Police And Transportation Agency Who Do Not Agree On Law Enforcement Of Electric Scooters

JAKARTA - The regulations regarding the use of electric scooters in Jakarta still seem to have left a big question mark. This is because the two officials implementing regulations on electric scooters are inconsistent, the Polda Metro Jaya and the Jakarta Transportation Agency. From enforcement to ownership of scooters, everything is unclear.

Although Governor Regulation Number 128 of 2019 which regulates the use of electric scooters has been passed on November 20, the police continue to take action based on the legal basis of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation.

The difference of opinion between the two agencies started with the location where the individual transportation means were used. The police said that electric scooters were only allowed to be used in certain areas. In fact, when the electric scooter is in the bicycle lane, it is considered a violation and is suspected of Article 282 of Law Number 22 Year 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation.

An example is where an electric scooter is used. The police suggested that this should be in the South Tangerang area, because it had been given special lanes for pedestrians, bicycles and for scooters.

"(In Jakarta) it has been determined in this (agreement) that scooters are only available in certain places. Gelora Bung Karno, airports, and tourist attractions such as Ancol," said Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Police Commissioner Yusri Yunus. in Jakarta, Thursday, November 28.

Then, the police will also take action against all electric scooter users, regardless of whether they are rented or owned by themselves. "The name is an electric scooter, it doesn't say it's rented or private. A scooter or an electric scooter (not allowed)," said Yusri.

Meanwhile, Head of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency, Syafrin Liputo, stated that electric scooters can be used on bicycle paths. This is based on Governor Regulation Number 128 of 2019, which states that bicycle paths can be traversed by bicycles and electric bicycles - which include electric scooters.

However, only private electric scooters are allowed to use the bike path. Not a rental from GrabWheels, which is an electric scooter rental service company. GrabWheels has been frozen after a collision incident that killed two people, some time ago.

"So we agreed with the police for the operator (Grabwheels) to be banned, prohibited from operating on the highway. Because it is very disturbing," said Syafrin.

"In the Governor's Regulation, they (private scooter users) are allowed to cross the bicycle lane," he added.

Syafrin said, electric scooters and rental are two different things. He said that owners of privately owned electric scooters understand better the risks of using them than those who rent electric scooters.

"For personal scooters that are used as individual means of transportation. He (an electric scooter user) already understands, he is using an individual vehicle that has risks so that it has its own safety standards," said Syafrin, who emphasized that there is no cross-cutting of personal electric scooters in the bicycle lane.

"Not (ticketed)," said Syafrin.