Originally Posted by
BlogD
They usually assume you've stolen it. Bicycles are relatively ubiquitous in Japan (relative to the U.S., not to China, for example), and you can find zillions parked near stations. But the locks on them are usually trivial and next to useless. So some get stolen, and the police usually suspect gaijin first. I remember one time when--dressed in a business suit and well-groomed--I was stopped by no less than four cops and a patrol car. One looked inside the frame, and another went back to the car to radio in the serial number while the rest surrounded me and asked questions.
That really pissed me off because at the time, media stereotypes were still strong against foreigners, and I knew that all the Japanese passers-by saw the spectacle and thought, "so it's true!"
It may well be possible that you could be pulled over simply for ID checks, though the first I heard of this in years was on this board. It likely will depend on where you are and what the police are like in that area.
Anyone else been pulled over recently?
Bookmarks