Traffic!!!

I often complain about the roads in jakarta; how I can't stand the traffic, the busses and polices that do nothing... how driving in jakarta is a challenge to ur body soul and mind. How it is a test for ur patients and toxic to ur soul. And I noticed many others complained the same.

Complaining is easy, criticizing the government and people is very easy, i realized that. But to change or to do something about it is hard. And the fact is, if we want a change, it gotta start from us!!

The whole thing is a cycle, we blame the city for not providing good enough public transport, and blame for the in-proportionate ratio of cars and roads, and all the other things. And in return, we are blamed for not driving properly and following the rules, or not paying taxes, or buying more cars than we need in a family and for taking too many cars from same starting place to the same destination and other complaints. We criticize them, they criticize us and the end results are always not pretty. For example, I heard rumors that parking buildings are to raise their parking fee to 10000 per hour. No doubt its one of their ways to reduce car usage. But what they don't realize is by doing so there will be plenty of wild inappropriate parking on the roads and would in fact cause more traffic.

So I propose to make a change starting from us, car drivers. We can do simple things, such as:

1. Follow the road rules... for example; when the light turn yellow it means be prepare to stop, not rush in 10 seconds before it turns red. Not to park in places not spose to park. Not entering the bus way lane, etc etc

2. Not to encourage wild parking areas by not parking on the side roads and all

3. Car pool... if we know people from our area are going to the same destination or area... arrange a car pool instead of each one of us bringing oour own car.

4. Utilize the public transport. I know this one seems the most ridiculous one because lets face it the public transports here are shit! and the city are not doing anything about it. But maybe if more and more people utilize public transport then maybe from the income and more complaints from clients would compel them to make it better.

5. Not to encourage bribery... the ticket isn't that expensive to pay for, so y encourage bribes to the polices who obviously were jz trying to get money. Yes, perhaps it is a hassle to have to go to the court and wait hours for ur case to be reported... but some sacrifice should be made :) and its nt tht much hassle if u send sm1 in ur place and/or come a lil late so u dun need to stay for long.

6. When for a change we do go on foot, we try to utilize the side walk (if possible), the bridge to cross and not cross in the middle of the road and walk as slowly as possible like a snail even when cars are queuing to pass (hate walkers that do this :s)

7. Not to stop a taxi or any other public transport in the middle of the road.

8. Be a lil less irritated while driving and rushing trough all the time and cut other cars off. See if the queue of cars from the other side is already ridiculously long then jz let sm cars pass first.

9. Be smart in driving... give others way but also dun be too naive to let every other car cut u off.

10. Drive at reasonable speed pleaasssee!! not too freakin speeding and not too slow...

11. Refrain from distractions such as talking on the phone, texting, making out, while driving to avoid driving recklessly... either too slow or driving on the wrong lane or the middle... causing other cars not be able to pass

12. be considerate

I myself hv started to follow those and try my best in doing so. Altho its perhaps hard, but not impossible that will make a change. And change always have to start from one step, one person, one community...

Who is with me????