Japan has simply had enough of this shit.
Plagued by cyclists glued to their phones while weaving through traffic, Japan has introduced some fairly intense new laws to curb distracted cycling. As of today, anyone caught using a phone while pedalling could face up to six months in prison, or a fine of up to ¥100,000 (around $655).
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Perhaps you think this is an overreaction – that locking someone up for having an innocent little scroll as they trundle along on their bicycle is a bit severe. You are, of course, perfectly entitled to that opinion, but consider this: there’s been a truly wild jump in road accidents involving bikes since 2021, when more people started cycling into work to avoid catching COVID on public transport.
Between 2018 and 2022, accidents caused by dummies staring at their phones while cycling jumped by 50 percent. In 2023, there were over 72,000 bicycle accidents in Japan, an astonishing 20 percent of all traffic incidents across the country. These numbers continued to rise in the first half of 2024, resulting in one death and 17 serious injuries – the highest number since record-keeping began back in 2007.
And they’re not just coming for distracted cyclists. Drunk bike riders, your days are numbered. Anyone in Japan caught cycling under the influence can be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined ¥500,000, which is around $3,278. If you cause an accident while you’re cycling drunk, that’s ¥300,000 and a year in prison.
Mere hours after the laws went into effect, cops in Osaka had already recorded five violations, including a collision between two drunk cyclists.
