TOKYO - Following the April launch of tougher penalties for cycling violations, such as holding a smartphone or umbrella and using it while riding, businesses have marketed various goods to help bicycle riders comply with the new regulations.
Now that there are fines for riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella, retailers have seen increased sales of rain gear. Meanwhile, headphones that allow riders to hear their surroundings have also become popular because they are permitted under the new rules.
Osaka-based World Party Co., which makes and sells rain gear, has increased its online promotion since spring, ahead of the April start of the "blue ticket" system, with special features on bicycle rain ponchos.
Its Rain Bicycle Sleeve Poncho from the W by Wpc. brand has become popular thanks to its features, such as a hood with a visor that maintains visibility and covers that keep the backs of the hands dry.
Sales of the poncho more than doubled from February through June compared with the same period last year.
Yuka Nakamura, a public relations official, said, "Sales increased significantly due to demand for countermeasures against the blue ticket system for bicycle riders," referring to the new system that imposes standard fines for offenses like using a smartphone or ignoring stop signs while riding a bicycle.
She said that the gear's simple design, unisex usability, and the fact that it can also be used casually in other outdoor settings may have contributed to the sales increase.
Sales of rain capes with extra front length to drape over the handlebars to cover the front basket have also been brisk, as they keep both the rider and their belongings dry.
It is not a violation to wear earphones as long as you can hear the sounds necessary for safe riding -- whether you wear them in just one ear or use devices like bone-conduction earphones, which bypass the eardrums and send sound vibrations through the cheekbones to the inner ear in an open-ear design.
Nagaoka Co., a company in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, for example, offers the wireless earphones NOW10, a hook-style model worn over the ears.
Since they do not block the ear canal, users can listen to music while still being aware of their surroundings. Though compact, they are splash-resistant and safe when exposed to sweat or sudden rain while riding.
Phone holders that attach to bicycle handlebars are also selling well as they allow riders to make calls hands-free.
Based in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Axs Corp. sells the smartphone holder GN-12, which allows phones to be easily attached and removed and is equipped with a locking mechanism that can withstand vibrations while riding.
Made of a durable, sun-resistant material, sales of the item doubled since the introduction of the blue ticket system.
But the company warns that even if a phone is fixed in a holder and the rider is talking through earphones or another hands-free device, staring at the screen while riding is still considered a cycling violation.
Under the new system, the Road Traffic Act was revised to target a total of 113 relatively minor violations with fines of up to 12,000 yen ($73).
Police are allowed to bypass written or verbal warnings and immediately issue the tickets and fine people for high-risk offenses that can cause accidents.
A 12,000-yen fine is set for distracted cycling, such as making calls with the phone in hand or staring at a screen, even if the device is fixed on a bicycle mount.
Riding while holding an umbrella or wearing earphones that block outside noise can result in a 5,000-yen penalty.
According to National Police Agency data compiled in mid-May, 2,147 blue tickets were issued in the first month since the new system was introduced in April.
