Bali needs to outlaw vacationers from using motorbikes as a result of they’re “roaming round with motorbikes, with out sporting T-shirts and garments, with no helmets, violating [traffic rules],” in line with the federal government.
In accordance with Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, vacationers would solely be permitted to hire vehicles by journey businesses or regional tourism companies.
It occurs within the midst of a backlash towards guests using bikes on the island, the place police allege that greater than 171 international nationals disobeyed site visitors guidelines over the course of two weeks in late February to early March. In accordance with authorities, some vacationers even have pretend license plates.
“If you’re a vacationer, then act like a vacationer,” the governor mentioned throughout a press convention this week.
He added that vacationers are “disorderly and so they misbehave” and guarantee that the ban would assist to “guarantee high quality and dignified tourism.”
“[Tourists should] use the automobiles ready by journey brokers, as a substitute of roaming round with bikes, with out sporting T-shirts and garments, with no helmets, violating [traffic rules], and even and not using a license,” he mentioned.
Putu Jayan Danu Putra, the Inspector Normal of Police and Chief of Bali Regional Police, confused the significance of vacationers obeying the legislation when renting vehicles.
“We offer schooling to rental automobiles that might be rented out to foreigners to all the time adjust to present site visitors guidelines,” he defined.
Lately, social media has more and more shared tales and movies about international vacationers violating site visitors guidelines in Bali. This features a video of a Russian Instagramer who carried out a stunt by flying off a jetty on his motorbike in 2020. Additionally, a video of an Australian lady yelling at police after being pulled over for using a motorbike and not using a helmet went viral.
There have additionally been deaths. After allegedly visiting a nightclub within the Legian space, 36-year-old Englishman Michael Andrew was discovered lifeless in a swamp along with his scooter in April. Nonetheless, there is no such thing as a proof that he had damaged any legal guidelines earlier than his demise; as a substitute, he’s believed to have died in a automotive accident.
Most just lately, in January of this yr, a Russian vacationer who was apparently driving drunk was killed in a collision with a neighborhood, and a Ukrainian vacationer died after dropping management of his motorbike.
In accordance with the Ngurah Rai Immigration Division, the island’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Worldwide Airport (DPS) obtained greater than 2.1 million guests in 2018 in comparison with 6.2 million in 2019. Though this seems to be a small fraction of pre-pandemic ranges, it’s a important improve over the 34 guests who got here to the island in 2021.
