A Bali tourist has been filmed having a heated exchange with several police officers after he was pulled over for not wearing a helmet while riding a scooter.
Footage of the showdown was shared to an Instagram page dedicated to the popular Indonesian island, with many slamming the “rude” man over his behaviour.
In the video, the shirtless tourist, who can be heard speaking with a North American accent, becomes increasingly agitated after he is forced to stop in the middle of a busy road by police officers.
The man can also be heard accusing the officers of harassing him for money.
“You wanna steal money, you wanna steal money, you wanna steal?” he says in the clip.
His comment then provokes an angry reaction from police at the scene, with another officer heard saying: “We are the police. Too much talking.”
“I’ve been watching Balinese people ride over and over again with no helmet and you don’t stop them, you don’t stop the Balinese,” the man protests.
Then when one officer attempts to grab the bike and move it off the road, the man abruptly responds: “Don’t touch my stuff. Keep your hands off me.”
The footage then ends so it is unclear what happened next.
But the man’s behaviour has been slammed online by fellow tourists and Balinese locals.
“Don’t worry about others. Worry about what your head will look like if it hits the pavement at 50km/h,” one Instagram user wrote.
“Enforce the law in Indonesia. You do not want to be underestimated and insulted in your own country,” another said, while a third added: “Police officer, just a suggestion, if he is disrespecting Indonesian law, just handcuff him.”
One person said to “deport” the man, adding, “Bali doesn’t deserve foreigners like this.”
Meanwhile, an Aussie also went head to head with officers after she was pulled over for the same reason.
In videos of the dispute, which quickly gained attention online, the police officer can be seen standing in front of the scooter while the woman argues and waves her arms in protest.
“We have rules,” the police officer says in English.
According to a translation, the woman fires back in Indonesian that she has lived there for 23 years.
She goes on to tell another officer who approaches that she is getting a new helmet because her helmet was stolen.
While most Aussies tend to be on their best behaviour in Bali, some continue to flout rules which has prompted a proposed crackdown on how tourists behave.
The island is also looking at a possible ban on foreigners from riding motorbikes after a spate of recent accidents.
Governor Wayan Koster reportedly asked for the legal ministry’s support in revoking visas of tourists caught riding motorbikes in Bali.
He said at a press conference that foreigners should stay off the bikes “to ensure quality and dignified tourism”.
The news has left some tourists furious at the prospect of no longer being able to get muffler burns and road rash.
On Twitter one user wrote: “I visit Bali every year but if the scooters are banned I will not be coming back for sure.”
Meanwhile another said: “Imagine if we banned selective people from the main mode of transport.”
Others have blamed locals for “setting a bad example”.
One wrote: “Can’t speak for Bali, but here in Jakarta at a guess more than 60 per cent don’t wear a helmet. It does give the idea it’s all good.”
Another said: “To be honest, the locals need to give a good example. Many local people still ride a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.”
In a poll conducted by news.com.au, 55 per cent believed that only tourists who are doing the wrong thing should be banned from riding motorbikes, while 30 per cent agreed with the motorbike ban, as tourists have proved they “can’t be trusted”. It is based on 3264 votes.
Meanwhile, one motorbike rental business owner in Denpasar told local media outlet Coconuts the proposed prohibition would hurt rental businesses.
They also said that forcing foreign tourists to rent cars would cause even more congestion on the roads.
“If the problem is unruly tourists on motorbikes, then the solution would be to tighten the requirements for them to rent and apply them uniformly,” he told the publication.
As for those tourists who disobey rules, it has prompted Bali Tourism Board chairman Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana to look at launching a public campaign that will see billboards installed where customs are broken the most – such as the more popular locations of Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Canggu, Ubud, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Uluwatu.
Mr Adnyana said they’re currently in the “socialisation” phase of a new campaign which will aim to build awareness among visitors and educate tourists on how to behave in cultural settings.
“The point is that tourists respect Balinese cultural customs by dressing well and neatly, following in an orderly manner, carrying out traffic activities and not doing things that are outside the provisions,” he told The Bali Sun.
The proposal has been tabled and officials are now awaiting public feedback.