Enjoying courtesy, kindness on the mean streets of Jakarta

Tue, 06/09/2009 10:47 AM  |  City

What is left when you are driving along the road in the busy hours of Jakarta, in the midst of motorists speeding in rush and in hopes of getting away from the jam as fast as possible?

Will solidarity still be in the air among fellow motorists? Is there a little kindness spared for another road user? Or a bit of empathy for others' misfortunes on the road?

It is not strange to see a taxi driver showing solidarity for his fellow taxi driver, especially from the same company. At a busy crossroad, a taxi driver will halt his car to give way to his fellow driver.

An angkot (public minivan) driver, after having encountered a bad jam on a certain road, will inform his fellow angkot driver to avoid the same route. When the two angkot pass by each other, the one will shout out to the other, "Hey! Turn around and find another way; there's been an accident over there, you'll be stuck for hours!"

A car accident on a toll road in the morning, during the very busy hours when people are rushing to work, can result in a no less than a 5-kilometer-long tailback in both directions - not only where the accident happened, but also in the opposite lanes.

Why? Because the drivers slow down to rubberneck. And everyone who approaches the accident site will sigh out some words of sympathy for the misfortune, despite their earlier grumblings while in the jam.

We all know the shoulder of the toll road should not be used unless in an emergency. Yet every time there is a jam, whenever possible, some pioneer always dares to break out of line and drive on the shoulder of the road to escape the congestion.

The pioneer will not lack followers, for as soon as the others think it safe for them to follow, they do so. And when the flicker of a police car's strobe lights comes into view, the pioneer will try to squeeze back into the main line. And the others in the back will follow suit.

Have you ever been in that same situation? I have, although it was not me driving; I wouldn't have enough guts. I have to tell you, it felt good; we felt like the winners. On the road, we often abide by rules only when the police watching.

Just recently I was shown some friendliness on the road.

I didn't know the company car I and my colleagues were using had a broken latch on the trunk door. So when we opened it to stash away the office supplies we had just bought, the door would not shut down.

We had to get it tie it down with string, but that was only enough to keep the door slightly ajar. So off we drove slowly with the rear door flapping all the way.

As we were driving, a passing motorist drove close to us and waved with his hands up and down to let us know our car's rear door was flapping.

We opened the window, smiled and nodded to him to say thank you.

After him, came another one, and more to show the same gesture to warn us. It amused and pleased us to find that surprisingly Jakarta motorists are not that indifferent toward others. So, happily, we started counting how many people would bother doing the same.

At one point, we saw in the rearview mirror a policeman on his motorcycle following us from behind. We expected he would come closer too to warn us like the others had. Surprise, surprise... the policeman passed us by just like that. I guess he forgot that his work was not only to punish those who break traffic rules, but also to uphold the motto of the National Police, which is to protect and serve.

- Widhyawati Ambara

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