"We better take a jockey," my friend advised her driver as we turned onto Jl. Jendral Sudirman during 3-in-1 time, peak hours when throughways require at least three passengers per vehicle.
"But Ma'am, there are already three of us in the car," the driver protested.
"True, but when Ibu Wita gets off at Semanggi, we'll need a jockey. And it will be impossible to get one then," she said with such force her driver did not dare argue.
And so the jockey selection commenced like jury selection in an Anglo-Saxon court: not too old, better take a woman, not too young, not that one, she looks a little messy.
Police used to check if three people were traveling in one car only where the 3-in-1 restrictions started but, my friend assured me, it can now happen anywhere along the route. And, she added indignantly, once a month traffic on Sudirman is redirected to the slow lane to ease pollution.
Once a month one lane is closed to ease pollution? Well, that explains it. Last month we left the convention center in Senayan and turned into Sudirman, only to find we were stuck in the slow lane for a full hour of macet, or traffic jam, the first Indonesian word my Australian better half learned. And yes, it was the last Sunday of the month. Did it ease pollution?? My unscientific mind argued that the constant use of low gear plus the motorcycles mucking up the slow-lane congestion only enhanced the pollution.
Having just returned to live in Jakarta after 35 years in Australia, I am fascinated by my fellow Indonesians' obsession with modes of transportation. When the busways were put in, I thought it was a fantastic way to get around, despite the name. The tentacles of corridors let me reach almost any destination in Greater Jakarta for a mere Rp 3500 (37 US cents).
Unfortunately, last time we tried to get to Kota from Kuningan with Australian friends, the security guards were nowhere to be found and the public-address system was out of order. Frustrating for people from out of town!
Notices to give up your seat to the elderly, infirm, pregnant and disabled are ignored. And watch out for the jolts when the busway driver slams on his brakes to avoid cars that suddenly decide to share the special lane.
So why is this fantastic mode of transport often empty?
Entering the Taman Rasuna apartment area in Kuningan, the view suggests one reason. Every unit does get one car space. And, guest parking spaces are available in front of every tower. But -- hold on -- all those guest parking spaces look like permanent parking for residents. Maybe they bribed the security officers and office staff? Who knows! The corruption commission has not made its way down to the lower social circles yet.
And ... the road encircling the apartment complex is all parked up on both sides, too. Now why didn't the apartment management assume that one parking space per unit wouldn't be enough when most people feel they need at least two cars: one for Dad, one for Mum and maybe even a third for the kids and the maid? We might sleep on top of each other in tiny apartments, but comfort travel reigns in Jakarta!
"Why don't you buy a car?" is the question we constantly field. Owning a car seems to be a status symbol. The express buses and Blue Bird taxis we rely on have caused family and friends to shake their heads in pity or turn up their noses. How do we explain, we owned a car in Australia just to tackle long-distance trips in an empty, big country. Here we have a bus stop close by and enjoy walking the extra distance to get to it. My better half even enjoys clearing his head by bicycling 10 kilometers to work.
Yesterday we were riding the bus past the 3-in-1 entry point. He said, "I thought 3-in-1 was that supersweet coffee mix and jockeys rode horses. What does a jockey look like?"
I laughed. "In Jakarta, they definitely don't wear shiny jerseys and crack a whip."
-- Roswita Nimpuno
We invite readers to contribute to this section about things happening in Greater Jakarta. Personal experiences, rants and protests are also welcome. Please send your story to city@thejakartapost.com. The article should be between 600 and 800 words.
