Drivers in Bali have condemned a tourist who was recorded dancing on her moped while driving. The video emerged online on the 9th of January and quickly received backlash from fellow road users who called out the irresponsible driving on Bali roads.
In the video, the woman can be seen wearing shorts and a crop top. She is not wearing a helmet and is driving along with one hand on the handlebars and the other waving around in the air. She appears to be dancing, causing the moped to swerve along the road as she drives.
While the road ahead was reasonably quiet, she was followed by a car that recorded her dangerous driving before overtaking. Online commentators have noted that the vehicle driving behind was also irresponsible for driving too close to her, irrespective of whether she was driving responsibly or not.
One viewer wrote, “I would not be driving behind her that close. What if she falls or stops suddenly?” the video, shared on the travel advice Instagram account Bali Livin’ has gathered thousands of views and comments. The response has come from locals and tourists alike, many sharing their concern that these kinds of scenes are all too common in Bali. Others have defended her actions.
One viewer commented, “Stop, stop, stop. Maybe the locals would show a different example, also wearing helmets, not riding with five people, with a normal exhaust so as not to jump up at night, without huge things in one hand? In fact, people just copy the example of the rest. And believe, we also worry about the locals.”
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Though others agree that a better prescient for road safety should be domesticated by local drivers rather than condemning the driving of a tourist. They wrote, “She seems happy and having a good time, news nowadays complaining and jealousy for nothing, how many locals don’t wear helmets doesn’t make news, instead report on proper stuff like the dude that flew off the shortcut bridge this morning, where should there have been barriers he would not have been able to, but it’s to hard to secure the most used bridge in Canggu”.
Reports have emerged online of another collision that has resulted in the death of a tourist crossing the Canggu Shortcut earlier today, the 10th of January. Police have attended the scene but, at the time of writing, have yet to release a formal statement regarding the incident.
Irresponsive of public opinion, the woman in the video is breaking the law. However, regularly or irregularly, the rules may be enforced; all moped drivers are required by Indonesian law to wear a helmet and carry an international driving license. Last year, traffic officers conducted a series of traffic stops around Badung and fined moped drivers for wearing flip-flops noting that they are unsafe to wear while driving.
The video of the woman dancing while driving came as a follow-up post to another video of reckless driving shared by the account earlier in the day. In the video, a foreign driver, this time wearing a helmet, can be seen losing control of their moped and driving straight into other mopeds and cars stopped at a junction.
The junction is also surrounded by pedestrians, all locals walking through the community as a part of the Galungan festival. The caption reads, “Riding a scooter in Bali is as dangerous as anywhere else in the world, so even if the laws are not very strict, always wear a helmet and make sure you don’t risk your life by rent a scooter without an international driver’s license!”
Again, feedback from the online community urged fellow travelers to either book an online taxi or take driving lessons before getting on a moped abroad. One person wrote, “I don’t get it why foreigners who don’t even know how to ride motorbike properly have the audacity to rent a bike”.
Every year hundreds of tourists end up in traffic accidents in Bali, often wracking up enormous hospital bills and suffering life-changing injuries. Just last week, on 4th January, a local teenager was killed in a collision with Dutch tourists in Kerobokan.
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Hugues
Thursday 12th of January 2023
90 % of bule not used helmet until the 3 years covid no police control. So they fell free. Wath they cannot do in them country they do in bali. Please more police on street its urgent. When they will have to pay 1 000 000 rp they will used helmet.
Raymond
Thursday 12th of January 2023
Its readily apparent to anyone who comes here there are absolutely no driving rules. Its up to us all to self police ourselves on the roads. When large groups of people from lawless countries arrive and are let loose on high speed motorbikes, this is the result.
curtus
Wednesday 11th of January 2023
What has she done wrong?
Exp
Wednesday 11th of January 2023
One look around and what are the examples set by locals driving motorbikes: 1. No helmet, flipflops, t-shirts, short-pants 3. 4 on one motorbike or overloaded 4. Reckless driving 5. No lights in the dark (I was almost taken out by one dark rider last week) 6. No mufflers 7. Driven by children
No wonder many tourists suddenly feel normal common sense no longer applies and they can get away by following the examples set by locals.
So having all these laws and regulations is well and good, but the police only do selective enforcement. About the time traffic safety is taken serious and enforced accordingly.
JK
Thursday 12th of January 2023
@Exp, Don't forget riding motorcycles barefoot
Randy
Thursday 12th of January 2023
@Exp, Therefore it is ok for young foreign tourists not to obey the local law because when in Rome do as the Romans do apply? Besides some feel that they are entitled...a mentality brought on down from their upbringing. Sigh.
The driving conditions and law abiding rules cannot be compared as in the West. However for the most part the locals do obey and their bikes are in order. And believe me there are many who drive recklessly in my neck of the woods. Driving under the influence and road rage are all too common incidents that can be fatal.
I have seen several Westerners (you can call them foreigners) not wearing helmets, driving on the sidewalks when it is congested. Seriously...
Lynne Chelin
Wednesday 11th of January 2023
Yes....and then she will start a go fund me when she is in hospital....something needs to be done,it's getting out of control!!!!