Police in Bali are conducting increased traffic patrol operations as a result of what they are calling a ‘rampant’ rise in the number of violations on the island’s roads.
Police are concerned that a huge amount of these violations are being carried out by tourists, and they want to see Bali’s roads safe for everyone.
Bali Police Chief Inspector Daniel Adityajaya has confirmed that he and his teams will be taking firmer action against traffic violations.
He revealed that he and his teams will be conducting increased patrols to help promote a greater sense of security for communities and to catch those breaking the rules of the road.
Chief Inspector Adityajaya explained, “The problem of traffic violations that are often done by tourists [is because] we need closer coordination with motorcycle rental parties and other vehicle providers. The goal is for them to remind tourists about the importance of obeying traffic rules.”
He added, “Every member must actively monitor and enforce the rules. Not only to maintain security but also to protect the safety of the community and tourists.”
The most common violations Bali Police are seeing are tourists driving motorcycles without a helmet, driving without a motorcycle license, and driving a vehicle that has incomplete or invalid licenses and roadworthy permits.
Another common violation Bali Police have been reporting is tourists driving with too many passengers on their motorcycles.
Officers across Bali will be conducting spot checks and surveillance patrols. Tourists should always carry a copy of their ID or passport with them while driving, as well as their motorcycle driving license and the details of their vehicle rental provider.
Up in Ubud, the local transportation agency, Dishub, is working to crack down on illegal parking by tourists and locals in the town center.
Although many feel that illegal parking is a fairly harmless offence, the impact of hundreds of illegal parked motorcycles throughout the town centre is having a seriously negative impact on the traffic flow around the tourism hotspot, causing risk to both road users and pedestrians.
Officials from Gianyar Regency Dishub have been joined on patrol by Ubud Police Chief, Commissioner Gusti Nyoman Sudarsana, and twenty police officers to tackle the growing problem of illegal parking in the centre of Ubud.
On patrols conducted this weekend, the teams ticketed three vehicle owners, towed four vehicles, and flattened the tires on 45 illegally parked motorcycles whose owners and drivers could not be located and reprimanded.
Sudarsana explained to reporters, “We carry out parking enforcement, appeals, and warnings along the main Ubud route, Jalan Sri Wedari, Jalan Hanoman, and Jalan Dewi Sita.”
He added, “We deflate vehicles left by the owner or driver to provide a deterrent effect.”
He and his teams want to minimize the amount of illegal parking in Ubud center and do not want to issue fines and tickets unless they absolutely have to.
They feel that deflating tires is a ‘humane’ way of warning drivers that they must park responsibly. He confirmed, “There were 20 people who received warnings to park in the available parking pockets.”
These parking patrols in Ubud have been carried out on a regular basis since May 2023 and are focused on addressing illegal parking from both tourists and locals.
Tourists planning on driving in Ubud should be mindful of parking in the dedicated parking lots and then walking into central Ubud.
Very few restaurants, cafes, and shops in central Ubud have their own dedicated parking spaces.
Dedicated parking lots for both cars and motorcycles can be found at the Sacred Monkey Forest, at Ubud Central Parking on Jalan Suweta, and at Lapangan Astina Ubud, also known as the sports field.