New Parking Laws

Today, June 1st, a new law went into effect throughout Japan to regulate parking. It is now illegal to park your car in the street! The law affects cars, delivery trucks and everything else except taxis, I`m told. Apparently, too, the police are not the only ones who can enforce this law - private security firms, city officials and so on can give you a ticket! If you`re sitting in your car by the side of the road and a police car pulls up behind you you`d better get out of there quickly! Stepping out of the car guarentees you a ticket and sitting too long as well.


[Police 'copter over Suwa Shrine in Kitakami]

I would not have known about it except I noticed a disproportionate number of police helicopters, airplanes and patrol cars out yesterday! I thought some huge manhunt was on for escaped convicts or something! It turns out they are taking this new law seriously! I wonder when they will start cracking down on the illegal activity that really annoys me and are dangerous - like speeding, running red lights, holding babies while driving, talking on the cell phone while driving, parking in handicapped spaces and well, a lot more!

Today I parked illegally by the side of the road when I saw some geraffitti I wanted to take a picture of! No one caught me, fortunately.