Key Points
- It follows a series of incidents in which tourists have broken road laws.
- More than 171 tourists were fined for traffic offences.
- Some were also caught using fake licence plates.
Foreigners may be banned from driving motorbikes in Bali, following a series of incidents in which tourists have broken road laws.
If approved, the proposed ban would come into effect later this year, and tourists would only be allowed to drive cars rented from travel agents.
Bali's governor Wayan Koster said the changes were aimed at ensuring public safety.
“As tourists, [you should] act as tourists, instead of roaming around on motorbikes, without T-shirts and clothes, without helmets, violating [traffic rules] - and all this without a licence,” he said.
More than 171 tourists were fined for traffic offences from late February to early March, according to local police records. Some were also caught using fake licence plates.
There is concern about the impact a ban could have on the tourism sector, including bike-rental businesses, which were badly hit by the pandemic.
53-year-old motorbike-rental business owner Sudana Bujangga Waisnawa is urging the governor to review the plan.
“It is restricting us. We just recovered back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic and now, with this, how can we (survive)? Not to mention the taxes we have to pay.”
