Before we got to Bali, the “plan” was to rent a scooter for the month, primarily since they were so cheap. Those plans were dashed in short order as we got picked up at the airport by my old friend, Sherman, and his Balinese girlfriend, Lou, and being in the car as she rode through the streets, with bikes abounding left, right, and center, was a bit intimidating. The next day we drove about an hour from their house to Ubud, which is where we’ve lived for the past month. On the way up both Kat and I were impressed at her driving skills and courage! “Doesn’t it make you nervous?” we asked, to which she said, “No, this is normal.” And so it was.

But Ubud was even worse traffic and the idea of driving a bike through the streets did not feel comfortable, at all. The irony is– everyone does it! The locals, of all ages (which I’ll get to in a moment), and tourists, as well. Today we rented a driver to take us to a shrine. We had to take some REALLY back roads to avoid a road closure, and on the way we passed a scooter with two boys on it. They weren’t even teenagers—and neither had helmets. I asked, “Do the police enforce driving rules at all around here?” to which he said, “Not really. Maybe in the larger cities they do, but outside the cities they don’t do anything.” So, if these pre-teens can do it, why can’t I??

I think a big part is fear—or lack of it—and being unaware of the danger and damage that can be caused. We see families on bikes driving with children who are no more than two, half on their laps, with and without helmets, and woman sitting sideways on the back. We’ve seen countless ladders carried on bikes, along with building blocks, food in varied containers, large (really large!) bottles of water, plus 20’ long pieces of bamboo and wood carried on the rider’s shoulder. Yesterday we saw a young girl who was probably 15 riding down the road, sans helmet, drinking a juice box and checking her phone. For me, personally, I could not drive comfortably like the locals. And if I were to be involved in an accident where a child got hurt, well, that would be heartbreaking.

Some of the roads we’ve been on are barely wide enough for one car, yet most of the drivers in Bali are unbelievably respectful to each other, and make room. They have amazing depth perception and so many times I’ve prayed that we were passing a car with enough room to spare. We’ve not seen any road rage or any inconsiderate driver’s treatment whatsoever. If someone is driving too slowly, the car behind will pass, and those coming the other direction make room for it. Pretty amazing. Since there is a slim chance of me riding a BIKE here, there is NO chance of renting a car. Left hand drivers, narrow roads, wild dogs? I don’t think so.

In a few days we’ll be relocating to a much less crowded, hopefully less chaotic location at the beach. Will I Man Up and do the scooter there? Stay tuned to find out!