In April, two people were arrested for driving a motorcycle on a national highway in the mountains of Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture, at a speed far exceeding the speed limit. The two are believed to be so-called "rolling tribes" who compete for speed by circling mountain passes, and according to the police, they told investigators that "running fast was a pleasant feeling."
In the vicinity of National Route 299, which connects Hanno City to neighboring Chichibu City, residents reported that it was "noisy" one after another, mainly on weekends, and the police were investigating the repeated dangerous driving by the so-called "rolling tribe" who compete for time and speed on a section of about 6 kilometers of the national highway.
As a result, late at night in April, Rikuya Hanada, a 4-year-old vocational school student from Kawagoe City, and a 85-year-old high school student living in Iruma City were arrested on suspicion of joint dangerous acts under the Road Traffic Act for driving a motorcycle at a speed of 21 km/h, which greatly exceeded the speed limit, on a national highway in Hanno City.
Both are believed to be "Rolling tribes" and told investigators that "running fast was a pleasant feeling," so the police are investigating the details.
Residents: "The sound is extraordinarily loud and disturbs sleep"
Residents along the national highway, known as the "Rolling Tribe," who are conspicuously reckless driving of cars and motorcycles, have been worried about the noise.
A man in his 60s who lives nearby said, "The noise is extraordinary, loud and troubling, and I run from night to morning, which disturbs my sleep. It's not just the noise, it's the actual accident of hitting the guardrail, so I feel anxious."
Another man in his 60s said, "Especially on weekend nights, cars and motorcycles are running on the road in front of my house, and it is noisy with a roaring noise.
Late night on weekends around 50 cars and motorcycles
On the national highway in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture, cars and motorcycles of the "Rolling Tribe" are conspicuous, and the police are tightening their control.
On the 23rd of last month, at midnight on Friday, about 50 cars and motorcycles gathered in the parking lot of a convenience store in Hanno City.
The gathered cars and motorcycles were divided into several cars each, and left the parking lot of the convenience store in order to head to National Route 299, which connects Hanno City to the neighboring Chichibu City.
As we approached the Agano Tunnel in the mountains about 6 kilometers away, we saw cars and motorcycles running at breakneck speed and "drifting" by making loud engine noises one after another, and sliding tires.
The police are tightening their crackdown, saying that there is a risk that the "Rolling tribe" will increase from all over the Tokyo metropolitan area in the coming summer season.