Taxi's Passengers Robbed, Again.

Well, and here we go again. There was another robbery on taxi few days ago. You can read the news here on Jakarta Globe.

Knowing when...

After being trapped inside a bus stop for busway on Friday 29 July 2011, I have another episode on Saturday 30 July 2011.

Nope, this time not on the busway. But when I was taking a cab with my friends after having dinner at the mall. The traffic was even brutal if not to say worst than the day before. It was hard for us to find available taxi so we decided to use just one to drive the three of us to our destination. It was easier rather than walking down the street to find one for each of us. So, we happily get into the first available taxi that we saw. We did not mind that the taxi was not the usual taxi's companies. I mean, there were three of us anyway. The driver would not be able to stop suddenly on an empty street to pick up bad guys to rob us. We were okay.

Remembering when...

How many people do you think can snug in the taxi or bajaj?

I think there is a rule that there can be no more than 4 people inside taxi. As I remembered a taxi's driver once told me that if he have more than 4 people he could get heavy fine from the police. For Bajaj, well...I am sure there must be a maximum limit for Bajaj as well in terms of having passengers.

If you have seen Bajaj then you know that there is no way more than 3 people could be inside it. But since we need to save money and as long as the driver did not mind then let's have 6 people inside it :D

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.

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.

Ordinary people having a conversation

My parents are chatty people. If we are using a cab, there is no chance they are just going to stay silent from starting the journey until reaching the destination. Unless both of my parents are not feeling well therefore they do not feel the mood to have a chit chat. Or the driver looks totally annoying and make all of us wishes oh dear let us get to the destination as quicky as possible.

If the driver talked to my father then the topic would not go far from politic and REAL situation in our society that we are certain most of the supposedly representative people up there have no idea whatsoever. About prices of daily needs, gasoline...all going up excpet your own pride. LOL... If my mother usually loves asking about general stuffs. Like from where exactly the driver come from... How long has he been driving taxi like the below conversation :

Driver : Careful, Ma'am... Take it slowly... (to my mother who using a staff)

Mom : Thank you driver... Please take us to....

Driver : Which way you wish to take? How about this road? It is the shortcut... Avoiding traffic jam

Me : Sure thing... ( I agreed as I have already known the street. Please note that taxi's driver is not GOD who can tell exactly when and where the traffic jam will be... Plus, few of them can be devilish by not informing about the traffic jam... So, a knowledge is a must)

Mom : Where you coming from originally?

Driver : From Purwakarta Ma'am...

Mom : Have you been driving in this taxi's company for a long time?

Driver : As a matter of fact yes Ma'am... I have never moved to another companies again.

Mom : Wow, sounds you like it there

Driver : Yeah, this company is not so bad Ma'am...

Mom : How so?

Driver : We have to give to the company approximately 200,000 Rupiahs from all the fare that we have collected. Then after deducted for gasoline we could take home the rest of the money... That is why we are very motivated to find more

Me : Anything else?

Driver : They are family oriented... We could borrow money especially for our need related to our children's education. And we could buy this car for our own by installment...

Mom : Why there are so many drivers have no clue about where they suppose to go?

Driver : Well Ma'am... Same thing with newbie in the office... On the first day they surely have no clue about their work, right? Same thing with new drivers

Me : if you are accidentally hit or  being hit by another car then you should bear the cost of repairment?

Driver : Yes as we take out this car from our pool in good condition. Then we are oblige to return with the same condition.

Me : have you ever received fake money?

Driver : I have. The fare cost was 70,000 Rupiahs. The nervous passenger gave me 100,000 RUpiahs. I took no notice and just return the change amounting 30,000 Rupiahs. Since the pool found out it was a fake money, my total loss was 130,000 Rupiahs.

Mom : You will get another income from somewhere else

Driver : Yes Ma'am. Amien for that


And that was conversation of ordinary people about ordinary life that we all try to get by with our own decent effort.

Taxi and updating status...

There are so many taxi's companies here in Jakarta... Many of them are really good but many of them ar not so good. That include the driver often robbed the passengers and left that trauma feeling. Mostly happen to women passengers who just finished their work from the office late at night. But several cases happen in the broad day light.

I think we have to rely on our instinct whenever we call a cab. If we are with a bunch of friends then we may not care about the creepy situation inside the taxi. When I said creepy that includes automatic door-lock, no handling to open the window or the window also shut automatically from the driver's seat. If there are only one or two passengers the driver could drive to an empty spot then picked up his gang to rob the passengers. I would say that if we get that paranoid feeling when we were about to enter a taxi then do not hesitate to cancel using that taxi.

There are three kind of taxis in Jakarta. Those with expensive fare, standard fare and the other with lower fare (as they still use the old fare). Being cheaper does not mean they give bad service. Again, it depends on the driver it self. I once took a well known taxi and getting off before I even reached my destination. As the driver simply annoying and do not want to listen to our direction. The driver often asked which way we as the passenger would prefer them to take. But this one, not only he did not ask me which way that I prefer. Instead, he keep on bragging that he know the street better in the most annoying way.

So, I would not stated down here which taxis that are good for passengers and which one is not. Usually, office, airport, hotel and mall working together with well known taxis to provide service for its visitors. So, you can be sure that they can be trusted.

Sometimes there are chatty drivers whose conversation are fun and enjoyable. Others merely annoying and you would end up just saying yes, no, uh-hu, hmm...in order to finish the conversation. You may be surprise but new drivers often have no idea where they should go. It's a good thing if they are willing to confess in the first place. But there are a few who would not admit that they are clueless. And of course they could take a wrong turn and drive us mad.

Watch out those drivers who love talking on their cellphone as they would not concentrate on the road. Be careful with sleepy driver so you have to keep talking to him.

Additionally, I think we should start to use our addiction on Social Networking to update our status when we are using a taxi. Like for example, you use this taxi : BB. Once you got in, then write it down on all your social networking status that you are using that taxi with ID number that printed on the door. If you think is necessary then you may also include the driver's identity such as his name and his driver's ID. This usually located near at the dashboard. Why I suggested this? So, in case you forget something in that taxi you could at least give detail information to the taxi's company that you use this taxi. Naturally, if the driver found the left stuff first they might keep it in case the passenger claim it back. Unfortunatelly if the other passenger found it then they obviously could not return your stuff.

So, don't just use your social networking to update status that you are upset, or at the mall, or on the street. Use it for this as well :) Who knows, it might be usefull someday ^__^

Safety problem

Using public transportation in Jakarta is sort of a dilemma. If it was full, we feel very annoyed. Aside that we are suffering from the heat, we are stuck in the middle with dozen of people, totally exhausted as we do not get a seat and have to stand for quiet some times. And surely do not forget about pickpocket. Not to mention people with demented hobby by doing sexual harassment on the bus. With all of that, we then start to dream if only that public transportation is not so crowded. We would not feel like we were rush when we we are about to get on or get off. We do not have to get squeezed by other passengers or their belongings.

But, once we get on an empty bus or other public transportation...we would be lying if we did not feel worry. A few years ago there were cases of hold-up inside illegal public transportation. I said illegal because they are actual personal vehicle transformed without legal permit into public transportation. Perhaps sort of hitch hiking. But people who hitch hiking does not need to pay the fare. While this one, people will pay the fare to the driver. Most people prefer this kinda transportation. As, most of the passengers going to the same direction and soon become familiar to one another. But, few years ago...there were people pretend to be the driver and passengers in this illegal transportation. Then robbed the real passengers. So, the question when we get on the not so crowded public transportation...are these all real passengers or not?

Well, to be honest I can not give you tips other than to follow our own instinct. Usually our instinct hardly makes mistake though from other people's point of view we could be labeled to paranoid or fabricating a situation that not exist.

If we are already inside a public transportation and feel something not right, do not hesitate to get off even though our destination still far from being close. Don't worry about the fare as it would be nothing compare with other losses. Such as mentally; being shocked after the crime took place. Or naturally material looses that would take more rather than just the fare.

Once I decide to get off from a taxi as I felt that the driver kinda annoying. He kept on opposing all the direction that I have told him to take. Finally I decide to get off near my friend's home and just get another taxi. I did not mind loosing the fare rather than being agitated all the way home.

Often we heard recommendation from people about "bad" taxis and "Good" taxis. Though is good to have recommendation like this, but not always guarantee us safety and comfort.

Obviously when we go together with bunch of people, slim chance that we all going to be robbed by the driver and his accomplice. But when we are alone then we need to be extra careful. And trust our instinct. Plus, prays...a lot.