Police are showing they’re serious about an island-wide crackdown on traffic law enforcement that’s running for the next three weeks. Sort of.
From March 1 through the 21, “Operasi Simpatik Agung Menyas” is all about making sure people are wearing helmets, carrying valid licenses and registration, and following driving rules.
However, if you’ve spent any time in Bali, then you must know that people wearing “traditional garb” (e.g. udeng headband, kebaya and kain sarong, hijab, etc) usually get a free pass, breezing past police checkpoints sans helmet, without any issues.
In the spirit of road rules compliance during Operasi Simpatik, North Bali Police are even apparently stopping people wearing such traditional garb.
But they’re not exactly coming down that hard on all the bapak-bapak and ibu-ibu. A Buleleng Police checkpoint on Thursday at Jl. Dr Sutomo Singaraja reportedly stopped every motorcycle and car passing through, often finding people on motorcycles without helmets. As to be expected though, most of these helmet-less people were wearing religious/traditional clothing.
One hijab-wearing woman who was stopped, told Tribun Bali her reasoning: “I don’t know what the problem is. In the past in Bali, never wear a helmet, just hijab. Bali is safe.”
Another motorbike with three kebaya-wearing women crammed on offered the explanation that they were in a hurry to their grandfather’s funeral.
Buleleng Traffic Police Chief I Nyoman Sugianyar Ardika said in these instances, police reprimand rule-breakers, hand out a warning and ask the driver not to repeat the offense. He added that every driver must wear a helmet, regardless of whether or not they have traditional dress on.
“According to the rules, everyone riding a two-wheeled vehicle should always wear a helmet. The use of a helmet will absorb impact to the head in an accident, to prevent more fatal injuries,” Ardika explained, as quoted by Tribun.
Police even apparently gave out SNI standardized helmets during their checkpoint to some people driving without protection. Guess now those people don’t have an excuse to go helmet-less! Free stuff.
Meanwhile, well-behaved riders wearing helmets and in possession of proper documents were rewarded at yesterday’s checkpoint. With chocolate.
Nothing like chocolate to motivate good behavior.
