Pinning An Electric Scooter On A Bicycle Path Is So Incorrect

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya will impose a ticket on electric scooter users crossing sidewalks, bicycle lanes and roads. This ticketing also applies to users of both rented and private scooters.

This is based on the rule of law in Article 282 in conjunction with Article 104 of Law Number 22 Year 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation. Later, the use of electric scooters may only be used in certain special areas that have received permission from the manager, such as airports, stadiums and tourist attractions.

Responding to the regulation, the Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) Deddy Herlambang felt that it was not appropriate to get rid of electric scooter users. Moreover, in the prosecution, the police can confiscate the violating electric scooter and impose fines on its users.

"It can't be prohibited, what is the law used? The police use the road law because the speed of the autopet can be up to 30 kilometers per hour. But if it is set at 15 kilometers per hour, it is allowed to enter (the bicycle lane). The court also cannot prohibit it," said Deddy. in a discussion in the Wahid Hasyim area, Central Jakarta, Thursday, November 28.

According to him, the electric scooter will not interfere with bicycle lane users. This is because people passing on that route will not race their bicycle fast. Deddy said, in the bicycle lane, bicycle users usually ride their bikes at speeds of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour.

He also doesn't mind if the electric scooter climbs onto the sidewalk. The reason is, on the sidewalks, these scooter users will be safer. Provided, they were driving at a speed of 10-15 kilometers per hour and watched the pedestrians.

"Even on the sidewalk, the speed must be the same as the bicycle lane 10-15 kilometers per hour," he said.

A similar statement was also made by the Co-Founder of the Jakarta Transportation Discussion Forum (FDTJ), Yuza Permana. He said, electric scooter users should be allowed to enter the bicycle lane. Moreover, this scooter only functions as a short distance transportation and the speed is the same as a bicycle.

The entry of the scooter into this bicycle path is also considered a measure to prevent accidents from occurring. "To avoid him going into the middle. And of course not allowed to ride together, yes, so one vehicle one passenger," he said.

Lack of traffic education

The lack of traffic education provided by the community is also one of the reasons why the emergence of this electric scooter, then makes stakeholders confused in making a governing regulation.

Yuza said, this problem is a fundamental problem and must be resolved immediately. If not, when a new means of transportation enters Indonesia it will create new confusion.

"If the basic problem like this is not resolved, later when there is a new vehicle it will repeat itself. When there is an online motorcycle taxi we stutter, there is a new vehicle we stutter again. That's civilization, we are not right yet," he said.

This traffic education must also touch on traffic ethics on the highway. According to him, if only road users could ethically on the road and pay attention to traffic conditions then accidents would not have happened.

"When a car driver sees people riding a scooter, they are both ethical. A scooter rider is in a car lane, so he doesn't go in the middle," he said.

Previously, even though the police had prohibited electric scooters from entering the bicycle lane, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will immediately issue a DKI Governor Regulation (Pergub) number 129 of 2019 concerning the Provision of Bicycle Lanes. The Pergub states that bicycle lanes are used for bicycles and electric bicycles, including electric scooters.

When confirmed regarding the ban issued by the police, Head of the Transportation Agency Syafrin Lupito invited the police to do this. This is because, he said, the police have discretionary rights to take action against electric scooters in the bicycle lane, even though there was a Pergub.

"No, there is no conflict. The police have a principle of discretion. In certain cases they can take it," said Syafrin.

However, he explained, this is still temporary and does not rule out the possibility of electric scooters, whether rented or privately owned, can be used on bicycle paths. This is because the related regulations are still in the drafting stage.

"We are currently discussing this, we are waiting for regulations related to individual transportation means which we are currently finalizing," said Syafrin.