Question:
Does the government forbid tourists to rent motorbike in Bali?
Answer:
This question is coming up a lot for the last couple of days. Nowadays, Indonesia’s government really strict with the tourists who come to Bali specifically. That’s of course with some valid reasons.
Some tourists are caught working without valid visas on the island, some of them even getting video fully naked in sacred places, and others are caught replacing valid vehicle numbers with fake ones and riding motorbikes with no proper attire, such as not wearing any helmet, riding shirtless, and the worst of all driving under the influence of alcohol. Some of them even got into a heavy argument with the police, saying the police didn’t check on Balinese. Well, here’s the truth, the policemen DO check on Balinese and also give them punishment when they’re breaking the rules. With the huge amount of attention to the police and tourism vibes in Bali nowadays, we don’t see that police will be daring enough to ask for money from foreigners, just like people accused before.
This condition got the attention not only of local people and authorities. The central government in Jakarta is also pushing the local government to make strict rules to avoid those misbehavior activities. Because of that, the Governor of Bali is planning to make rules, that tourists can’t rent a motorbike while they’re traveling to Bali. This proposal is not finalized yet, but in the future, the local government hopes that tourists will only use rental cars with drivers or any other transportation app providers, like Gojek or Grab. The government of Bali has also sent a proposal to revoke Visa on Arrival from certain countries due to the updated conditions.
We still don’t know very clearly, if this proposal is going to apply soon or not. But for now, let’s take a look at the rules and the penalty that you can get while driving and riding in Indonesia recklessly. You need to understand these points accurately, so you don’t make those mistakes in the future.
- Disobeying signs and markings
When you’re riding a motorbike in Bali, Indonesia (infacts where ever you are!), you want to make sure that you never violate the signs and markings. Stop at the stop signs, never break the traffic light, don’t pass the forbidden road sign, and many more. The fine for this violation is IDR 500 K or 2 months imprisonment.
- No phone while riding
Put away your phone while you’re riding! Or simply go to the safe area, when you really need to check your phone. The fine for this violation is IDR 750 K or 3 months imprisonment.
- No speeding
The maximum speed limit is set on a nationwide scale and indicated with traffic signs:
The minimum speed is 60 km/hour on free flow and the maximum speed is 100 km/hour on freeways.
Maximum speed 80 km/hour on intercity roads.
Maximum speed 50 km/hour in a city environment.
Maximum speed 30 km/hour in the residential areas.
Violating the speed limit will get a fine of IDR 500 K or 2 months imprisonment.
- The helmet is a must!
We know the breeze is so tempting. But the last time we check, the asphalt street in Bali is still freaking hard and it can hurt your head. When you’re riding your motorbike, you have to wear your helmet. ALWAYS! The fine for this violation is IDR 250 K or 1-month imprisonment.
- Riding at the right line
Make sure you’re riding in the right line. Riding against the flow will break the law. The fine for this violation is IDR 500 K or 2 months imprisonment.
- Passenger on motorbike
The maximum number on a motorbike is 2 people. More than that you’ll get fine. The fine for this violation is IDR 250 K or 2 months imprisonment.
- Turn the light on
Even though it’s on a bright day, turning on the light is mandatory! The fine for this violation is IDR 100 K or 15 days imprisonment.
- Make sure you have a valid driving license.
If you are riding a vehicle and you do not have an International or Indonesian driver’s license then you may get a four-month prison sentence and/or an IDR 1.000 K penalty.
We know the reputation of the police department is not really that good in Indonesia. Some of you might have bad experience with a person in the institution when they tried to get some money from you. But at least at this time, the eyes of the whole nation of Indonesia are looking at Bali because of these misbehaving cases. So, it’s better for you to obey the rules and get yourself out of trouble.
If the police give you the penalty tickets, known as SURAT TILANG, you’ll get to choose one out of two different ticket papers. If you get The Blue color means you are willing to put the amount of money as much as the maximum fine to the nearest bank so after you pay then the police officer will give your documents back immediately. The bank account belongs to the treasury fund of the Indonesian government, not the specific name of any officers.
Pink color means that you are willing to pay a penalty at the traffic court, usually about 2 weeks later. For such not-serious (no fatalities) violations, the fine you must pay is usually about 20 – 40 % of the maximum penalty. After you pay the fine, you can take all your papers back.
So, never give your money to the police because that’s an illegal action.
Stay safe while you’re in Bali.