Bali motorcycle crash is a lesson for all

A British rider who crashed while riding without a helmet in Bali now faces medical bills estimated to be almost $A100,000.

It’s a good lesson in not doing as the locals do — not wearing a helmet when riding — and in getting relevant travel insurance.

Reuben Armstrong, 27, was riding a motorcycle in Denpasar when he lost control on a corner and ran into a wall.

He was not wearing a helmet, so his travel insurance company has refused to pay for his medical bills.

Reuben suffered a fracture to the left side of his skull which could affect his speech.

Doctors had refused to operate until £12,000 in medical bills were paid.

So his family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay his medical bills which they estimate to be almost $100,000.

They have raised more than half already from more than 400 supporters.

Riding in Bali

Bali is a popular place for Brits and Aussies to holiday and a fantastic place to ride a motorcycle as most of the population do.

However, one Aussie tourist dies every nine days in Bali, typically in a drunken scooter crashes. Reuben was not drunk at the time of his crash.

While most locals don’t wear helmets when riding, it is an offence to ride without a helmet in Bali and offenders can cop an on-the-spot fine.

If you try to bribe an officer, you could cop an extra fine.

Yet many tourists choose to flout the law and run the risk.

We suggest that all riders heading overseas take extra care to acclimatise to the traffic and learn the roads and the road rules.

Road rules and traffic behaviour can be radically different to what you would be used to.