Cafés, malls or coffee shops are the mainstream hangout points to rendezvous for some Jakartans, yet others choose to chat and meet their friends on an overpass in Kampung Rambutan, East Jakarta.

It is not common, not even legal, but some youths, especially those living near the bridge, love the spot to sit around, talking over nothing and simply enjoying the fresh air every afternoon.

Agam, 28, and some of his friends, had brought a guitar with them while hanging out there on Saturday afternoon.

They sang the popular songs they know and love, with their motorcycles parked at the side of the road, while cars, buses and big trucks lumbered past them.

Their lives might be at stake: on one side is the traffic, vast and fast, while on the other side is a 20 meter drop to the road below.

'But we like it here. It's windy, it has quite a nice view and it's cheap,' Agam said.

'Besides, I guess it's quite safe, more by the fact that many others are doing the same and nothing bad happens.'

While Agam and his friends like hanging out and spending the afternoon there, it is not only them who think that way.

Take Reggy Budiman, 22, for instance, who comes there almost every afternoon, either comes alone or with his friends, if they are free.

'I live around here, and this is one of my favorite places to spend the afternoon,' he said, admitting that he did not know that what he is doing is actually forbidden.

'I don't know that this isn't allowed. But I agree that it is actually quite dangerous,' he added while giggling.

The place is crowded because it is quite cool on a hot afternoon, but the 2003 Jakarta Provincial Regulation on traffic stipulates that motorists stopping on the side of the road is forbidden, and they can face a fine of up to Rp 5 million (US$515) or three months behind bars for violations.

More than that, the loiterers attract food and beverage vendors, despite the difficulties for them to push their carts up there, and that in turn attracts even bigger crowd.

Rochim, 38, said he struggles to push his cold drinks cart up the bridge and it can cause him back pains, cramps and sweats, but he does it anyway if he can because there are always plenty of people there.

'It's not only people hanging out here. Passers-by also stop here to rest. A cart of cold drink is certainly appealing,' he said with a laugh.

He said that motorcyclists come and go there until the sun sets.

However, Rochim and his fellow vendors have been playing 'hide and seek' with the public order officers (Satpol PP) lately. Now, the officers are often already standing by on the bridge at noon.

They normally come with two vehicles, with around seven to 10 men in each, and guard both lanes of the bridge, but only prevent the vendors and not the stoppers-by.

The same happens at another bridge in Jatinegara, also in East Jakarta, which crosses over Jl. Bekasi Barat Raya, although this one is not as dangerous as the Kampung Rambutan overpass. The road is rather flat on the Jatinegara bridge, and is not so high.

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