6,000 Yen for Riding a Bicycle Against Traffic: Why It Is Becoming a Priority for Blue Ticket Enforcement

The blue ticket system for bicycles began on April 1st.

Reports of citations are starting to appear on social media. Among them, those for riding against traffic stand out. Not for running red lights, not for using a smartphone while riding, but for riding against traffic. In an article I wrote in March about the blue ticket system, I predicted that there would be a crackdown on the first day of enforcement, and now, two weeks later, reality is playing out exactly that way. The fine is 6,000 yen. While some say, "I was just riding down the road," I have long considered this a problem.

Thinking it is safe

People who ride against traffic have no malicious intent. They are convinced that "it is safe because I can see cars coming from the front." If you ride facing oncoming traffic, you can avoid cars if they come. It has become a habit based on that feeling.

In some cases, people do not even realize they are riding against traffic. They do not see the one-way signs or cannot distinguish the road shoulder. I have seen such people on the scene many times.

This perception is wrong.

Even during the red ticket era before enforcement began, traffic lane violations were consistently among the top reasons for bicycle citations. The fact that there are many cases means it is a common violation, yet it was not being enforced. That changed this month.

Scarier than intersection collisions

When a car and a bicycle approach each other head-on, their speeds are combined. If a car traveling at 40 km/h and a bicycle traveling at 15 km/h face each other, the relative speed at the time of impact is 55 km/h. If they were traveling in the same direction, the difference would be 25 km/h. Since kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed, a head-on collision generates more than three times the energy of a rear-end collision in the same direction. The idea that "I can avoid it because I can see it" does not hold up physically in some situations.

The "intersection collision" is a well-known type of bicycle accident. It involves someone rushing out from outside the field of vision at an intersection. It is certainly scary.

Riding against traffic carries a different set of problems. Even if a head-on collision is avoided, there are many cases where contact still occurs. On roads with narrow shoulders, there is no room for either party to escape. If a bicycle is riding on the right edge of the road, a car must cross the center line to avoid it. If there is a car in the oncoming lane, that avoidance becomes impossible.A situation can arise where the car has no options.

Furthermore, the spread of electric-assist bicycles adds to this. In the five years from 2019 to 2024, the number of accidents involving electric-assist bicycles increased 2.5 times. Child-carrying models weigh over 30 kg on their own, and if an adult and two children are riding, the total weight exceeds 100 kg. That weight comes at you head-on when riding against traffic. Since the weight is added to the relative speed, the energy at the time of impact increases even further.

On the subject of head injuries

Immediately after a collision, the victim may be conscious and able to speak normally. Then, a few hours later, their condition changes suddenly. This is the typical progression of an epidural hematoma or acute subdural hematoma, known as "talk and die." Taking images while consciousness is maintained and not missing the timing for a craniotomy becomes everything. I have seen this progression many times in accidents involving bicycles riding against traffic.

When a cyclist is hit by a car in a head-on collision, their head almost certainly hits the ground or the car body.The fatality rate for those not wearing a helmet is about 1.4 times that of those who are. In 2024, about 50% of bicycle fatalities involved head injuries. The national helmet usage rate is 21% (2025 National Police Agency survey). The part of the body most susceptible to damage is the least protected.

Even if they survive, higher brain dysfunction may remain. Memory loss, difficulty controlling emotions, and obstacles to work. Even if the moment of the accident is over, the life that follows is changed.

The meaning of 6,000 yen

Under the blue ticket system, the fine for riding against traffic (traffic lane violation) is 6,000 yen. It is set at the same amount as running a red light.

I see people asking, "Why is it so expensive?" but this amount corresponds to the danger of the accident. One common misunderstanding is the treatment of road shoulders. Some people think, "It's okay to ride against traffic if it's on the edge of the sidewalk," but riding on the right side of the road shoulder is also a violation and carries the same 6,000 yen fine.

Although guidance and warnings are the principle, if it is judged that the danger or maliciousness is high, a ticket will be issued immediately. If you ride against traffic past an officer who is currently enforcing the law, a ticket will be issued without warning.

It applies to those 16 and older, and no license is required for bicycles. While the system does not accept "I didn't know" as an excuse, in the first place, there are more people who do not intuitively understand why riding against traffic is wrong.

Most people will likely just pay the 6,000 yen and be done with it. However, from the perspective of someone who has seen things from inside the operating room, it is far better to avoid having to pay it at all.

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