!! Japanese judges are not known for their sympathy. Get ready to pay the maximum penalty, and if you are lucky, you MIGHT be able to apply for a Japanese license after that. However, you might also be restricted from driving at all in Japan. You also may get a lot of grief from your Bosses, as you will cause them lots of shame/inconvenience by your carelessness.

NOTE TO ALL GAIJIN IN JAPAN: GET YOUR JAPANESE LICENSE AFTER 1 YEAR OR YOU WILL BE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW!!

[gentleman quality]

drew- "NOTE TO ALL GAIJIN IN JAPAN: GET YOUR JAPANESE LICENSE AFTER 1 YEAR OR YOU WILL BE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW!!" -->no, actually if you have a scooter, int'l license is NEVER valid.

kiisu- bcuz the police in chuo-ku are NAZIS
by the way, the same cops in chuo-ku have stopped me on a bicycle before (once) and just walking down the street (twice). so i've been pulled over while using 4 different methods of transportation. if i had a skateboard, they would no doubt pull me over on that too.

heard the same about adachi-ku. beware.

[Glenski]

Get the proper license, and you won't have to worry about penalties or being pulled over by "Nazis" when it is clearly YOU who are in the wrong..
(Read between the asterisks first.)

http://japaninfo.esmartweb.com/bikerfaq-classes.html
There are four classes of motorized two-wheeled vehicles in Japan, with different licensing requirements, rules, and such. The classes are demarked by engine size.

The Motor Vehicle Law (SHARYOUHOU, probably governs licencing and registration issues) demarks them into three classes, while the Road Traffic Law (DOUROKOUTSUU, probably governs the vehicle operation) into four.

Engine size: Up to 50cc
Motor Vehicle Law: 第一種原動機付き自転車 (第一種原原付き) DAI ISSHU GENDOUKITUKI JIDOUSHA (DAI ISSHU GENTSUKI)
Class 1 Engine-Attached Bicycle
Road Traffic Law: 原動機付き自転車 (原原付き) GENDOUKITUKI JIDOUSHA (GENTSUKI) Engine-Attached Bicycle
Common names: Scooter, gentsuki
Speed Limit: 30 km/h (but routinely ignored)
Passengers: Never allowed
Travel restrictions: Must stay to the left 1m of street (but often ignored). Not allowed on the expressways. See below about right turns.
License plate: Small, white
************************************************** ****************************
License: Easy paper-only test. Japanese car license includes this permission as well (but international endorsement of a foreign license does not).
************************************************** ****************************
Mandatory Insurance: 7850, 9800, 11600 yen for 1, 2, and 3 years

[kurogane]

GQ,

I hope you realise that it is foreigners like you who make life ever so difficult for us peevish long termers who seemingly have nothing better to do than respond in pedantic, self-righteous tones, and provide painfully detailed allegedly helpful information that is in itself intended as a pedantic device to help vent our obvious frustration at our empty, pointless lives lived teaching a people a language they netiher need nor really want to learn, which in turn allows select members of the expatriate intellectual aristocracy an opportunity to berate through badly written parody those very same peevish long termers who refuse to follow orders and stop being such priggish little sh&&ts.

Hope you don't get hit to hard by the judge. Chin Up.

[Mahou]

Why am I not surprised?

[gentleman quality]

these cops live to squash freedom-loving people like US! why take their side? did i do something morally wrong? btw, glenski- did you take your name from GENSKI ie engine-attached bicycle? obviously you are an expert on the subject. i know all that crap about scooter rules too, the cops have pulled me over about 15 times since i moved to Tokyo. they always tell me what i did wrong and give me a warning and let me go on my merry old way! never got handed a ticket in all those times. didnt think it was such a big freekin deal - thats why i never got a license.

[Der Fuehrer]

Freedom loving US????? That would be the same freedom that bombs anyone who disagrees with them, so I presume you're talking about freeing children's arms from their bodies or somthing.....
I'm getting tired of taking anti-foreigner flak caused by US citizens. If you don't like the rules, go home. You are not in America! Try respecting the local culture for a change.

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

Sounds like the cops in your area are VERY ANTI GAIJIN.

In 14 years of living here I have only ever been stoped twice.

[mmiissp]

Der Fueher:
think he meant "us", "we" ie NOT THE POLICE.

GQ:
good luck but gotta say mate, even before u got pulled over the FIRST TIME u must have had an inkling that driving anything without a licence probably isnt a great idea...Its been said but even the NAZIEST OF NAZIS cant do much if u dont break the law...

peace

[truth hurts]

I'm getting tired of taking anti-foreigner flak caused by US citizens. If you don't like the rules, go home. You are not in America! Try respecting the local culture for a change.

BRAVO! BRAVO!

[Glenski]

gq,

Never heard of GENSKI. My nickname is my own. I am not an expert on engine-attached bicycles. I merely did a very simple web search to hand you the information that I did.

I have not "taken the side" of the police. I merely pointed out that you were wrong in not holding a proper license. You can't deny that, and to brush it off by saying you "didnt think it was such a big freekin deal" even though you were stopped 15 TIMES (!!!!!!) shows how little you care about the law. No, you didn't do anything MORALLY wrong. You did something LEGALLY wrong. Now you have to pay the price. That's not "crap".

So, they didn't give you a ticket all of those times. Big deal.
So, they harass you a lot, for whatEVER reasons. If you don't like it that much, MOVE.

Just what DID you do wrong all of those times? At least the police told you THAT. If you call that "squashing" people, that's YOUR interpretation, but not one of many others. You seem just to upset about going to court to admit you are WRONG and have BEEN wrong for a long time.

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Hackneyed, but suitable here.

[rooney]

Some people did less bad things under the Nazis and got worse treatment y`know

[vikichan]

You must be doing something wrong to get stopped so often! Like CLOWNPUNCHER I've been here 17 years myself and have only been stopped once. It was a totally stupid thing I did, and about 9 years ago. Didn't want my friend to miss the last train back to Tokyo from Saitama and didn't bother to look at the signs about not pulling into the train station area before I did it. Did it right in front of a cop (station koban) felt really stupid and apologized myself to death. I was so humilitaed begging for forgiveness and learned that no matter what the situation is you have to obey the rules (esp. when the cops are nearby!)
I'm not an angel but I am on my third gold license! Had a friend who drove on an International license from 1995-last summer. Even after the law changed she didn't get the Japanese license. I believe she tried three times or so our boss told me. If I couldn't have my Japanese license I wouldn't drive, I'm not above the rules and I'm not ready to go to jail or pay such a huge fine. Also with the new rules if you get into an accident your insurance will (probably) not pay becuase legally you are driving without a license and therefore not insurable. My insurance company said they wouldn't pay as the insurance is void. I'd assume in an accident then you'd be going to jail for no insurance as well. I think foreigners breaking this law are better off caught before the accident.
Someday I'll probably get a ticket for speeding or parking illegally (though that habit seems to have gotten away from me, I used to do that all the time but I'm getting better at this one!!) Still have the lead foot though but with more and more "gotcha cameras" (as my friend calls them!) I have noticed myself slowing down. The gold license will do that to you, I really think they give those to make people obey the laws more. My friends w/out gold ones speed, park illegally and don't care becuase they don't have "anything to lose" but I find myself thinking constantly about "not wanting to lose the gold license!!"
Anyway, I'm not meaning to preach but the law is the law and unfortunately every time a foreigner breaks one the rest of the foreigners look bad. It is just how it works. A Japanese person gets caught and it isn't a big deal, except to that person. One of us does it and it looks bad for everyone. Unfortunately that is just the way it is and those of us who have lived here for a long time and who intend to remain here permanently wish it wasn't so. (IMHO).

[ExAET]

gq,

ya said it yourself.. 15 times... ya knew it... ya ignored it...

It ain't like anyone's taking sides or nothing but ya put yourself in a position where if they stopped you again, they could do something about it. Its like pulling up to a stop sign back home. "But officer, I slowed down!". Its petty but in the end, you are in the "wrong". Chalk it up to experience (15 at that =) and get a license.

[gentleman quality]

let me clarify. i thought through the first 13 or so stoppings by the cops that the int'l license was ok for a scooter. i had a proper int'l license and the cops dont really understand how it works anyway so they always let me off with just a warning. when they pulled me over the 14th time, they finally discovered int'l license was invalid for a scooter, and brought me into the police station and gave me a 4 hour lecture/paperwork session. they made me promise to get a real license. i am in the process of getting the necessary paperwork for that so i'm being very careful about obeying the law.

finally, last week, i was just riding to the supermarket and the CHUO-kU police THUGS had a roadblock set up on the other side of a bridge and were running into the middle of a busy 4-lane road in central tokyo like f*ckin MANIACS physically pulling over every person riding a vehicle with 2 wheels. this isnt the first time i've seen this either. the guy with the big stick was running out into the middle of the road last time.

the real reason i posted here was not because i want simpathy, i just wanted to hear if anybody else had cop stories to tell..

[richard]

To all those who answered the above post:
For another angle to GQ's post, please go over to transportation forum and scroll down to the 14th one, "frustrating license."

GQ:
With all due respect, why didn't you just hold off 'till you got the license situation settled? Sorry but this sounds to me like "a situation just waiting to happen." If this were to happen in any other country, you would still be subject to the traffic laws of that country (unless you could bribe your way out of it). And if it were shown on your record (in another country) that you had 15 different violations, it is possible that the judge may throw the book at you. So why should Japan be different? Traffic cops are traffic cops anywhere in the world. I do empathize with you in that they do SEEM to single out scooter/motor bike riders but I have no statistics on that - just an impression.

But I wish you the best of luck in getting this settled. I really cannot answer or give you any input on your question about fines etc.
R.

P.S. The Tuffy Rhodes situation was written up in a short article in Monday's JT. The article said that he was found illegally parked with an expired int'l driver's license. He and the Yomiuri giants apologized and he was verbally reprimanded by the Giants and his case was sent on for resolution in the traffic court system. This was what the article said. More than likely, he will get a fine, pay it and move on.

[gentleman quality]

japan shouldnt be any different. i'm not saying anything like that. i do wonder if the police everywhere else around japan are such brutes like chuo-ku. man- !! when i told them i didnt have a license, about 20 guys descended on me and shoved me into a police car. then when i got to the police station another crowd of dudes is standing all around me laughing at me. they talk down to you like youre a common criminal, keep you in detention for 3-4 hours, and never tell you whats going on, even when you ask politely (with keigo).. i wondered if anyone else had experiences like this.


i also wonder why is it especially hard for Americans, Brazilians, etc to transfer their licenses over to a japanese one while people from Europe, and other selected countries are on easy street. i know the answer to that question already, so please dont answer it. its just frustrating. and my damn BMV back in the USA wont send me what i need to transfer my license over.

[Glenski]

"i thought through the first 13 or so stoppings by the cops that the int'l license was ok for a scooter."
So, you didn't even bother to check whether you were driving legally or not...all THIRTEEN TIMES!


"i had a proper int'l license and the cops dont really understand how it works anyway so they always let me off with just a warning. when they pulled me over the 14th time, they finally discovered int'l license was invalid for a scooter"
So, it took them a long time to realize you were driving illegally. That was your ONLY saving grace. They weren't the ONLY ones who ""don't really understant how it works"".

"the CHUO-kU police THUGS had a roadblock set up on the other side of a bridge and were running into the middle of a busy 4-lane road in central tokyo like f*ckin MANIACS physically pulling over every person riding a vehicle with 2 wheels."
Soooooooooooooo, this time they WEREN'T discriminating against poor little you, were they? EVERY person was stopped on 2 wheels.

"this isnt the first time i've seen this either."
Where's my T-shirt that says "I'm with stupid here". Get real, man. You have not only blown it over a dozen times, but you have more egg on your face than a grocery store window on Halloween.

[gentleman quality]

blah blah blah..

[dribbling in continents]

Reading glumskis posts makes me want to spend all of my money on drugs. Got a spreadsheet for that? Sorry, but the man simply has no soul.

[Blues]

GQ,
Do you violate traffic laws in your home country? more than likely you do. You seem to be the type of person who just doesn`t respect the law. You claim the Police in Chuo-ku are Nazis, because they`ve stopped you. Yet they`ve let you go. In most cities in America you would find yourself at the city Jail being played with by some real hard characters. You have come to a country, as a guest of that country. and it was your choice to come, they did not ask you to come. So is it too hard to follow the laws of that country. Or are you the type of spoled person who is too good for that? You seem to have an excuse for everything and to you you are an innocent person. B---S---t, you are worried cause finally you may be made to pay for thinking that you are better than anyone. About time, I say. People like you should not be allowed to leave their own country, because I hate to say it but you give the rest of us foreigners a bad name. But I sincerely hope the judge will be lenient on you and just Kicks your Butt out of the country. It would be the best thing he could do.

[Glenski]

Oh grow up, dribbling. How long did you have to think to dream up that insipid nickname for me? AAUGGHHHHHHH. I'm sooooooo hurt.

I don't see you contributing a single thing to this guy's question.

[dribbling in continents]

Not trying to "hurt" you, just thought "Glumski" was more in keeping with your drab, soulless, piously pontificating persona. That's all.

[ballbags]

Glenski,

Lots of good info there for the scooter rider, but I'm interested where you got the one about riding within 1m of the kerb. I've read the "Rules of the Road" manual and I can't find that one! Is it new?

This is a genuine question, not a rebuff of your reply to GQ.

[mrsmith68]

Just a quick question on the driving licence.
I have a car and a full motorcycle (A) licence but ive recently heard that you have to take another test to ride a machine over 400cc is this true?
also can you carry pillion on motorways??

thanx.

[Glenski]

ballbags,
As I wrote (but may be deeply embedded in that message), all information was snipped from the following web site:
http://japaninfo.esmartweb.com/bikerfaq-classes.html

I suspect the Rules of the Road isn't specific enough to state rules for scooters. I haven't looked at my copy recently.

dribbling,
Yeah, yeah. "Pontificating". Heard that one before. Why not aim those comments at the others on this thread who said the same things I did?

[mrsmith68]

Ahh! ive been riding my partners scooter on my UK car/motorcycle license, and my UK motorcycle licence.. i was told by my insurance company that this was ok?????

[Glenski]

http://www.thejapanfaq.com/bikerfaq-classes.html
http://japaninfo.esmartweb.com/bikerfaq-menkyo.html
http://www.lewkiw.com/html/mc2.html#license

[mrsmith68]

Ahhhh Thankyou Glenski.

[kantoking]

Must be a bad area... scooters get pulled over all the time. Good to keep your documents up to date. As far as expired licenses goes, almost seems to be an institution here, much like drunk driving. (not starting an argument, just what i have observed)

I have been pulled over more times than i care to recall, and yes they were my fault. Not bad driving (i made an illegal turn 1 time) just faulty equipment. Some things they do dont make sense, like tail-light out, lets search his car. License plate lamp out, lets search his car. But they never find anything, so i never get in trouble *but they ALWAYS search*.

Poeople dont like to feel like you are treating them as if they are stupid. It becomes an insult, it sounds like what this is. I dont get pulled over for the same thing, or at least not in the same place.

truth hurts: Japan is changing, more foriegners, more mixed blood. Who is gaijin and who is not is getting blurred. Growing pains buddy, time for japan to buy new shoes when its feet get to big. All part of being internationalized.

[gentleman quality]

speaking of that-- i got pulled over near Ginza (also chuo-ku) once because there was a purse-snatcher on a scooter so everyone on a scooter was stopped by the police. i done nothing wrong, but they stopped me and searched my bike and my bag. i ended up missing an appointment.

[iwantmyrightsnow]

Not sure of the law on it but why would you allow them to search, even if you have nothing? Out of principal I refuse. It has led to a few arguments but I think it is worth it.

[gentleman quality]

iwantmyrightsnow (or anyone else) -
right now i'm in limbo where the police havent decided whether to charge me with anything (ie- driving without a license ie- 無免許) or how much to fine me, and weeks have passed since the initial meeting we had. they have my keitai and home phone number and claim that if i dont come back down to the police station (ON NO NOTICE) whenever they call me, that my Japanese "guarantor" (my friend) can be obliged to come in my place to be reprimanded about my crime.
Is this the way the legal process works here? How long can they wait before decided whether to charge you with a traffic offence?

[gentleman quality]

I got jacked! 100,000 to 300,000 yen fine!

..for a SCOOTER! just hope others learn from my horrible transgression.



sooooo, I'll be accepting donations. Any philanthropists?

[Wonderkid]

I got jacked! 100,000 to 300,000 yen fine!

..for a SCOOTER! just hope others learn from my horrible transgression.
Yes, it was quite a while ago and it's probably all over and done with by now but....

How much will/did you have to pay in the end? I suppose you could raise some of it by selling your scooter, maybe even the whole lot if it's a flashy one with lots of bells and whistles. Then you wouldn't have to worry about whether you need a licence or not. I'm fairly certain you don't need a licence to use the metro (only a valid ticket) and there's no compulsory insurance.

Problem solved!

[Morning Star]

I had to learn the hard way as well.
I drove a car through a red light, hit a car and put a lady in the hospital for 1 month... also messed up my leg.
The part that my insurance didn't cover was 400,000円　and my fine from the police is 500,000円. The police fine probably would've been less if I hadn't been driving after a year on an international license. I didn't know at the time that you can't drive for more than 1 year on the Int'l license. Sucks, but live and learn. Just take the train.

[kurogane]

Nice you hear you had a good pee on the cops. I think that the key to getting off like you did is whether the bike is reported as stolen. I don't think they have access to the owner's information, and even if they did, lending personal property is the right of the owner. The only problem I have seen is that some of those hand me down bikes we all ride and then pass on are often, what's the word, of dubious legality. Then the rider gets nicked, or hassled, for something that may have had nothing to do with them. Bummer.

I ilke that one about asking for their ID. Mind if I borrow that next time?

[madmaxxam]

Yikes. Good thing my only means of transportation is my trustworth 自転車。 It's great though, I can get from my apt. to the university in under 20 minutes when I haul ___. When I tell people that they can't believe it, cause that's how long it takes driving. You can't get a ticket for reckless biking, can you?

Anyway, Maki got a parking ticket here in Suita. 15,000円。 The amount on that really kind of shocked me. We're in Suita and parking tickets are as much as they are in NYC, or maybe more. (Never gotten one) Definately more than any parking tickets my sister got in Chicago. Speaking of which, why is there virtually no street parking in Japan? Even where the roads are wide enough.

[hypertokyo]

Pathetic :mad:
Speaking as a Chuo-ku resident, would you mind taking the subway instead?
Please stop wasting taxpayers' money with your antics.

[kurogane]

Hypster,
Why so Glum, chum? All he was doing was giving those shitlicking dogf%king good for nothing Forces of Oppression a run for their money. If they spent half the energy on cleaning up crime and traffic offences as they do hassling cyclists, this place really would be crime free. Instead they sit on their fat uniformed asses all day, hassle a few exchange students, a couple of Thai bar girls, and then get their departmental statisticians to construct fantastic myths that any resident with eyes and ears knows are crap. A police force that doesn't serve its public is a potential force of evil, not Justice.
Anyhoo, have a nice subway ride. I'll be the medium height white guy babbling nonsensically as I careen down the train, "The square root of an integer can only be determined by reference to the stellar coordinates of Planet Exgor. I am the Chosen One!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Don't be afraid to say Hi.
PS you really did use the word "antics"???? How old are you??? :p

[waruiko]

I have had your same exact situation happen to me! I ran some train tracks and the phuckers were hiding behind a wall! Anyways my international license had expired 4 months earlier and I was just pushing my luck! Anyways got popped told my story to the police officers at the station for like 4 hours. They told me I was going to get a 1 year license suspension and a 300,000 Yen fine. Then they set up a court appt for me to talk to someone. Went to court and told them I had no idea and I didn't even plan on driving again(All BS...just pulled the gaijin card). Month later went back to court for my sentencing and they let me go scotch free! Couldn't believe it!!
My advice is try and fight it if that doesn't work move to another prefecture!

[haildamage]

i've got bad news for all of you folks who think you can drive on an IDP for one year...

actually nobody is even sure how long you are allowed to drive on an international license but it seems that it is certainly less than a year. the bottom line is that international licenses are for tourists and residents are expected to get a japanese license very soon.



International Driving Permits (IDP)
"Residents" are expected to convert or obtain a Japanese drivers license. Persons using an international drivers license who are resident in Japan can be subject to fines or arrest. The exact boundary between "resident" and "not resident" is unclear. In practice it seems to involve more than simply visa status or length of stay in Japan and is determined by the police.
We have heard from several Americans who were told by the police that using an International Driver's License for more than a year, or using one after exiting and then returning to Japan, or using one when you are residing in Japan, or after you have obtained an Alien Registration Card, or after 90 days in Japan, or using a license obtained by mail while you are in Japan, is illegal. In two instances, following accidents, Americans were charged with driving without a license, a serious offense. Driving without a license may also void your insurance coverage.
http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

yes, it is BS that certain nationalities can convert quite easily while others including americans can not. however, i have no sympathy for the OP. he should have gotten a japanese license much sooner and not driven until he was legal!

i got caught out by the change in the law back in 2002 when i already owned a 750cc motorcycle and they outlawed using an IDP. i went through some major bureaucratic documentation hassles, the BS car driving test, and then paid major money and spent a lot of time going to driving school to get my license. sure it sucked but it doesnt do any good to whine about it. you just gotta do what you gotta do to get legal!

[ChrisElliot2000]

... I didn't know at the time that you can't drive for more than 1 year on the Int'l license. Sucks, but live and learn. Just take the train.

If I could go back 5 years in the past and high-five you, I would. I'd probably also tell you not to back into that tree in Karuizawa. Then I'd tell you that chick you were calling the 'blowjob queen' would become your wife.
Cheers

[Gaijin 06]

Get the proper license, and you won't have to worry about penalties or being pulled over by "Nazis" when it is clearly YOU who are in the wrong..
(Read between the asterisks first.)


Do you side with the police and immigration on this matter Glumski?