The Street Devils of Jakarta
In the earlier days, my hubby used to take the back road, Kemang Timur into Kemang Timur V (formerly known as Duren Bangka), crossing Mampang Prapatan into Duren Tiga Selatan in order to get to the office. At one point, he just lost patience trying to claim his way in the midst of the arrogant and aggressive motor cycle drivers. Since then, he’d been taking the main road, Warung Buncit, but still turn into Duren Tiga Selatan taking the rest of the old route.
One day, we left a little too late from our home since our security guard was on leave and therefore we had to wait for our housekeeper to come in. So that day, I suggested to take the back road, using the old route he used to take. Surprisingly it was really fast and quiet, and no patience trying incidents. We have been re-using this old route ever since.
But then, something burst our bubble. On 16 June 2009, it was a morning as any morning, except that it rained last night. Although the rain has long subsided, it seems the traffic was still experiencing its aftermath. On Duren Bangka, near SMU 60 high school (see the circled area on the map), the traffic was slow and soon enough it was jam-packed with motor cycles trying to force their way through. And I mean it literally. They fill up all empty spaces available, including the right side of the road which is normally reserved for the oncoming traffic.
Since all of the motor cycle drivers take up all the space available, the cars coming from the opposite direction are not able to come forward. In order for them to come forward, the motor cycles have to squeeze their way in between the cars from our side, leaving no space for us to go forward either. It took us around 45 minutes to get from where we were stuck in the first place (near the high school) up to the intersection where the traffic light is.
This is a typical arrogant, aggressive and selfish behaviour of all motor cycles drivers (yes I know not all of them are like that, but let’s face it, that’s a very low percentage).
And this is not the only thing they love doing. They would also use up the sidewalks reserved for pedestrians just to get ahead. Very often, they would honk violently when a pedestrian is rightfully taking up the sidewalk, because they want them to get out of their way so they can gain speed.
When you try to turn left around a corner, they will very often come from the left side, so that if you’re not careful, they will end up squeezed by you. Often, in the same situation, they would overtake you from the right, cutting off your way. When passing a small road, they never give way to the oncoming traffic even when they’re the ones who have to wait because it’s their side of the road that’s blocked by a parking car, for example.
On roads where the dedicated bus lane is present, they would very often use those lanes, and refuse to stop at the traffic light to give way to cars that have to turn right (which is something that the buses, Trans Jakarta, are obliged to do even when they have green light). But no sir, those rules don’t apply to the motor cycles. They do whatever they want, however they want it, as long as it gets them ahead, even though they know, they are not even allowed to use the bus lanes! Even worse, when a bus lane is guarded by either the public transport field officers (either from DLLAJR or Trans Jakarta), it has not been once or twice that I have witnessed the motor cycles being more aggressive towards the authorized personnel, insisting to go into the bus lanes.
What is most outrageous about the motor cycle drivers mentality is the fact that no matter whose fault it was in an accident between a motor cycle and a car/bus/truck, the motor cycles will always play the victim. Even in situation where it is very obvious it’s their own fault. I see it as a mix between selfishness and ignorance to their own and other people’s safety. Hence, I feel the term ‘street-devils’ is most suitable for them.
Tags: Jakarta, motor-cycles, traffic