Living the dream of car-free, humane city

Fri, 11/20/2009 1:05 PM  |  City

While quotidian reality chokes citizens with black smoke emitted from the endless stream of vehicles in the city, there are days when life is more spacious, and even lead-free enough to breathe.

The administration has run a Car-Free Day program, in which cars and motorcycles are not allowed onto several main streets during the day, for the last few years. Usually held on Sundays, police officers block off the streets and let citizens swarm in with their various activities.

Young parents stroll with their babies down the middle of roads, as if the giant asphalt layers are the long-lost green parks Jakartans yearn for.

Children play soccer, badminton and other field sports, which have vanished in lieu of skyscrapers that leave the city's kids no room to play outdoors.

There are also street performances and festivities, celebrating a day when, somehow, life goes back to the years when Jakarta was still known as Batavia.

The administration said a few years ago that the Car-Free Day policy was aimed at reducing carbon emmissions and weaning people off their dependence on vehicles. Yet the number of vehicles on Jakarta's roads keeps rising despite the stagnant development of roads and highways.

Last Sunday was another Car-Free Day in Old Town, West Jakarta. People flocked to the streets and once again lived the one-off day of joy, celebrating open spaces in the absence of motor vehicles.

There were once again all of the joyful performances and outdoor activities on a day that let people enjoy their lives outside of a chilly mall or their home.

Cyclists were the kings of the car-less streets. Children played in front of the History Museum, West Jakarta.

All of these things before waking up to a new Monday, starting their cars and driving to work. Life goes back to normal.

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