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Pedestrians, vendors: Unite for more, wider sidewalks!
When I reflect on how to make a good city, the contestation between street vendors and pedestrians is puzzling. Instead of fighting, they should be forming a coalition, because pedestrians and street vendors have a common goal.
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Residents eat meals sold by street vendors during Car Free Day in Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle area in Central Jakarta on May 5, 2019. (Antara/Aprilio Akbar)
“Flowers of life/Bountifully growing on sidewalk/Flourishing wild, everywhere/Furious steps approaching/Destroying fragrance of flowers/You stand still, powerless/My flower/Wild flower/My flower/Sidewalk flower.”
Fans of Iwan Fals would be familiar with the lyrics of “Bunga Trotoar” (Sidewalk Flower) on street vendors and the frequent threat of raids against them.
A recent Supreme Court ruling annulled a Jakarta bylaw that allowed street vending in favor of individual plaintiffs of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI). Proponents of the ban cited at least two reasons: First, street vendors disturb other people’s right to use the sidewalk, primarily pedestrians. Second, street vendors commercialize sidewalks for their own economic benefit at the expense of others’ access.
When I reflect on how to make a good city, the contestation between street vendors and pedestrians is puzzling. Instead of fighting, they should be forming a coalition, because pedestrians and street vendors have a common goal.
Street vending is common in various urban centers including in Southeast Asia. Street vendors “go where customers are” — known as jemput bola, literally “fetching the ball”. Street vendors depend on their proximity to potential buyers, to meet customers’ needs and to lure people with their goods. Consequently, public places with large concentrations of people or heavy traffic are prime areas for street vending. Nevertheless, it is too simplistic to view street vending as selfish profit-making commercialization of sidewalks.
Public spaces are shared spaces that are accessible by everyone from all walks of life. Public spaces are not only functional, but also carry ritual activities that can contribute to building meaningful bonds among of those sharing the space as a community. These activities may range from mundane daily routines to seasonal events. Hence, sidewalks as public spaces are not only functional, but also social and cultural, as they help people to experience the city.
Walking on the sidewalk, therefore, is not only to get from point A to B, but is about experiencing the city. Pedestrians with a purpose would prioritize that purpose, such as to get to the workplace. However, some may also need to grab a late breakfast, get some snacks to munch during coffee breaks, or get a newspaper. In a study under the Southeast Asia Neighborhoods Network (SEANNET), the Manila team revealed some street vendors in the old Escolta area have regular customers who are office workers. My own study in Jakarta confirmed that street vendors also coexist with big establishments, such as an office building or shopping mall, because the vendors provide affordable food and other goods, such as snacks, tissues and cigarettes, for workers who may not be able to afford to shop in the mall.
