Japan Tip of the Day (Stripes Okinawa)
Commute time can be very stressful for drivers in Okinawa. Traffic on Route 58 or some roads in Naha City can be congested in the morning and early afternoon. We don’t want any more problems on top of the slow traffic, so we should pay attention to bus lanes.
These are the lanes specifically designated for buses. Most likely, you would see one on the far left. They can only be used by public buses during certain times of the day. The penalty for violation can be 6,000-7,000 yen.
This law is an important one to know, and you likely have heard of it many times because it is easy to forget about the rule, even for locals.
There are reasons why we tend to be forgetful of this rule. First, bus lanes can look no different from other lanes although they are normally colored green. Drivers also need to note what time of day it is, because the rule only applies to certain times of the day – typically rush-hour in the morning and evening.
Sometimes, you may need to merge into a bus lane for a left turn during rush hours like when you make a left turn on Route 58 to MCAS Futenma. If that’s the case, you can do so only once you’re within 30 meters (98.4 feet) of the intersection. Plus, some roads turn exclusively into bus lanes, not allowing any personal vehicles to travel in certain directions at certain times.
The Okinawa Prefectural Police (OPP) advises that drivers should be aware of the rules before they drive to avoid violations. Please refer to the map of bus lanes in Okinawa and beware when you hit the road.
(Photo courtesy of the Okinawa Prefectural Police)
(Photo by Shoji Kudaka)
