Jakarta police to impose fines on e-scooter riders who use them outside designated areas
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JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - From Monday (Nov 25), police in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta will slap fines of 250,000 rupiah (S$24) on users who ride e-scooters outside the city's designated areas.
The move comes even as the city's administration is drafting a regulation that will restrict the use of micromobility vehicles - including e-scooters - to bicycle lanes only after two students were killed in an accident earlier this month.
The move to ban the e-scooters from pavements, pedestrian bridges and roads will bring Jakarta in line with other cities around the world that have also banned such devices in pedestrian spaces.
The police said the fine will be imposed in accordance with articles 282 and 104 of Law No. 22/20009 on traffic and transportation.
Jakarta Police spokesman Yusri Yunus said e-scooters could be used only in several designated areas, such as the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex.
"Those who ride electric scooters outside the designated areas have until now only been given a warning. Starting on Nov 25, however, we will fine violators," he said on Sunday, as quoted by kompas.com.
"Violators could face a one-month jail sentence and a maximum fine of 250,000 rupiah," he said.
The planned regulation will contain detailed rules on the use of e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles such as skateboards, inline skates and conventional scooters; it aims to ensure security, safety and public order, according to Jakarta Transportation Agency's traffic management head Priyanto.
The decree, set to be issued next month, according to him, would restrict the use of micromobility vehicles to bike lanes and within certain complexes. The modes of transportation would not be allowed on footbridges and must operate at a maximum speed of 20kmh.
Adding to that, riders should also comply with safety rules, such as wearing helmets.
Those who violate other traffic rules could be fined up to 500,000 rupiah.
The regulations will apply to both privately owned e-scooters as well as those rented out by GrabWheels, which are operated by ride-hailing company Grab Indonesia.
Two high school students were killed in an accident in Central Jakarta on Nov 11 while riding on one e-scooter that was rented from GrabWheels.
The two, who local media reported were around 18 years old, were in a group of six friends and were on their way home when they were hit by a black sedan at about 3am.
