Tips for the Scooter Test
Have you decided to get a scooter license? I think that it is a great idea!!! 50 cc scooters are a great way to get around in Japan. They are really good if you need to get around a city or your local town.
The first thing I recommend is the get “Rules of the Road” by JAF. The latest revision is the February 2023 edition. It is a little expensive for such a small, thin book but it is packed with gold! You should read it cover to cover and make sure you remember as much as you can. A lot of things from this book could be on your test.
Moped? scooter? Mini bike? “Gentsuki”? “Motorized Bicycle”? I use the word scooter in daily life but for the rest of this article, I will use “Moped” because that is what it is called in the Rules of the Road book.
The test procedure:
Paper Test and Vision test
License
Riding Lecture with practice riding on the government course.
It’s pretty simple. The license will be issued the same day that you pass the test.
After reading the “Rules of the Road”, there are some moped specific things that you need to know. Some of the things I am going to list are in it, and some are not:
Magic Numbers:
Loads
Max weight: 30 kg
The load cannot extend more than 30 cm from the back of the loading equipment.
The load cannot extend more than 15 cm to the left and right.
The load, including the moped, cannot be over 2 meters.
Towing / “Rear Car”
When towing, the maximum speed is 25 km/h.
The maximum towing weight is 120 kg.
Turn Signal
You must turn on the indicator 30 meters from the point where you will turn.
Speed
The maximum speed for a moped is 30 km/h even if the posted speed is faster. If you are towing, it is 25 km/h. There are special zones where the speed is slower for mopeds and will be indicated with a street sign.
Others
Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters before an intersection.
Confusing words:
We usually say “Green light” in English but in Japan, they may say “Blue Light”.
Parking vs Stopping:
“Stopping” should refer to when you stop a vehicle for under 5 minutes. It can be to load or unload things, wait for someone, etc. The driver should be in the car. The vehicle should be able to move in less than 5 minutes.
“Parking” should refer to stopping the car for 5 minutes or more. The driver is away from the vehicle. It is also considered parking if you are experiencing mechanical trouble and are attempting to repair it.
You may not park where there is a “No Parking” sign. You may not park or stop where there is a “No parking or stopping” sign.
Stopping or parking within 5 meters from an intersection or pedestrian crossing is prohibited.
Stopping or parking within 10 meters from a railroad crossing or bus stop is prohibited.
Stopping or parking within 1 meter from a fire alarm is prohibited.
Parking in a place where there is no space of 3.5 meters or more on the right side of the vehicle is prohibited.
Direction signs
Do not confuse “permitted directions” with “on way street” signs.
Unexpected Questions: (or not)
If your bike has a foot brake, you should apply the brake with your toe, not your heel.
Never operate a motor vehicle that is not functioning properly.
You must wear footwear that will not interfere with the operation of the vehicle. No sandals, flip-flops, geta, etc…
When an emergency vehicle is coming, you must not block any intersections when you stop.
Sounding the horn is prohibited for anything but danger or when the street sign tells you to.
Mopeds can drive on a road that has a red circular sign with a red red line through a car.
You must stop before sidewalks, with or without pedestrians.
Try some Practice Tests
There is a site with some practice tests on it. They have a list of all their current tests.
I recommend doing them backwards. The newer tests use better English. The first few have some rough grammar and difficult to understand questions.
Living Document
I will try to update and improve this page when I can. If you have any tips, comments, or feedback, please leave a comment below. I will add it to the post.
