Television in the taxi

When the first time I used taxi with television on it, I was excited. Or being CORNY to be exact. I felt so cool to be able to watch television programs that usually need us to subscribe with cable tv. For a while, I wish I have longer journey to be able to keep on watch the television. But then it struck me that the longer I was in that taxi the bigger fare that I need to pay…

But then was a long time ago. Recently I do not feel the mood to watch television while using the taxi. First of all, most of them have broken remote control. So, when there was only one channel that available and there was nothing we could do with the too loud volume or too low volume of voices from the television. Thanks goodness if the remote control still able to be used to turn off the television. It was no use to try to find buttons to be pushed on the television. And when I did not like the television program and the voice was totally annoying, the television just bothering me and I would rather the taxi have no television at all.

And since the television is no use at all, it will only blocking our view to see outside the taxi (and blocking my view to see how much fare I need to pay…LOL). It is really a pity that the television is just becoming an accessory… And to think that we could pass the time watching what was on television when we have to go through heavy traffic jam.

Watch out with that leg...

What's the first thing you need to remember when you are about to hop in to the bus?

Pay attention on your feet. If you are about to hop in to the bus do not forget to put your right leg first. Then if you are about to get off from the bus, don't forget to use your left leg.

How did I learn about this? Oh, I learnt it from the hard way during my moment as first timer on using buses. That time, I was about to go home from the university at night. I thought the bus has stopped completely when the driver's assistant yelled about the destination. Well, silly me of course. So, absent mindedly I started to move my leg to get off from the bus. Using my right leg. Then when that right foot just touch the ground, the bus suddenly start to move again. If I was a cartoon character, probably I would be flying in the air for a few second before finally hit the ground. Hard. Did it hard? Oh, don't even bother to ask. But lucky me that there was no car behind me that could run me over. Second, there were not so many people standing on the street so I was safe from humiliation.

So be aware when you are about to get on the bus and get off from the bus. You would not want to be fallen from the bus as trust me, it is not a very nice experience especially when the street full with pack of vehicles.

Damri Bus

Nowadays traffic jam seems a daily menu and considering I do not have much money I decided to take Damri if I need to go to the airport. The fare is only IDR 20,000.00

The bus is fully air conditioned, the seat is good, there is movie entertainment on tv (though sometimes the movie using alien language which I have no idea whatsoever). So, all I can do is to sit nicely and sleep all the way. But since it is a public transportation so there is always a problem

Damri, the bus to go to the airport have a space to put your inside the bus. The space located near the front door. Since I only bring one suitcase I put it inside the bus and sit next to it.

Though there are only clothes inside the suitcase, I treated the suitcase as if I was carrying a pocket full of gold bars. Thankfully my seat located near the suitcase so I could keep on watching it.

The journey does not take long as there was no traffic jam on the highway. The bus entered the airport and took its passengers to various terminals. Starting with the newest terminal : Terminal 3 then went to Terminal 2 and finally to Terminal 1. And this was the incident started. A passenger started to lift up my suitcase. At first I still sat silently as I thought he just want to move my suitcase to get his. But when he just walked away carrying my suitcase in that instance I stood up and yell at that person. Protesting him why in the heck he was carrying my suitcase? I could not go on a holiday without bring any clothes and there is no way I have to buy new clothes. That passengers keep on apologizing but of course I did not believe that my bag is similar with his. Of course since that time, I keep on watching my suitcase closely and not move my sight from it.

You do know how long to claim your missing suitcase?

But don't worry... I will not hesitate to use Bus Damri to go to the airport next time... Of course, I will sit closely near with my suitcase...

My very selfish moment

Well, I am after all just another human being... LOL... Self defense before starting to confess...

I am most obviously know that I should be able to give my seats for pregnant women, parents with so many kids around them, elderly or anyone who needs to sit more than myself.

BUT, there were moments when I absolutely unable or unwilling to give my seats for other passengers....

1. If I was not feeling well
Headache, stomache cramp, tired feet over standing too long... Once I have myself a seat then certainly I would not want to bother about other people's misery. Rather than try to be nice and just give my seat away and then collaps in public place...

2. While I am sleeping
Well, how in the heck I could care less about the other when I was already flying to dreamland?

3. If I was in the mood to read
You can't read book while standing... Hopefully to get seat near the window so I could be more ignorant to other people and finish my book

4. If I was so damn tired
There were times when my body not ready to be pushed around and my hands unable to grip on something so I would not fall. I felt exhausted and could only wish to enjoy my time while sitting at least to refresh myself.

5. When I have too many stuffs
I totally hate it to keep on standing while bring so many plastic babs full of groceries. I could not feel my fingers as they already numb for holding the plastic bags too long. So, when I do get a seat I will not going to give it easily to somebody else

Yeah, I know that when we think about it...other people probably more tired than I am. But there are moments when I just give up and thinking to take care of myself first rather than other's.

(So, I should not be ranting or grumbling when people do not want to give me seat on the bus ... LOL! THEORETICALLY)

No other option

A week ago there was this news about elimination of several routes of regular buses.

If you wish to know which one, you may go to this website

From what I read, it said that nobody protesting about the elimination of those routes. SURE?

First of all, I myself not protesting because I hardly passing thouse routes. But if I do, well then obviously I am going to be upset and yeah probably will protest about it.

Why? Well, are there enough busways to provide the service? And the most annoying fact that I have to walk miles away from one bus stop to another if I need to transit. I suppose I am over weight as walking those long corridor really tiring, for transit only. Plus, the bus stop probably nowhere near where I suppose to reach.

Currently, when NOT ALL entire citizen willing to leave their motorcycle and car and regular biasa...will there be enough busway to cover all those passengers who is now using busway? Reading that some have to queue for two hours then I would say that rather I use regular buses than busway. At the least, we as passengers have options like when we are not in the mood to take busway we will then use regular bus. And the other way around...

But when it comes the time that there is no other choice and busway will be the only public transportation... Hmmm, perhaps this is the time for me to learn how to drive so I can avoid using public transportation.

Happy Birthday Trans Jakarta

Yesterday I was surprise to read that Trans Jakarta or commonly known as Busway has been operating for 7 years since 15 January 2004. Wow, that's quiet a long time... Even is a bit late, I still want to wish Happy Birthday to Trans Jakarta

It feels only recently when the government announcing that they would operate another public transportation (busway) and there goes protest (well, at least that was I remember from the people) such as on many trees in the middle of Sudirman street that being cut down. Not to mention traffic jam when they started to built the road for busway. Could not really imagine if those public transportation really operating. And as usual, we could protesting grumbling, screaming but the plan keeps on going. And there busway started to operate up to this 7 years of service.

My first experience using busway was giving me impression that this public transportation may have better equipment or treatment but when it comes about being comfortable..., ehm... Well, I would say zero difference with those regular buses.

During rush hour, there hardly any empty public transportation and neither with busway.

If you are waiting for the regular buses on the street, you may have different choices. There are usually more than one public transportation headed to a certain destination. What makes them different to one another is the route that they take. The more expensive fare that you have to pay, the route is shorter. And with fare cheaper, well you might as well end up in a labyrinth before finally reaching your destination.

Now, with busway...well if the road for busway already sterilized from other vehicles then yes it may reach destination sooner. Obviously with special lane built in the middle of the road they could avoid traffic jam along with other vehicles. But once the road for busway being infiltrated by other vehicles (well, be honest can we really hold ourselves seeing empty road not being used?) then the busway will be trapped with other vehicles unable to move away from the traffic jam. While the long queuing already beats the queuing to watch Harry Potter's movie. Some even have to wait for hours before able getting the busway to reach their destination. And that's only the waiting duration, have no idea about how long the duration to reach their destination.

So what's the difference of busway with regular bus? Busway could also having engine problem... Or having its lane damaged so need repairment and forcing busways to use regular road. And of course they also will get stuck in the traffic jam

And about how crowded the passengers, well same thing happen with busway. Not because the driver needs money but simply because passengers can't wait any longer to be able to reach their destination. What if the waited busway will never ever going to arrive at the bus stop?

So, if I were asked what is my hope for busway after 7 years operating...hmmm, nothing fancy.

If they really meant that busway would be the only public transportation to serve the public in Jakarta then people fixed lots of things. Perhaps one day they can built bus stop for busway with shorter route not like right now... Where passengers need to walk a lot further and take our breath away when we have to run. And probably there will rest rooms and seats. Plus using AC so we would not melt away when queuing for busway...

Don't just encourage people to start using busway but do nothing with the facilities.

Cheap fare transportation..., really?

Why people really want to put themselves in the gutter just to use public transportation? Well, obviously because the fare is much cheaper compare if we took a taxi.

But come to think of it, if we have to use from one public transportation to another then the fare is not going to be cheap. First you probably have to pay IDR 2,000 for the mikrolet, then continue with busway amounting IDR 3,500 if you took it after 07.00 AM. After that you still need to use motorcycle taxi with fare IDR 5,000... If you add them all, then what's so cheap about it? Just double the fare to cover from the moment you left the house up to go home again.

If we read people who use busway complaining about how they have to wait for 2 hours before the busway finally available. They did that to save some money for the fare. Otherwise, once they saw how long the line is then it would be better to just walk out from the bus stop for busway. Then try to find any kind of buses that goes to our destination. And that would mean we are loosing extra money for the fare for the possibility arriving at home earlier. Well, if the regular buswasy is there in front of you within 10 minutes of waiting then we better get on with it. Even though the bus already packed with lots of people. Rather than waiting for 2 hours at the bus stop, not including the time duration to be taken before reaching home.

So, what's so cheap about from those public transportation? Or is it our own fault in choosing wrong house's location?

Story from Mikrolet

Do you remember that once I told you about how I hate people bringing too many baggages to the public transportation? Because those baggages will take a lot of spaces from another passengers...

If I was using mikrolet, I really find it annoying to see a tire also "sitting" inside the mikrolet.

If the mikrolet is empty then I can choose any seats far away from that tire. But if I am out of luck then I will have to seat near it as that would be the only empty seat left.

Just look at that man in the picture and that uncomfortable position he has to endure while sitting near the tire.

I would prefer to get on an empty mikrolet like this. But then now I should be worried with robbers inside...
Hahahaha... what a life

Stay the same

Few days ago I took a busway to my destination around 3 PM on regulard day. From the nearest bus stop I got not-so-crowded busway. Relly my type as I was still able to have a seat.

However, when I arrived at the bus stop for transit, oh dear... Felt like already 5 PM after office hour. There was this long lining up... Not to mention the waited-busway took more than 30 minutes to finally arrive at the bus stop. Wondering is it because those new corridors with no additional busways? Or is it because the road being repaired effect the frequencies of the coming busways?

What a drag... I thought everything has changed for the better in the year 2011... It turn out something stay the same...

Creepy!

Life depending on public transportation is a drag... You hate using public tranportation full with so many people. Not to mention that you will not get a seat, sweats dripping all over you, tired for standing too long...and the risk you will loose your wallet by pickpocket.

I read something on the dailynews KOMPAS few days ago and gave me a creep...

There was a robbery for that lone passenger. Well, she was alone with other 4 fake passengers which turn out all robbers including the driver. From what I read and quote, policemen have failed tracking them as the porprietor use fake identity such as license to operate a vehicle on certain route and ID car's number... CREEPY!

Since the victims were usually female, most of them prefer to be on the crowded public transportation. If there were only few male passengers then they would rather find another public transportation.

Surely this will add another long list of robbery on public transportation which make us worry... But what can we say? We are the one who need public transportation with cheap fare!

Poor us :(

Who's to blame?

A few days ago I just read reader's note to dailynews KOMPAS that really makes me weary...

The person said that he wished to support the goverment's program in reducing polution in Jakarta and therefore he left his car and used the busway

In short, he was being pushed by another passengers that wish to enter the busway and automatically he tried to hold on to the door... Probably at the same time, the door was being closed. The result was fatal. He lost his thumbs! Though officials in charge have apologized and stated that this accident would be reported but up to now there is no further response.

Without meaning to blame anyone, this kind of situation happened when people get impatient...

Oh dear I am going to be late! tssk, I don't care about this person in front of me... Why he is being so slow! Just push him! Otherwise I could not get into the busway! While the busway seems never going to arrive in this bus stop...

While those outside the busway...hmmmph, this street for busway is empty... I better drive through here... And succesfully all street are pack with cars...traffic jam hit the street. Not even a rat can pass it.. Especially if all motorcycles already gathering in one part of the street

So, who are we going to blame for this matter?

Happy New Year 2011

Good morning all! First of all, want to wish you HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011! Hopefully is going to be another best year ever to us...and of course in terms related to public transportation.

Well, I have not been using much of buses and busways recently. The buses seems to be running slow as most of their passengers already on holiday. On the other hand, passengers on busways were escalating during the holiday which made me feel...swamped...

With the opening of two more corridors frankly I still have doubts whether is going to solve any transportation problems here in Jakarta. During December road for busway at Sudirman street was damaged and need repairing. As the result, busways have to use regular street along with other cars and traffic jam happened. Again. I sincerely hope that with the new year, they will have more buses for busways so we could avoid standing in line for hours and reach our destination sooner.

Any hopes for regular buses? Nope... With them, getting safely at my destination already a bonus and expecting nothing more.

Anyway, I have been browsing here and there and found this interesting site about Trans Jakarta aka Busway... You may want to take a quick peek at it...

See you at another day :)