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evere traffic jams in Jakarta are everyone’s problem. But instead of condemning the gridlock, some public figures, as well as citizens from all walks of life, are trying to find creative solutions to escape the situation.

Some of them prefer to enjoy the nightlife offered by coffee shops and eateries around business districts, while public figures admitted they opted to stay longer in their offices.

Married woman Airin Jati, who works in a company located in Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), said she would stay for hours in coffee shops after her office day ended at 4 p.m.

Returning home to Lenteng Agung in South Jakarta during peak hours could take more than two hours, the 27-year-old said. Instead of being stuck in the middle of traffic, Airin spent one or two hours working with her computer in coffee shops.

“I run an online shop. I respond to orders and manage all things related to purchases during my afternoon spare time in coffee shops,” she said.

She returns home between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. “If I am lucky, the traffic will be less,” Airin said. Her husband also arrives home late.

Alfian Ramadhan, a resident living in Bekasi, said that he usually met with friends after work.

“We are busy with our jobs during working hours. Afternoon is a good time to hang out with friends,” said Alfian, a staff member of a state-owned bank located on Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta.

A single man in his 20s, Alfian said that going home straight after work was not a good idea, especially because he used TransJakarta Bus Rapid Transit network.

“During afternoon rush hour, TransJakarta is a mess. I prefer not to join that crowd,” he said.

Juggling with severe congestion was also a familiar process for several high-profile public officials.

Constitutional Court Judge Akil Mochtar said that he preferred to stay longer at his office on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, to allow traffic congestion to pass.

“The gridlock is worsening and has created a very unpleasant situation. Most of the time, I spend additional hours in the office before going home,” Akil said.

“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” he added.

While trapped in the gridlock, Akil reads books or listens to the radio.

Agus Sartono, deputy minister for educational and religious affairs at the Office of the Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister, said that he would depart early in the morning to avoid the congestion.

“I depart from my home in the Sudirman Park [in Central Jakarta] early in the morning. I usually arrive at my office at 7 a.m., but it is better for me to come earlier,” he said.

He would use his spare time in the morning to check unread e-mails and to read newspapers. “The gridlock forces me to go early in the morning so I have more time before work,” he said.

However, the situation during the daytime was different, Agus said.

“I can predict the morning traffic jam, but I cannot do the same thing during the day,” he said.
“If I have to go to another place, sometimes using my car is not a solution. I will choose an ojek [motorcycle taxi] or taxi in immediate situations.”

Law expert and former Constitutional Court chief Jimly Asshiddiqie said that he faced congestion every day. Jimly, who is also a lecturer at the Law Faculty of the University of Indonesia, said that he chose ojek as his favorite transportation to avoid traffic jams.

“The traffic jams are everywhere, from my home in South Jakarta to my campus, or in other places where I give public lectures,” he said.

“I find it’s fun to use ojek because it helps me reach my destinations faster,” he said.

However, Jimly said that this was just a temporary solution. “Unless we can improve the quality of mass transportation, in the next 10 years the city will become the sea of ojek,” he said. (lfr)