Cycling In Jakarta Must Obey The Rules, Otherwise You Can Be Convicted

JAKARTA - During the early days of COVID-19, many people took advantage of their spare time by cycling, including residents of DKI Jakarta. Even bicycle users are classified as a significant increase.

However, bicycle users in Jakarta must obey traffic rules, not carelessly. They also have to use the bicycle paths that have been provided. If it is not orderly, then action will be carried out by the police.

Director of the Traffic Directorate of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said that the action against bicycle offenders refers to Article 299 of the Road Traffic and Transportation Law concerning pulling objects that can endanger other road users, and / or using motorized vehicle roads.

The use of this rule, because many are cycling but do not use special paths. In fact, they often use the sidewalk as a lane. So, by applying these rules, cyclists who violate can be immediately punished by giving fines.

"For cyclists who do not use the bicycle lanes that have been provided, it means that if there is already a bicycle lane on the road and then not used, the penalty in Article 299 of the Traffic Law is Rp 100,000 or a 15 day prison sentence," Sambodo said in Jakarta, Thursday , June 18th.

Even though we have already determined the articles to be used, continued Sambodo, it is not certain that this rule will be enforced. It's just that, during the next week the rules will begin to be disseminated to bicycle users.

In addition, regarding motorized vehicles, there will be sanctions or enforcement for those who enter or use the bicycle lane. Later, if there are motorcyclists who are found to have violated it, then Article 287 paragraph 1 is suspected of violating signs or markings of violating the rules or prohibitions.

"There, the marca is not cut off in the bicycle lane, the violation in Article 287 paragraph 1 is a legal threat of 500 thousand or 2 months in prison," said Sambodo.

In collaboration with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) Transportation Agency, said Sambodo, the use of bicycles on protocol roads will also be regulated in terms of time. For Monday to Friday, cyclists are only allowed to pass in the morning and evening.

Then, for the weekend, the duration of bicycle use in the morning and evening will be extended by several hours. This operating hour setting aims to prevent unwanted things from happening.

"We have divided the hours, Monday-Friday from 06.00 WIB to 08.00 WIB. Then from 16.00 WIB to 18.00 WIB. If on Saturday we add the hours from 06.00 WIB to 09.00 WIB, for the afternoon from 16.00 WIB to 19.00 WIB, "said Sambodo.

The operating hours are on the pop-up bike line created during the transitional large-scale social distancing (PSBB) implementation.

Nantinta, the temporary bicycle path will be 14 kilometers along Jalan Jenderal Sudirman and Jalan MH Thamrin in either direction. However, if the operational time has been completed, the barrier or traffic cone will be marginalized and the road sections will fully function for motorized vehicle drivers.

"But if no one passes by, we can also return it again (for motorized vehicle lanes). We will see what it will be like this week," concluded Sambodo.