Foreigners I know in Jakarta often say that they feel too lazy to walk after living in Jakarta for a couple years. Most use taxis to get around the city, even for short distances.
"The fare is cheap compared to in our country," one said. "I used to like walking for a couple of kilometers in my hometown. Here, I will think twice," another argued.
Yeah, there are many reasons. But I don't think they are lazy, just reluctant, when it comes to walking along Jakarta's pedestrian pathways .
Besides pickpockets and bad air pollution, it is really inconvenient to be a pedestrian here as the function of walkways has changed so much.
The most annoying element are the reckless motorcycle riders who use the walkways, particularly during traffic jams when the main road is occupied by cars and buses.
They suddenly come from the opposite direction or behind us with their noisy honking, forcing pedestrians to allow them to pass.
A motorcycle driver even knocked my bag when I walked from Hotel Indonesia circle to Sarinah shopping center. It should have been me who got angry, but he did. While shouting as he sped off, he said "use your eyes". He was so rude! I am not the only pedestrian to experience this.
I wish that police would take stern action over such riders.
Ironically, it's not only motorcyclists who behave recklessly on the walkway. I once saw a soldier and local police officer driving in the opposite direction. They should provide a good example, but even they disregard the rule of the road.
Walkways are also becoming narrower with the existence of street vendors who use half the space. It makes it difficult for pedestrians to walk without rubbing against each other. Some pedestrians who are interested in buying something have to squat and it automatically forces other pedestrians to wait for them.
When fiber optic networks from telecommunication operators' are being installed, workers damage the path by removing paving blocks.
When the project is finished, they don't put it back in order and some paving blocks were lost. It left holes. I frequently think about why people could only damage but not fix it.
The above condition may make pedestrians feel upset and hopeless. Yet food street vendors on walkwayss operating after office hours may be helpful. They sell snacks such as gorengan (deep fried tofu, tempeh, sweet potato, cassava etc) that can be brought home or eaten on a bus.
Walkways also become homes for the homeless. We can easily find them sleeping there at night. A group of homeless that may be a family consisting of females, males, kids and even babies, lie on the floor.
Those of us lucky enough to have a house may wonder where they take a bath or wash their clothes.
I recently found the answer while walking along pedestrian walkway from the intersection of Jl. Thamrin and Kebon Sirih-Sabang. It's exactly in the drainage ditch under pedestrian walkway. They removed one of three ditch covers and left quite a big hole.
Pedestrians must be careful to walk, otherwise they mall fall into the ditch.
Pedestrians can see wet clothes, plastic water dipper containing soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, a small towel put on the edge of hole.
I used to be surprised when a head suddenly appeared from the hole. Now, I am accustomed to seeing heads of kids or adults coming out from the drainage ditch in the morning or in the evening.
Amid modern office buildings including government offices, half a kilometer from the Jakarta administration office, a kilometer from the vice presidential office and couple kilometers from the presidential palace, there are unlucky people that rely on walkways and drainage ditches for bathing and washing.
Do the officials know these conditions? Or do they turn a blind eye? Or they have been hopeless in managing homeless people?
If that is the hidden Jakarta city organizers know, they may include it as one of the tour packages.
- Retno I Palupi
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