Q: The other day I was riding my bike on the sidewalk heading out of Womble Gate. The MA2 on duty started lecturing all the bike riders about how you’re not supposed to ride on the sidewalks on base. That’s news to me, but I guess that’s what the Navy instruction said. Then he commenced to talk about Japanese law and that it is illegal to ride on the sidewalks off base? Is that true? Because if it is, millions of people are breaking the law. 質問：先日、ウォンブルゲートから出ようと自転車で歩道を走行していたのですが、当直の警備員に基地内で歩道を自転車に乗って走行することは違反であると説明されました。その件に関して初めて知ったのですが、海軍の規則なのでしょう。その後、同警備員に日本の法律でも歩道を自転車で走行することは違反であると聞きましたが、もし本当なら何百万人という人数が違反を犯しています。本当なのでしょうか。

A: I just checked with Fleet Activities Civil Police. The correct answer is – it is illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk in the Japanese community. However JPS does not enforce it. COMFLEACT does not exercise jurisdiction in the Japanese community, so we can only enforce the rules and regulations on the base. On base, it is in violation of COMFLEACT 5900.9K to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. 回答：確認したところ、厳密には日本でも自転車による歩道の走行は違法ですが、日本の警察当局が強制していないとのこと。私たち基地の側では日本の社会に私たちの規則を強制することは不可能ですので、基地内では海軍及び基地の規則や規定を施行しております。自転車による歩道走行は、横須賀基地規定5900.9Kの違反に当たります。

Everyone should strive to learn exactly what the Base rules and regulations are.  If you choose to ride a bicycle on Base, do so only after you are fully aware of how to safely operate your bicycle, where to safely operate your bicycle, and how Base roadway safety regulations apply to you and your bicycle.  Members of the Base Security Force are trained to help you, and it is their duty to address violations or infractions of base regulations at every opportunity.  While performing their duties, the Master At Arms is required to be courteous, respectful, yet stern, so as to ensure compliance and encourage cooperation.  In the case you have described, if you were courteous, respectful and cooperative, but the Master At Arms was not, then you should report the incident to the appropriate authorities on Base, as well as to your Division Officer at your work place.  Follow up on your report, to ensure that the report was brought to the attention of the proper individuals.  After looking into the matter a bit further, you may find that describing your Master At Arms as "Unimportant" may not be factual, and may even be unfair.  If, on the other hand, it is found that the Master At Arms has performed his or her duties improperly or unprofessionally, then your reporting efforts will have had a positive effect.  BE SAFE.

Sonny
MACS, Retired         

Posted By FLSimages on 14 Mar 2010 09:55 PM
hah thats funny
cause its illegal to ride your bike in teh street on yokota last i was told

Posted By FLSimages on 14 Mar 2010 10:04 PM
it is called IRONY

chill
and learn to quote posts

Posted By Amber on 15 Mar 2010 01:29 AM
Just because he doesn't agree with it, doesn't mean he's not following it anyway. He knows it can save his life. Seriously, stop nit-picking EVERYTHING...

And you need to quit insulting people. The MPs are doing their job, you shouldn't be driving with a broken windshield. It's dangerous for you and others around you. And I know for a FACT that the wives around here aren't "fat asses". Get off your high horse.

Posted By WutUpWitDat on 14 Mar 2010 06:56 PM
It was at that point that I decided that I was tired of living under martial law and would just walk.

Posted By SonnyB on 14 Mar 2010 02:50 PM

Everyone should strive to learn exactly what the Base rules and regulations are.  If you choose to ride a bicycle on Base, do so only after you are fully aware of how to safely operate your bicycle, where to safely operate your bicycle, and how Base roadway safety regulations apply to you and your bicycle.  Members of the Base Security Force are trained to help you, and it is their duty to address violations or infractions of base regulations at every opportunity.  While performing their duties, the Master At Arms is required to be courteous, respectful, yet stern, so as to ensure compliance and encourage cooperation.  In the case you have described, if you were courteous, respectful and cooperative, but the Master At Arms was not, then you should report the incident to the appropriate authorities on Base, as well as to your Division Officer at your work place.  Follow up on your report, to ensure that the report was brought to the attention of the proper individuals.  After looking into the matter a bit further, you may find that describing your Master At Arms as "Unimportant" may not be factual, and may even be unfair.  If, on the other hand, it is found that the Master At Arms has performed his or her duties improperly or unprofessionally, then your reporting efforts will have had a positive effect.  BE SAFE.

Sonny
MACS, Retired         

Posted By haakondahl on 16 Mar 2010 12:37 AM
Someday, after FLSimages pops off to the wrong gate guard, and he's chewing pavement with what's left of his teeth, I'll be sure that he only got what was coming.
This is a military base. Don't screw with security. They would be well-off to jack a few people up now and then just to make the point. Here in Japan we are MORE exposed than bases in the states, but you would never know it from our attitudes.