Plis Deh Jakarta!

Reader comments on an article reporting on the new rules and fines being imposed to motorcycle riders cover a range of reactions; from the usual:

- it’s about time there was a crackdown on the reckless motorcycle riders

to the somewhat illogical:

- if this goes on, sooner or later they’ll be fining pedestrians

to the conspiracy theorists:

- this rule does not side with the ‘little people’. It is a conspiracy between the city administration and the producers of motorcycle headlights to increase sales.

So I wonder how people would react to the rule where drivers are not allowed to make calls while driving? Maybe they’ll say it’s a conspiracy between the city administration and producers of cellphone handsfree kits.

That said, I am not aware if this HP handsfree rule applies to motorcyclists, which we still often see making calls while riding their motorcycles.

… even if the helmet is on backwards and not properly tied to the head.

This morning, in the usual traffic jam in Kemang, I almost hit a motorcycle when moving forward as the motorcyclist simply cut me off and went on his way. As a good Jakartan I gave several honks of protest, but apparently the motorcyclist was annoyed by the noise.

He opened his visor, turned back and said something – I couldn’t hear what he was saying as I was in the car, the windows were all up and the stereo was on. But of course, that didn’t stop him from his string of what I assume were expletives, accompanied with various rude hand gestures, which went on until he was far from my car. 

A friend once told me if I ever was in a minor traffic accident – fender bender, small dent and so on – we should always try to get the upper hand in acting angry, whoever was at fault. So even though the motorcyclist was at fault, he’ll never admit he’s wrong.

And that, is a typical day in Jakarta…

Kenapa sih?

Kalau motor nyalip – dari kiri maupun kanan – harus langsung motong jalan mobil yang disalipnya?

I take pity to those security guards who are assigned to help manage the flow of traffic coming out of malls, or even guard pedestrian crossings. They’re not police, mind you, and everybody knows it – so the usual reverence reserved for police is hardly ever shown to them, when they are really only trying to help.

In comes my firsthand example: a security guard is assigned to guard the pedestrian crossing between Plaza Senayan and Senayan City. Since both malls are almost always packed, there is always a high volume of traffic between the two, whether it is cars or people.

The security guard manages to stop the traffic to let through a throng of people pass the pedestrian crossing, yet one motorcycle rider still tries to push through – even when a lot of people are already crossing the street. The security guards yells at the motorcycle rider and tries to push him back and block his way with his hand. So what happens? The motorcycle rider actually becomes angry and yells back, before speeding off, and all the while people are still crossing the road.

Perhaps he had a nature call. Considering that, perhaps a lot of drivers and motorcycle riders in Jakarta are under a constant call from nature hence having to forget everything else, even safety.

And thus the poor security guard asks to be rotated to another task, like going through people’s bags at the mall entrance.

Some guy wrote to the Jakarta Post and attacked motorcycle producers for not being responsible enough – sure, the high level of motorcycle sales is good for business and good for the country’s coffers, but to what social cost?

But the statement that surprises me (which shouldn’t, but still does) is:

The Jakarta City police say the number of motorcycles has reached 3.5 millions out of the total 5.7 million vehicles in the capital. This is a 300 percent increase in the number of motorbikes during the last four years.

THREE POINT FIVE MILLION MOTORCYCLES??? That’s like 60% of the total number of vehicles! No wonder we’re neck deep in motorcycle exhaust.

The common wisdom is a motorcycle uses less gasoline compared to a car, especially an SUV, so logically the emissions from a motorcycle are even less. Right? Wrong.

This article indicates that although motorcycles emit less CO, but they emit more NO2 which actually is worse for the air. Multiply that by 5000 new motorcycles per month (and that’s only Honda), and Jakarta is actually worse for wear. Take a look outside and look; I think you’d notice that pollution is actually worse. And the public buses that supposedly emit less emissions per capita compared to private vehicles are actually less well-maintained and spew out poison like nobody’s business, makes it worse.

If we want to start helping save the environment, I recommend B2W or any alternate way to get to the office. But of course I’m a total hippocrate and I drive from home to office in the 2-hour traffic jams… car pooling, anyone?

(Originally posted Dec 11, 2005)

It’s the rainy season in Jakarta, and the new King has arrived.

Whatever happens, when the water comes, everybody just stops. They stay in their buildings, they stop their cars on the street… giving a moment for the new King to pass. Why?

Because, when it rains here… IT REALLY RAINS.
when it starts raining hard… the defunct drainage system just lets the water flow onto the streets, even the main roads (yes, including those big four-lane roads)… motorcyclists stop under flyovers for cover from the rain… thus creating a city-wide traffic jam. the motorcyclists on a 2-lane road take up one lane (as there are tens of thousands of motorcylces in Jakarta), not to mention the flood, which can break down most of the older cars rolling in the street… as if we don’t have enough of these traffic jams on usual sunny days…

so if it’s raining outside… better to stay in.. or take your chances… taking forever to go where you’re going to.

plis deeeeh…