At one point a tourist asked our guide why so many of the people in Java wear masks when on motorcycle. We thought it was a reaction to pollution. Not so. They are trying to avoid getting tans. Dark skin is a sign of low income and education. Those who ride motorcycles are particularly likely to get “too much” sun. If their helmets don’t have dark face plates, then they will often add a mask of some sort. In a similar way, our guides will occasionally wear “sleeves” on their arms. These are removable elastic tubes that fill in from hand to where short sleeves leave off. They are often skin colored. You can see them here if you look closely.
I’m seriously thinking about making myself some not to protect my status, but to ward off sunburn.
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