Jumat, 25 Februari 2011

And the route is...

Well, my destination is not far from the spot where I found the cab and there is only one route that we should take so yeah obviously I did wonder why he has the need to ask about it. With bewilderment I told him that we should just take this road straight. Then I asked why in the heck he should ask about it unless he has no idea where we were going. No surprise when he said yes and admitted he was a new driver for a couple of days.

Rabu, 23 Februari 2011

MRT?

 Come to think of it, perhaps I was born in the wrong age of time... Hehehehe

Ages ago when I was still in the university and in the beginning my first year to go to work, I think I always have to go through a bridge construction or toll construction or fly over construction. What about the street around the construction? Oh well, better not ask or imagine about how heavy the traffic jam was around that area. There was a time I got stuck at the same spot for more than an hour. I was inside the car for the whole time, not going anywhere.

And I just read that we are going to have MRT in the future.

Hmmm, the so-called MRT will use train, okay I am confuse now. Will they be using the old rail tracks or going to build another new one? And what about the station for MRT? Surely they are going to build that one

By the way, though I am wondering about the future traffic while the on going construction for this new kind of transportation I also think about something. Will there really be any MRT at all? Suddenly it remind me those stakes built for monorail. But until now those stakes are just standing there. Unfinished. Useless. As they were just standing there not as accessories on the street. But another thing to make the traffic jam worst.

So, if there will MRT for real then...is good. I suppose. Though have no idea when that will be. But I do sincerely hope, and I am sure this is also a hope from others that the plan for having MRT is not going to stop on constructions. Well, half of the constructions. And those constructions are not going to be a symbol of a ruin plan and creator of another traffic jam.

Senin, 21 Februari 2011

How long can we wait?

How much time that we willing to spend for waiting regular buses or busway? 15 minutes? Half an hour? An hour? Or 2 hours? Or perhaps forever?

Waiting is the most annoying thing to do ever. Especially when we are in a hurry to go to our destination but have no extra money to take a cab. That and added to unfriendly weather but then again, what’s the point of getting a cab during rainy day around peak hour? It will be only wasting money because you are going to get stuck on the road anyway. So, yeah…public transportation is the only way.

But, they can take forever during peak hours and it is really testing your patience to wait for the public transportations. The problem is for how long? And how much can we stand to wait? We really have to depend on our feet for a long time. It is even worst when the rain pouring down hard. Even inside the bus stop there will be no picnic either.


Jumat, 18 Februari 2011

Tricky things to be passenger...


I have no idea whatsoever how drivers of many public transportation in Jakarta earn their income.

 I suppose they have to get a certain amount of money after taking passengers for a period of time during a day. Then they will have to give that money to the owner of those vehicles. If the money deposited to their boss enough with the quota then the rest will be for the driver. Surely if he has an assistant or more then he should share it with them. No wonder recently I noticed that most regular buses only have 1 assistant to collect bus fare from passengers.

It is an ironic that during peak hour we the passenger have to wait for a long time to get on the bus. Let alone to get an empty one. So, naturally there should be lots of vehicles to ensure all of us passengers able to get to our destination on time…and thankfully in comfort.
However, during not so peak hour those public transportations become very empty. Then it is not a surprise one or two or worse…more of the exact same public transportation will bump into each other. And naturally they will try to think of something how to avoid one another. And their ways are not so nice to the passenger.

First, they will be speeding like crazy… try to leave their competitors… We tends to take the first public transportation that we see rather than wait for uncertain time on the next public transportation. This is the exact moment when you feel that you are truly going to be arrived in your final destination.

Second , if the other vehicle manage to go ahead leaving its competitors then the loosers will drive their vehicles very slowly. It is so slowly it will increase blood pressure of all people who in a hurry to get to their destination.

Third, aside from slowing their vehicles others will wait for passengers before starting to move again. Obviously they were hoping that they are going to get more passengers by waiting for them.

Fourth, they will make a turn to go back on the previous route. Yeah, I have been there myself. One time I was inside this usual regular bus and I was soo happy thinking that the driver took a short cut to get to the destination. Then my dream finally vanished when the driver went back to the previous route. Not only he took a turn back but he also stop the bus and wait for more passengers.

Fifth, after all the torments given to us the passengers and they are still not satisfied then the last thing to do is to move us all to another public transportation aka their competitors. I have no idea about the arrangement but once both drivers decided then there is no way passenger will be able to say no. So, if in the previous bus we did have a good seat then there is no guarantee we will get the same thing when we have to move to another public transportation. Why passengers would not object this idea? Simply because we do not need to pay again so it is supposed to be a win – win situation or perhaps loose – loose situation.

What a tiring thing to be passenger

Rabu, 16 Februari 2011

Accident

Few days ago there was this news about busway's driver hit a kid who was crossing the road.
Without means to blame on anybody, this is probably the thing that made me scare to learn how to drive. I would rather go through hell using bus to my destination or if I have more money then I will use taxi.

When we were coming home from the hospital, our taxi almost hit a motorcycle who came out of nowhere. Luckily for us he managed to hit the brake in time and avoid that motorcycle. Fortunately too that there were no cars that near us at the time. Otherwise we could get into a terrible accident.
After feeling so relieved after avoiding send that motorcycle rider to hell, we have a little chit chat with the tense driver. He said that what he afraid the most beside motorcycles are people crossing the street so sudden.
"Those people, they just went on crossing the street without check the road first... Sometimes we can't see their body because a building or something block the sight... Then suddenly...whoosh they were there on the street... If we were too close there would be no way we could avoid them..."
Same goes with motorcycle riders, said the taxi driver. Often they just coming out from the hidden alley without stop to see whether there are people walking the street. Or they could be end up being hit by passing cars.

On the other way around, if we are inside regular buses or busways or any other public transportation. Sometimes in our bad luck, we meet with reckless driver. Speeding while have a chit chat on the phone. True that by speeding we could get to our destination faster. But which destination? And by being reckless how in the earth those drivers could watch the road?

Nobody wish to have an accident or becoming the source of an accident. Even if we remind ourselves everyday to be careful there will be no guarantee accident would not happen. And when we are not careful, then the accident finally happen.

It is on my mind what if I become the family of the hit and run victim. It is on my mind if we are the driver who accidentally hit someone else, either on purpose or otherwise. I can imagine how those passengers inside that doom public transportation will feel scare, panic, shock but reality force them to realize they are going to be late to their destination. If we are inside the bus stop for busway then we will wait and wait for the never coming busway because of the accident. However we have no idea about it and keep on standing there.

My condolence to every single life that have been taken... My condolence to all the accidents that should have never happen

Senin, 14 Februari 2011

CAR FREE DAY



When this event executed for the first time in September 2007 (information from Wikipedia), main streets were closed for cars. Only regular buses and busways passing through. When it was executed at the first time, took the whole day. In the beginning to those who does not own a car were happy to welcome this event. it was a chance for us to enjoy walking around the main street without being bothered by cars. People biking around us. We also got the chance to take our photos near the fountain located not far from Hotel Indonesia.

Car Free Day was meant to reduce the pollution by not having too many cars for several hours. But come to think of it, since the main street being closed and all while people keep on passing that street...in the end the pollution is still there. Not to mention that people get irritated for not knowing when this Car Free Day being held exactly.

So, what's the point of having CAR FREE DAY? Well, i suppose it depends on each party. Some people love it because they could enjoy walking around on the main street. The others probably get annoyed because their can't continue their journey. Especially because they have no idea about the event.
Perhaps the event need to be published more to the public?

Rabu, 09 Februari 2011

Dangerous situation

A few days ago I read about student thrown from the speeding train by a bunch of muggers.

Reading that news made me sad and wondering whether robbing someone else was not enough that those muggers feel the need to throw that kid from the train. Obviously they were not intending just to hurt that kid but to ensure that he would not be able to report that to the police.

After reading that I was starting to hesitate to try to use train as my transportation. The problem is the robbery happened during the train was empty. As you probably know I always love being inside not so crowded public transportation. I could talking on the phone (looking for troubles, honestly), taking photos (truly deeply madly inviting to be robbed) or probably less harmless activities like reading a book. But, try to stand with your two feet already a problem in a crowded public transportation. So, yeah I do love having a moment in an empty public transportation. But I suppose with that kind of situation I probably should just take off from the bus when I have a bad feeling about something. Of course since I have not even try to take train to go somewhere wondering if I could just move away when it was empty or not?

Though it is our right to have that comfort moment inside every public transportation …probably we should not get carry away… We should always keep our eyes open to any potential dangerous situation. Does not mean we should be paranoid about everything. But better do that rather than being sorry later.